Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Teaching Chemical Engineering Unit Operation Laboratory (Capstone Course) and Thermodynimics Managing a research group of undergraduate and graduate students
I developed and executed research programs focused on utilizing our various natural resources to produce power in the most clean and efficient manner possible. Prior to my appointment as Professor at the University, I worked for many years as Manager of Engineering R&D at Reaction Engineering International (REI), a private consulting firm focused on solving combustion problems in industrial and utility boilers and heaters. The ICGRF at the University houses pilot-scale furnaces and reactors that are dispersed between three large warehouse buildings. Much of the design, construction, operation and maintenance of this equipment is performed by undergraduate and graduate students under my supervision. At times there are approximately 10 to 15 students working in my lab on various projects.
Principal investigator on a US Department of Energy funded research program entitled, “Characterization of Oxy-combustion Impacts in Existing Coal-fired Boilers.” Organized and managed a $3,000,000 budget and team members from 10 different entities. Directed an extensive 1 MW pilot-scale test campaign including: oxy-coal burner design and testing, real-time corrosion monitoring, collection of mineral matter deposition and furnace characterization. Currently developing and implementing mechanisms into CFD code to predict impacts of oxy-coal combustion in utility boilers. Co-developed MerSim software capable of predicting the fate and speciation of mercury in coal-fired utility boilers dependant on: coal composition, plant configuration and air pollution control devices and operating conditions. Managed full-scale demonstration of mercury abatement technologies on utility boilers.