Description of Research:
My research focuses on understanding the ability of ash from gasification of biomass to catalytically decompose tars from gasification processes. Ash is produced from gasification or incineration of waste and is currently disposed of in landfills or used for construction applications. Ash has properties that are similar to those of conventional catalysts, such as high surface area, and the presence of metals and minerals. It is of interest to use the ash to catalytically decompose the tars that are generated during gasification and must be removed. My research aims to understand the impact of gasification conditions on ash properties and how these properties affect the catalytic activity of the ash. This is being done through characterization as well as activity testing of ash that I have generated in our labs.
Past Research:
Autothermal steam reforming of liquid fuels for portable power applications. I am using a monolithic reactor with a precious metal catalyst to produce hydrogen which can be used in fuel cells for power generation. Operation is fully autothermal, which eliminates the need for external heating to the reactor. I am studying the effects on fuel conversion and product gas distribution for different fuel compositions. This research includes durability tests in order to understand the long term performance of the catalyst, as well as the behavior of the catalyst under conditions of frequent start-ups and shut downs.