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Separation and Reaction Engineering Specializing in green (sustainable and environmental) process engineering
Coordinator: Dr Darrell A. Patterson
Contacts: Dr Darrell A. Patterson
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 85027
Email: [email protected]
Webpage : http://www.ecm.auckland.ac.nz/staff/dap/
Dr Emma AC Emanuelsson-Patterson
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 83962
email: [email protected]
Webpage : http://www.ecm.auckland.ac.nz/staff/eap/
Address: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering,
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
Research Cluster Objective:
To develop and characterise world-leading innovative separation and reaction engineering
processes by combining novel advanced chemical and materials engineering and science.
Research will focus on green (sustainable and environmental) process engineering applications.
National and International Collaborations: Companies: Chelsea Sugar, AgResearch
Researchers:
Professor Andrew G. Livingston: Imperial College, London, UK and Extractive Membrane
Technologies, UK
Professor Donna Blackmond: Imperial College, London, UK A/P Md. Monwar Hossian: United Arab Emirates University, UAE
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University of Auckland Separation and Reaction Engineering Research Cluster
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Research areas
1. Membrane Separation Science and Engineering
• Nanofiltration membranes: fabrication, characterising the separation performance,
optimisation for selected applications. (collaboration with Prof. Andrew Livingston, Imperial College, London).
• Determining the in-use (wet) microstructure of membranes.
• Tuneable membranes: Fabrication, fundamental characterisation, and optimisation for selected
applications (collaboration with A/P Margaret Hyland and A/P Allan Easteal).
2. Green Reaction and Wastewater Reactor Engineering
• In-situ characterisation and analysis of reaction progression, reaction products and
intermediates and kinetics by FTIR and UV/Vis spectroscopy.
• Photocatalytic reaction engineering: Fundamental reaction characterisation, reactor
development and scale-up for thin film semiconductor catalysts (collaboration with Prof. Wei Gao).
• Advanced oxidation of biorecalcitrant wastewaters: sonochemical oxidation, microwave UV
oxidation, and titanium dioxide and zinc oxide catalysed photooxidations.
• Membrane enhanced reactions: process and reaction intensification by combining advanced
oxidations with nanofiltration.
• Ultrasonic reaction enhancement
• Development and characterisation of supported chiral organocatalysts (collaboration with Prof D.
Blackmond, Imperial College, London).
• Fundamentals and Applications of enzymes immobilisation on wool (collaboration with A/P Md.
Monwar Hossian, United Arab Emirates University, and AgResearch). 3. Green Process Engineering
• Conversion of waste into value-added products:
o The utilisation of mussel shell waste (collaboration with Dr Mark Jones and A/P Brent Young)
o Extraction and recycling of polyphenols from olive oil wastes (collaboration with Dr Lu Zhang).
• The selective extraction of active ingredients from renewable natural sources.
4. Biological Reaction Analysis
• Advanced in-situ biochemical reaction analysis by FISH, DGGE and PCR, applied to
industrial wastewaters and wastes.
• Bioremediation of industrial wastewaters and wastes.
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Selected Equipment
Membrane Separation Science and Engineering
Elcometer thin film applicator for thin film
membrane preparation by phase inversion.
Selected cross-flow membrane filtration cells for long term characterisation of flux, MWCO,
rejection for fabricated membranes for process development.
Millipore membrane filtration module with high pressure pump for process development.
SEPA dead-end pressure filtration
cell for initial characterisation of
flux, MWCO, rejection for
fabricated membranes and process
development.
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Pilot-scale membrane testing
pH stat for Enzyme Kinetics Evaluation
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University of Auckland Separation and Reaction Engineering Research Cluster
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Chemical and Advanced Oxidation Reactions
Batch photolysis reactor, for advanced oxidation and fundamental studies on photocatalysts.
Sonics 750 High Power Ultrasound, for advanced oxidations and reaction enhancement.
Thin film photocatalyst,
suspended by wire
Magnetic
stirrer
UV lamp
Magnetic
stirrer bar
Beaker
Irradiated
solution
Stainless steel enclosure
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Chemical Analysis
Perkin Elmer FTIR and UV/Vis Spectrometers
for spot sample and in-situ analysis of reaction intermediates and products.
Agilent 1100 autosampler HPLC, with UV/Vis, RID and ELSD detectors and product fractionator
for identification and quantification of chemical species.
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Shimadzu GC2010 autosampler with FID and Shimadzu GCMS QP5000
for identification and quantification of chemical species.
Materials Analysis
We have access to the Departmental Contact Angle goniometer and XRD.
We also have access to advanced materials analysis techniques in the Research Centre for Surface
and Materials Science, including, SEM, ESEM, AFM and XPS.
See: http://www.ecm.auckland.ac.nz/groups/rcsms/rcsms.html
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University of Auckland Separation and Reaction Engineering Research Cluster
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Researchers (Past and Present) 1. Membrane Separation Science and Engineering
Project Area Project Title Researcher Supervisors Purpose Dates
Making and characterising polyimide
phase inversion nanofiltration
membranes
Alice Havill Main: DP 4th
year
project
2006
Making and characterising greener
nanofiltration membranes
Sarah
Costello
Main: DP 4th
year
project
2007
Increasing the Membrane Filtration
Operating Envelope: Characterising
Polyaniline Separation Membranes
Zayd
Ahmed
Main: DP 4th
year
project
2008
Determination of the transport
mechanism through nanofiltration
membranes by MRI
Applications
in progress Main: DP PhD/ME
4th
year
project
2009 -
Relating the fabrication, microstructure
and performance of polymer filtration
membranes.
Applications
in progress Main: DP
Co: MMH,
AE
PhD/ME
4th
year
project
2009 -
Nanofiltration
membranes and
in-use structures
Characterising the in-use microstructure
of polymer membranes
Applications
in progress Main: DP
PhD/ME
4th
year
project
2009 -
Development and testing of layered
conducting polymer/conventional
polymer materials.
Asif Qaiser Main: MMH
Co: DP
PhD 2007 - Tuneable
membranes
Linking the microstructure and
separation properties for pressure
filtrations with conducting polymer
membranes
Rosiah
Rohani
Main : DP
Co: MMH,
AE
PhD 2009 -
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2. Green Reaction and Wastewater Reactor Engineering
Project Area Project Title Researcher Supervisors Purpose Dates
Application of Porous Oxide Films as
Catalysts
Dr Emma
Patterson
Main: WG
Co: DP, ZL
Post-doc 2007 -
2008
Application of titanium oxide thin films
as environmental photocatalysts
Irina
Borakina
Main: DP
Co: EP, WG
4th
year
project
2007
Characterization of Nanostructured
Oxide Films as Photocatalysts
Arshid Ali Main: DP
Co: EP, WG
PhD 2007 -
Thin Film Zinc Oxide Nanostructured
Films as Environmental Photocatalysts
Cameron
McFarlane
Main: DP
Co: EP,
4th
year
project
2008
Application of porous titanium oxide
films as photocatalysts
Celestine
Yeoh
Main: EP
Co: DP
4th
year
project
2008
Thin film catalysts: Characterisation and
modelling of a spinning disc reactor vs
conventional reactors
Applicant
found
Main: DP
Co: EP
PhD 2009 -
Nanostructured
Thin film
Photocatalysis
Application of porous titanium oxide
films as photocatalysts
Applications
in progress DP & EP 4
th year
project
2009
Development of Membrane Enhanced
Ultra Violet Oxidation
Kenny
Liew
Main: DP 4th
year
project
2006
Optimisation of the Membrane
Enhanced Ultra Violet Oxidation of
PEG
Tony
Vranjes
Main: DP 4th
year
project
2007
Development of Membrane Enhanced
Ultrasonic Oxidation of PEG
Francesca
Bioletti
Main: DP 4th
year
project
2008
Optimisation of Membrane Enhanced
Ultrasonic Oxidation
Sohail
Shahzad
Main: DP
Co: EP
PhD 2009 -
Membrane
Enhanced
Oxidation
Optimisation of Membrane Enhanced
Ultrasonic Oxidation of PEG
Applications
in progress Main: DP
4th
year
project
2009
Microwave UV
for wastewater
treatment
Microwave ultra violet advanced
oxidation of the biologically recalcitrant
components of hospital wastewater.
Ghulum
Murshid
Main: DP
Co: MMF
PhD 2009 -
Enzyme immobilization on woollen
fabrics.
Jing Dong
An
Main: DP,
MdMH
Co: EP
PhD 2005 -
2008
Immobilized
enzyme
reactions and
reactors Bioreactors using Fabric Immobilised
Enzymes.
Nancy An Main: EP,
DP
ME 2008-2009
Reactions on Proline-Surface Modified
Zinc Oxide
Sigappi
Narayanan
Main: EP
Co: DP
Summer
project
2007-2008 Development
and
characterisation
of supported
chiral
organocatalysts
Evaluation of Incorporating L-proline
Into Thin Film Metal Oxides for Use as
a High Surface Area Catalyst
Ross Porter Main: EP
4th
year
project
2009
Industrial
Wastewater
Optimisation
and Treatment
Analysis of Chelsea Sugar Refinery
Emissions
Bhavnesh
Soni
Main: EP
4th
year
project
2009
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3. Green Process Engineering
Project Area Project Title Researcher Supervisors Purpose Dates
Kinetic Studies of Phosphate Removal
using Untreated and Treated Mussel
Shells
Arjan
Abenaikye
Main: DP
Co: MJ
4th
year
and
summer
project
2006-2007
Can we manufacture useful
hydroxyapatite from mussel shells?
Bridget
Hanely
MJ & DP 4th
year
project
2007
Developing a new process to
manufacture hydroxyapatite from
mussel shells
Haneen
Barakat
Main: DP
Co: MJ, BY
4th
year
project
2008
A novel active and passive filter using
heat treated mussel shells
Sagarika
Panchadar
Main:
MJ & DP
4th
year
project
2008
Mathematical modelling and
experimental verification of a new
process to manufacture hydroxyapatite
from mussel shells
Applications
in progress Main:
DP & MJ
PhD 2009 -
Value-adding
mussel shell
waste
Mathematical modelling and
experimental verification of a novel
active and passive filter using heat
treated mussel shells
Applications
in progress Main: MJ
Co: DP, BY
PhD 2009 -
Extraction of
natural products
Extraction of Useful Polyphenols from
Olive Oil Waste
Haneen
Barakat
Main:
DP & LZ
Summer
project
2007-2008
Milk fouling
removal
Electrolytic Cleaning of Milk Fouling
from Plate Heat Exchangers
Lariesha
Naidu
Main: DP
Co: XDC
ME June 2006
– April
2007
4. Biological Reaction Analysis Project Area Project Title Researcher Supervisors Purpose Dates
Advanced in-
situ biochemical
reaction
analysis applied
to industrial
wastewaters and
wastes.
TBC Applications
in progress Main: EP PhD/ME
4th
year
project
2009-
Bioremediation
of industrial
wastewaters and
wastes.
TBC Applications
in progress Main: EP PhD/ME
4th
year
project
2009-
Supervisor Key:
DP: Dr Darrell Patterson
EP: Dr Emma Emanuelsson-Patterson
MJ: Dr Mark Jones
BY: A/P Brent Young
LZ: Dr Lu Zhang
AE: A/P Allan Easteal
WG: Prof. Wei Gao
ZL: Dr Zhengwei Li
MMH: A/P Margaret Hyland
MMF: Prof. Mohammed Farid
XDC: Prof. X. Dong Chen, Monash University
MdMH: A/P Md. Monwar Hossian, United Arab Emirates University, UAE
