Shri V. V. Mariwala Endowment Lecturer in Chemical Engineering
(August 2007 onwards)

Subjects Taught
Chemical Engineering Laboratory

Research Interests
Gas purification, reforming reaction, catalytic hydrogenation

• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow, Germany (2006-2007)
   
  
• Foundation Science & Technology Research Fellow, Portugal (2005-2006)
   
  
• Dr. K. H. Gharda award for the best Ph.D. thesis in ICT (2006)
   
  
• Artemis Biotech award for the best master's thesis (2002)
   
  
• Certificate in Chemical Technology Management (ICT, 2003)

• Life Member, I.I.Ch.E.
   
  

• Study of CO2 reaction with alkanolamines in aqueous solutions
  

  The reaction of carbon dioxide with alkanolamines is of considerable industrial importance, e.g., in treating natural/associated gas streams, in the manufacture of hydrogen via steam reforming of natural gas, in ammonia plants to make the gaseous streams free of carbon dioxide, and in thermal power stations to meet the discharge limits for carbon dioxide in flue gas. The investigation comprises studies of kinetics of the reaction of carbon dioxide with novel amine-based absorbents, carbon dioxide absorption into aqueous blends of amines, acceleration of carbon dioxide reaction with amines by suitable absorption activators, vapour-liquid equilibrium, estimation of physical properties such as diffusivity and solubility of carbon dioxide in aqueous amine solutions and amine degradation in presence of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

  
   
  
• Study of steam reforming reaction for hydrogen production
  

  Hydrogen is primarily used as a feedstock in the chemical industry, for instance, in the manufacture of ammonia and methanol, and in refinery reprocessing and conversion processes. Furthermore, there is now growing interest in the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. It can also be used in a fuel cell for the production of electricity for stationary applications and mobile electric vehicle operations. Hydrogen is produced commercially on a large scale mainly by steam reforming, partial oxidation, coal gasification and electrolysis. The investigation comprised a study of the steam reforming reaction for hydrogen production, using commercially available supported noble metal catalysts.

  
   
  
• Study of catalytic hydrogenation
  

  Hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds is an important reaction having several applications in the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries. The investigation comprised studies of liquid-phase catalytic hydrogenation, catalyst preparation, characterisation and reuse and heterogeneous reaction kinetic modelling.

  
   
  
• Study of catalytic wet oxidation reaction
  

  Wet oxidation is a promising technology in advanced wastewater treatment. It involves the sub-critical oxidation of organics and some oxidizable inorganics in the aqueous phase at high temperatures and pressures. The investigation comprised studies of catalytic wet oxidation reaction for treating industrial wastewater.