(3d) Towards a New World of Plastic Processing & Recycling Via Advanced Reactor Technologies

Research Interests:

Fast pyrolysis of carbon-based material promises to be an effective and environmentally sustainable path to renewable energy and organic starting materials, i.e., a replacement for petroleum. In the fast pyrolysis process, the reactor is the performance-controlling process and a variety of alternatives have been considered at all scales: laboratory, pilot and pre-commercial/commercial. Yields and selectivity for pyrolysis is a function of numerous factors, including rates of heating and quenching (residence times for heterogeneous and homogeneous events) and condensed phase properties (such as the dynamic shrinkage of the materials). My Ph.D. thesis was focused on demonstrating a laboratory-scale fast pyrolysis technique (micro-particle micro-reactor system (MSMR)) using manufactured biomass microspheres. A unique single-particle (∼10 μg) microreactor technology coupled with a millisecond response flame ionization detector was used to investigate the effects of relevant particle and process parameters and to capture the dynamics of real-time microscale single-particle pyrolysis for the first time. Another of my Postdoctoral research projects was working and modifying a new experimental technique capable of elucidating the kinetics and chemical intermediates of polymer chemistry during the pyrolysis process. The technique of PHASR (Pulsed Heated Analysis of Solid Reactions) kinetics enables a millisecond temporal analysis of solid/melt phase reactions. Based on my research background and my focus during my Ph.D. and Postdoctoral studies, I would like to introduce a new field of research on the following topics during my initial years:

(1)- Kinetics and Chemistry of Plastic Co-Pyrolysis via Advanced Experimental Methods.

(2)- Investigation of the effects of heat and mass transfer limitations, and secondary reaction in the liquid and gas phases during pyrolysis of plastic waste.

(3)- Co-depolymerization of plastic waste using supercritical solvents.

Postdoctoral Projects: “Mechanism of xylose pyrolysis-NSF.”

“Methods and Mechanisms of Pyrolysis: Polyolefin Decomposition for a Circular Economy-ExxonMobil.”

“New Detector for Liquid chromatography (LC) analysis. Activated Research Company (Part-time).”

Under the supervision of Prof. Paul Dauenhauer, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota

Ph.D. Dissertation: “kinetics of biomass fast pyrolysis-NSF.”

Under the supervision of Prof. Joseph J. Biernacki, Chemical Engineering Department, Tennessee Tech University.

Master Dissertation: “Determination of Optimum Gas Injection Condition in EOR Process by Interfacial Tension Investigation.”

Under the supervision of Prof. Shahab Ayatollahi, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department, Shiraz University.

Teaching Interests:

Students must develop competency and capability in the complex engineering and science environment. The key principle for solving sophisticated problems and engineering obstacles is creativity in the problem-solving process that is also grounded in the fundamental principles of molecular behavior. As a teacher, I will strive to instruct my students in the two essential factors (competency and creativity) to motivate and prepare them for a career in engineering. Students also need encouragement to learn the process of engineering education; they are motivated by an engaging instructor that presents challenging yet relevant examples. By connecting fundamental educational principles to emerging frontier challenges in energy, chemicals, and materials, students practice and develop all of the skills required to become independent practitioners of engineering.

A key goal of an engineering education is the development of students as independent operators of the principles of engineering. Students must not only learn the key concepts and fundamental principles but also learn to analyze and evaluate chemical systems on their own. The complexity of chemical engineering makes it fascinating but also daunting to students learning fundamental concepts. My approach to developing students will therefore be based on three principles:

• A Foundation of Engineering Principles. The basis of solving all chemical engineering problems derives from understanding the key concepts of molecular behavior including reactions, thermodynamics. Presentation of the concepts via multiple varying examples gives students a broad ability to quantify and predict the behavior of chemical systems.
• Deep Understanding of Applied Mathematics. At the core of engineering is the ability to make quantitative predictions of chemical systems, which requires the capacity to connect chemical behavior to systems of differential equations. The connection between mathematics and chemical behavior can be difficult for many students; my approach will include the parallel instruction of visuals, words, and mathematics by the putting together sentences, equations and graphs. This approach connects meaning to the equations in a way that connects with all types of learning styles and embeds the concepts in the minds of students.
• Practice and Proficiency in General Problem Solving. Fluent understanding of engineering principles leads students to an intuition that allows them to decompose complex problems into their fundamental components. The act of practice in assessing and quantifying chemical systems creates confidence in the connection to real-world problems.

Students that develop these three pillars of chemical engineering education will become truly independent engineers with the ability to work on any problem.

My approach to teaching derives from experience at multiple institutions in working with and guiding students. In my thermodynamics course, I encouraged students to focus on conceptual aspects of each problem by solving selected practical problems in class and providing alternative approaches to express different perspectives for each problem. My experience as a teaching assistant in a thermodynamics course helped me to realize the importance of practical and experimental aspects of chemical engineering by suggesting different methodologies for involving students in practical problems of materials and problems. For example, in my fluid mechanics course, I provided laboratory demonstration and placed students in groups to work with experimental systems and software to build their practical skills.

Teaching is more that the transfer of equations and concepts to the students; effective educators are engaged with students to guide them intellectually and emotionally. Comprehensive teaching requires effective evaluation and reinforcement. In particular, this includes effective assessment of student progress; with the growth of online sources of information for students, new methods of testing students is required to differentiate their ability to gather information from their ability to process information. Homework assignments and examinations must be designed to force the interpretation of new problems and think through the material. Multiple techniques exist to promote the thinking process including the use of multiple small quizzes, new homework sets (not from textbooks), and the implementation of creative projects with multiple solutions.

Professors must also connect with students as mentors. The current education climate has led to significant stress for students due to multiple external factors. An opportunity for educational impact also exists with instructors teaching students how to deal with large problems (via planning), multiple parallel problems, and teamwork within groups of people. This focus on professional skills balances the technical skills and is important for effective engineers working in their professional life for an effective career in engineering.

Teaching Experience & Interests:

Interests - Chemical Process Design, Unit Operations Laboratory, Chemical Reactors, Thermodynamics

Instructor- University of Applied Sciences and Technology

1 - Industrial security and safety

2 - Thermodynamic

3 - Fluid mechanics

Assistant Instructor, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Fluid and rock properties Lab: spring 2011- Fall 2014.

Teaching Capabilities

• Undergraduate: Thermodynamic, Physical Chemistry I, Physical Chemistry II, Transport Phenomena I, Transport Phenomena II, Transport Phenomena III, Chemical Reaction Engineering, Chemical Process Control, Fluid Mechanics, Properties of Petroleum Fluids, Thermodynamics and Phase Behavior, Reservoir Engineering I: Primary Recovery, Reservoir Engineering II: Secondary and Tertiary Recovery, Fundamentals of Well Logging, Unit Operations Laboratory, Chemical Process Design.
• Graduate: Advance thermodynamic, Advance kinetics, Biofuel, Two-Phase fluid mechanics, Gas Hydrate, Advance water &waste water filtration,

Selected Publications:

Zolghadr, Ali, Clark Templeton, and Joseph J. Biernacki. "Biomass Fast Pyrolysis Using a Novel Microsphere Microreactor Approach: Model-Based Interpretations." Energy & Fuels 33.11 (2019): 10999-11008.

Zolghadr, Ali, Matthew D. Kelley, Ghazal Sokhansefat, Masoud Moradian, Brianna Sullins, Tyler Ley, and Joseph J. Biernacki. "Biomass microspheres–A new method for characterization of biomass pyrolysis and shrinkage." Bioresource technology 273 (2019): 16-24.

Zolghadr, Ali, Joseph J. Biernacki, and Ronald J. Moore. "Biomass Fast Pyrolysis Using a Novel Microparticle Microreactor Approach: Effect of Particles Size, Biomass Type, and Temperature." Energy & fuels 33, no. 2 (2018): 1146-1156.

Zolghadr, Ali, Mehdi Escrochi, and Shahab Ayatollahi. "Temperature and composition effect on CO2 miscibility by interfacial tension measurement." Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data 58, no. 5 (2013): 1168-1175.

Zolghadr, Ali, Masoud Riazi, Mehdi Escrochi, and Shahab Ayatollahi. "Investigating the effects of temperature, pressure, and paraffin groups on the N2 miscibility in hydrocarbon liquids using the interfacial tension measurement method." Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 52, no. 29 (2013): 9851-9857.

Working Papers:

1. Zolghadr, A. Dauenhauer P, Ashraf C and Pfaendtner J. The Mechanism of Xylose Pyrolysis. (Preparing for ACS Catalysis)
2. Zolghadr A, Mastalski I, Sidhu N, Dauenhauer P, On the Method of Pulse-Heated Analysis of Solid Reactions (PHASR) for Polyolefin Pyrolysis. (Preparing for Energy & Environmental Science)
3. Zolghadr A, , Biernacki, Moore R, Real-Time Mass Spectroscopy in Fast Pyrolysis Process and the Production of Deoxygenated Biofuel without Catalyst and Hydrogen. (Preparing for Environmental Science & Technology)

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=5atMn1EAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate