2007 Graduate Catalog and 2006 Annual R & D Report - Sirindhorn ...

2007 Graduate Catalog and 2006 Annual R & D Report
Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT)
Dr. Rapeepong Suwanwarangkul
Lecturer (Joined SIIT in October 2006)
B.Eng. (Honors) in Chemical Engineering, Kasetsart University, Thailand
M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering Practice School (ChEPS), King Mongkuts University
of Technology Thonburi, Thailand
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Areas of Specialization: Fuel Cell Science and Engineering, Process System Engineering, Chemical Reactor
Analysis and Design.
Research Interests:
Fuel Cell Science and Engineering
Since the crisis of energy price (oil, natural gas) and
environmental concerns have emerged, fuel cell
technology is now considered to be one of the most
emerging technologies to reduce air pollution and
improve energy efficiency. My research work mainly
focuses on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) operating at
high temperature of 800-1000ºC. My interesting
researches are to develop the mechanistic cell-level
and stack-level models based on planar and tubular
design to study the influence of cell design and
operating conditions (temperature, pressure, cell
voltage and syngas compositions) on cell
performance. In addition, the SOFC system model
including SOFC, gas/steam turbines, fuel processing
and CO 2 capture process is developed to analyze the
overall cycle efficiency and appropriate operating
condition of SOFC system. Finally, we will study the
possibility to operate SOFC using different gas feedstocks
(biogas, diesel reforming gas, propane, natural
gas, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and ethanol
reforming gas) rather than hydrogen. We will also
develop the mechanistic model to understand
transport phenomena of these gases inside SOFC.
This will help to design particular SOFC that match
with the type of feed stock. This project is currently
supported by National Metal and Materials
Technology Center (MTEC).
Process System Engineering
Process system engineering focuses on simulation
and modeling of chemical and related processes. The
aims are to gain insight into the processes’ behaviors
leading to improvement of their operation and design.
Furthermore, process optimization strategy can be
obtained once the process model is established.
Currently,the emphasis is placed on petroleum and
petrochemical processes such as thermal cracking
furnaces to produce olefin gas from liquid petroleum
feed.
Reactor Analysis and Design
The design and operation of the catalytic reactor is
sophisticated because of non-ideal behavior of the
reactor which depends on reactor type, such as, fixed
bed reactor and fluidized bed reactor. Therefore, in
order to understand the fundamental operation of the
reactor, it is important to develop the mathematical
model to investigate the actual transport phenomena
inside the reactor including mass, momentum and
heat. The validated mathematical model will help
scientists and engineers to optimize reactor
configuration within a limited number of experimental
investigations. My research work currently focuses on
designing ethanol and methane reformers to produce
hydrogen for fuel cells.
Dr. Sandhya Babel
Associate Professor
B.Sc. in Biology/Chemistry, University of Indore, India
M.Sc. in Biochemistry, University of Indore, India
M.Sc. in Environmental Technology and Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
D.Tech.Sc. in Environmental Technology and Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Areas of Specialization: Membrane technology; Solid waste management; Water and wastewater treatment;
Environmental Impact Assessment.
Research Interests:
Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous
Solution/Sludges Using Agriculture Waste
Materials
Agricultural wastes are unused resources, which in
many cases present a serious problem of disposal.
However, these waste materials can be used to
remove toxic heavy metal from wastewater as they
are capable of binding heavy metals by adsorption,
chelation and ion exchange. The exchange properties
of these wastes can be attributed to the presence of
carboxylic, phenolic, hydroxylic groups. In order to
enhance cation exchange capacities, these groups
may be modified by oxidation, carboxymethylation,
acetylation, phosphation. The utilization of agricultural
by-products in treating the wastewater/sludges
contaminated by heavy metals is an attractive area of
research.
Environment and Development Perspectives: Life
Cycle Assessment a Tool
Developing countries in Asia have considered
economic growth as the sole indicator of
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