Structured Catalysts and High Temperature Ion Transport Membranes Consultant

Technical Consultant #2157

Heterogeneous catalyst development and evaluation, with emphasis in structured catalysts.
Production of hydrogen and synthesis gas through steam reforming and autothermal reforming.
Ceramic high-temperature ion transport membranes for oxygen production and syngas generation.
Defining, designing, and managing installation of research and development equipment and control systems from laboratory to pilot scale.
Process and reactor modeling using a variety of tools, including Aspen Plus, Aspen Custom Modeler, Fluent, MATLAB, and custom software solutions.
Scientist and Engineer with extensive experience defining and executing research and development for novel processes and operations, as well as high-level engineering analysis and modeling expertise.

Independent Consultant, Present

Active contributor in many areas in safety programs, serving as a leader and team member in a variety of safety-related roles.

Undisclosed Company, 1995 - 2015

Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) Synthesis and ITM Oxygen Process Development

Modeling and experimental research and development in support of next-generation process targets in high-temperature oxygen and syngas production using Ion transport membranes, targeting performance and reliability improvements in membrane reactor systems.
Defined and executed of bench- and pilot-scale experiments, developed and analyzed process concepts, modeled membrane, catalyst, and reactor systems, and supported demonstration-scale campaigns of the technology. Quantified benefits of reaction-driven ITM technology in green-field hydrogen production and steam methane reformer retrofit applications.

Hydrogen Process Technology Development

Conceived and developed novel catalyst structures and formulations for applications in hydrocarbon steam reforming processes.
Developed materials internally and with external partners, and evaluated structures and coating technology using bench-scale reactors, process modeling, and computational fluid dynamics.
Devised and implemented novel methods of assessing performance of commercial catalyst particles, and developed an improved micro-kinetic model for steam methane reforming for use in reformer design and engineering calculations.

Catalytic Process Consultant

Provided catalytic reaction process analysis for external customers in support of hydrogenation processes in specialty chemical production, leveraging expertise in mass and heat transfer analysis, catalysis troubleshooting, computational fluid dynamics, and chemical kinetics and reactor modeling.

Monolith Loop Reactor Development

As the lead applications engineer and co-inventor of Air Products' MLR technology, was responsible for configuring and scaling up the ejector-driven monolith reactor concept.
Developed engineering correlations for pressure drop and gas-to-liquid mass transfer.
Developed a Hydrodynamic Test Unit for intermediate-scale studies.
Specified design of MLR pilot plant, and served as lead project engineer during its construction by an outside fabricator, as well as start-up and shakedown activities.
Designed and implemented a high-throughput experimentation system for rapid testing of monolith catalysts.
Assessed the use of monolith catalysis for prospective customers at laboratory to pilot scales.

Black Liquor Oxidation

Designed and started up a continuous reactor for the oxidation of pulp-mill black liquor. Defined and implemented the control methodology for optimal process performance. Provided early-stage process support and quantified the technology benefits.

Liquid-Phase Methanol Process Development

Conducted experimental research into catalyst deactivation issues at a technology demonstration plant, in both laboratory and field settings.

Toluenediamine Process Support and Technology Development

Provided high-level plant process support. Assessed catalyst activity, selectivity and fouling issues, and performed CFD analysis of various process flows and vessels to resolve impurity-driven process performance problems.
The increased level of process understanding led to improved plant performance and facilitated capacity increases. Initiated a research program to demonstrate the feasibility of monolith catalysis in TDA production. Screened and characterized catalysts, and initiated the construction of a pilot plant.

Management

In various positions, supervised research technicians, providing day-to-day feedback as well as formal appraisals. Supervised one professional individual contributor, as well as several university summer interns.

Credentials

Focused Studies: University of California at Berkeley

Recovery of glycols from dilute aqueous solutions: Developed novel methods for recovering glycols from aqueous solutions (e.g., fermentation broths) by means of chemical complexation or reversible chemical reaction. Work included acid-catalyzed reactions, measurements of chemical and phase equilibrium and kinetics, and synthesis of a reactive distillation process.
Recovery of hydrogen sulfide from coal gas: Process development for removal of H2S from coal gas by precipitation as copper sulfide, followed by recovery as clean sulfur.
Minor: Coursework in corrosion, chemical and physical surface phenomena and advanced hydrometallurgical processing.

Focused Studies: Delft University of Technology

Emphases: chemical engineering thermodynamics, reaction engineering, separations.
Interconnected fluidized beds: Thesis research to develop a cyclically operated fluidized-bed coal combustion process, with sulfur removal and absorbent recovery conducted in alternate beds.

Languages

Academic and Professional Affiliations

Publications and Patents