Mayank Kashyap

Mayank Kashyap currently works as a process technology fluidization engineer at Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC (Ascend), a global leader in the production of Nylon 6,6. His research expertise and interests include a unique mix of theoretical, experimental, and computational competence in the area of multiphase flow and fluidization. At Ascend, Kashyap was honored to lead several research projects in which innovative ideas were implemented to improve yields and increase product capacities in acrylonitrile (AN) fluidized bed reactors (FBRs). He also provided technical guidance and support in the development and improvement of AN reactor technology, including reactor, sparger, and cyclone designs. Kashyap is called on frequently to present research findings to senior leadership teams at Ascend, and through his implementation of Ascend to Excellence (six-sigma) methodology, outstanding project leadership and teamwork, he earned the prestigious APEX Award in 2011and 2012.

Kashyap obtained his bachelor of engineering (B.E.) degree in Chemical Engineering from Panjab University, India, in 2004. He received a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, IL, in 2010, under the guidance of Distinguished Professor Dimitri Gidaspow. He successfully tackled several topics that are not only extremely difficult, but are of great practical importance in fluidization. He worked on various research projects received from the Department of Energy (DOE), UOP, NSF and AE Polysilicon Corporation (AEP), at IIT. He played a critical role in designing FBRs used in the production of silicon at AEP, by utilizing analytical thinking, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, and pilot plant scale experiments.

During his Ph.D., Kashyap utilized experimental and kinetic theory based CFD techniques to measure and compute solids slugging, and dispersion and mass transfer coefficients, for Geldart groups A, B and D, in three fluidized bed systems. He used particle image velocimetry (PIV), gamma-ray densitometry, and light diode assembly to measure laminar and turbulent properties for particles and solids concentrations in fluidized beds. He showed that the CFD models can be used to successfully compute dispersion and mass transfer coefficients, thus, eliminating the need for the use of these parameters as input. Kashyap also studied the effect of electric field on hydrodynamics of Geldart C type fluidized nanoparticles. During his still a young professional career, he has gained significant experience with bubblefree, bubbling, slugging, turbulent, pneumatic conveying and circulating fluidized beds.

Among other significant contributions, Kashyap helped to solve two major problems in the field of fluidization during his Ph.D.:

(1) He showed how the core-annular flow regime present in all the oil refineries can potentially be eliminated, and

(2) He helped to understand and solve over half a century old problem in fluidization: The extremely low Sherwood numbers of fine particles in fluidized beds.

Kashyap received the 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Particle Technology Forum’s Best Ph.D. Award in Particle Technology based on novelty, significance and potential applications of the thesis in the area of particle science and technology. The seven research papers published in various Journals during his Ph.D. evidence his strong dedication towards research. Two of his papers were selected among Top 25 Hottest Articles. Various facets of work involved in Kashyap’s Ph.D. thesis were presented at many conferences and other settings, including AIChE Meetings, DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), DOE NETL University Coal Research (UCR) Review Meeting, DOE NETL Workshop, NSF Engineering Research and Innovation Conference by Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI), UOP and AEP. He has had the honor of being asked several times to review research articles received from various international Journals.

Kashyap is a member of AIChE, AIChE Particle Technology Forum, and American Chemical Society (ACS). He received the United States Achievement Academy (USAA) National Collegiate Engineering and USAA All-American Scholar Collegiate Awards in 2005, and was included in Who’s Who in America in 2012. Additional information on Kashyap's professional background can be obtained at http://www.linkedin.com/in/mayankkashyap