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Staff Profile

Professor Kamelia Boodhoo

Professor of Intensified Chemical Processing, Director of Chemical Engineering

  • Email: kamelia.boodhoo@ncl.ac.uk
  • Telephone: +44(0)1912087264
  • Address: Room C310b
    School of Engineering
    Merz Court
    Claremont Road
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
Background

Roles and Responsibilities

Director of Chemical Engineering

Executive Editor, Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification (Elsevier)


 

Qualifications

MEng (1st Class Hons) (University of Newcastle)

PhD (University of Newcastle)


Honours and Awards

Teaching Excellence Award- Outstanding Contributions to Student Employability (2018)

ExxonMobil Engineering Teaching Fellowship (2004-2007)

Award of ExxonMobil Higher Education Support Scheme (EHESS)(2004)

SAgE Faculty Certificate of Appreciation for Best Lecturer (2004)

ORS Award (1995-1999)


Languages

English and French (Fluent)

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

Stage 2: CME2022: Separation Processes 1 

Stage 3: CME3039: Plant Design Project 

Stage 3 (MEng Ind): CME3028: Industrial Design Project

Stage 3 (MEng Ind): CME8110: Chemical Engineering Knowledge

Stage 4: CME8107: Process Intensification

Stage 4: MEng Research Project


Postgraduate Teaching

CME8125: Process Intensification (MSc Sustainable Engineering)

Guest Lecturer on MSc programme in Green Chemistry and Sustainable Industrial Technology at University of York (2007-Present)

Research


Main expertise/research interests 

My research activities in the area of Process Intensification have focused over the last 10 years on the development of the spinning disc reactor (SDR) and its application to polymerisation reactions including free-radical styrene polymerisation, photopolymerisation of styrene and n-butyl acrylate as well as co-monomers,  cationic polymerisation of styrene using immobilised Lewis acid catalysts and surfactant-free emulsion polymerisation. 

More recently, a number of fundamental studies on residence time distribution, micromixing and hydrodynamics of thin film flow have been undertaken in order to better understand the characteristics of thin film flow in the SDR and how to optimise these in better designing such systems for applications to a range of processes.

Recently, I have also been investigating the application of intensified reactor technologies to bioprocesses such as fermentation reactions. In particular, I have worked on the intensification of the fermentation of P. Putida using rotating mesh agitators in order to increase cell growth rate and PHA yield.

I also have a keen interest in intensification applications involving green chemistry and engineering such as ionic liquid processing and renewable resources such as the use of biomass for biofuels and biopolymers.

A wide selection of publications relevant to the above research areas can be downloaded from Newcastle University's E-prints service. 

Kamelia Boodhoo's profile can be viewed at Google Scholar


Current Work 

PhD projects as well as short-term e.g summer projects are available in the following areas:  

(1) Intensification of processes involving solids

(1) Crystallisation in the spinning disc reactor involving experimental and modelling work

(2) Micromixing studies in the SDR- Experimental and modelling

(3) Energy efficiency characterisation of SDRs 

(4) Spinning disc reactor applications to polymerisation, dehydration processes etc.

(5) Gas-liquid and liquid-liquid mass transfer enhancements in rotating disc contactors 

(6) Intensification of fermentation and enzymatic processes

 *****PhD studentships are currently available for UK, EU and overseas students, starting in October and January of each academic year. If you are interested in pursuing a PhD project in any of the above areas, and expect to achieve at least a 2.1 degree (or equivalent), please come and speak to me about putting an application forward*****


Postgraduate Supervision 

PhD students

  1. Emike Omoayena (Feb 2023-Present): "Photocatalytic CO2 valorisation using process intensification and additive manufacturing technologies", funded by PTDF, Nigeria
  2. Thomas Carr (Oct 2021- Present): "Process Intensification of Hemicellulose Purification and Polymerisation into Bio-renewable Resins", funded by EPSRC DTA
  3. Olatunde Akinbuja (Jan 2018- Present): "Algal-based Bioelectrochemical Systems for Pollution Monitoring and Conversion" (co-supervisor), funded by PTDF, Nigeria
  4. Abdullahi Adamu (2022) "Intensification of Photocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide: A Study of Catalyst Development and Reactor Design", funded by PTDF, Nigeria
  5. Sahr Sana (2020) "Experimental and modelling studies of process intensification for the solvent-antisolvent precipitation of nanoparticles in a spinning disc reactor"
  6. Ruili Feng (2018) "Synthesis and evaluation of pharmaceutical and fine chemicals process for intensification and sustainability benefits", funded by EBD-GSK (Singapore) as part of Green and Sustainable Manufacturing Programme
  7. Antony Prince (2016) "Design and development of biologically inspired materials based ultrafiltration membranes with enhanced antifouling property", funded under PhD scholarship scheme supported by NUIS/SIT (Singapore)
  8. Somaieh Mohammadi (2014) "Nano-TiO2 precipitation in SDRs: Experimental and Modelling Studies", partly funded by a CEAM Teaching Scholarship 
  9. Dena Ghiasy (2013) “Modelling and Control of a Rotating Disk Contactor” funded by EPSRC DTA Award
  10. Salah Al-Hengari (2012) "Micromixing Characteristics and Residence Time Distribution in the Spinning Disc Reactor" funded by Libyan Petroleum Institute
  11. Craig Cartwright (2011) "Bioprocess Intensfication: A study of rotating porous mesh impellers for enhancement of aerobic fermentation processes" funded by an EPSRC DTA
  12. Christopher Dobie (2010)"A study of bulk free-radical co-polymerisation and surfactant-free emulsion polymerisation using intensified processing methods" funded by EPSRC DTA
  13. Edward Mc Carthy (2007) "The Production of Polymer Nanocomposites using Intensified Modules" funded by Crystal Faraday/Protensive CASE Award
  14. Paul Hetherington (2006) "Process intensification : a study of calcium carbonate precipitation methods on a spinning disc reactor" funded by an EPSRC Doctoral Training Award

Research Associates

  1. Addullahi Adamu (March 2023-Present), BioSPRINT project funded by BBI-JU- EU Horizon 2020 (GA No 887226)
  2. Zongyuan Zhu (Dec 2020-March 2023), BioSPRINT project funded by BBI-JU- EU Horizon 2020 (GA No 887226)
  3. Thea Coward (Jan 2018- Aug 2018) "Scalable engineering approaches for exploiting a novel biocomposite material applied to light-driven CO2 absorption and utilization" funded by BBSRC NIBB (Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy) via C1Net
  4. Laura Diaz Silvarrey (May 2018- Aug 2018), IbD project funded by EU Horizon2020 SPIRE-08-2015 call on “Solids handling for intensified process technology”
  5. Valentine Eze (Sept 2017-Feb 2018), IbD project funded by EU Horizon2020 SPIRE-08-2015 call on “Solids handling for intensified process technology”
  6. Ahmad Mustaffar (2015-2018), IbD project funded by EU Horizon2020 SPIRE-08-2015 call on “Solids handling for intensified process technology”
  7. Haoyu Wang (2015-2017) IbD project funded by EU Horizon2020 SPIRE-08-2015 call on “Solids handling for intensified process technology”
  8. Somaieh Mohammadi (2014-2015) "Micromixing studies in the spinning disk reactor" funded by ISPT (NL)
  9. Stephane Vallois (2007-2008) "Feasibility study of producing polymers in SDR", Industry funded project
  10. Marija Vicevic (2007-2008) “Design and development of centrifugal field bioreactor”, EU funded Integrated Project on Bioproduction
  11. Marija Vicevic (2006- 2007) “Feasibility study for multi-functional acrylate process in SDR”, Industry funded project
  12. Marija Vicevic (2004-2005) "Kinetics and Mechanisms of Rapid Radical Polymerisations in SDR", EPSRC funded project



Key Achievements and Esteem Indicators

  • Executive Editor of Elsevier’s Chemical Engineering and Processing (2023-Present)



  • External Examiner for MEng Programmes at Imperial College, London (2019-2023)


  • Lead Guest Editor of a Special Issue on “Advances in Bioprocess Intensification” for Elsevier’s Chemical Engineering and Processing (2022). Twelve peer reviewed papers from authors in academia and industry in France, Belgium, Germany, India, Columbia, USA, UK, have now been published in this SI, highlighting the most recent developments in bioprocess intensification.


  • Associate Editor of Frontiers in Chemical Engineering (2020-2023); Editorial Board Member of Chemical Engineering and Processing (2019-2023), Springer Nature’s BMC Chemical Engineering (2018-2020), Chinese Journal of Engineering (2013-2018);


  • Member of Scientific Committee of 5th European Process Intensification Conference (EPIC5) held in Nice, France, 26th Sept-1st Oct 2015; Invited Session Chair at international conferences: GPE2018 (Toulouse, France, 3-6 June 2018), EPIC5 (Nice, France, 26 Sept-01 Oct 2015); GLS 10 (Braga, Portugal, June 2011); HEFAT2011 (Mauritius, July 2011)


  • Invited talks at prestigious international organisations and events, at relevant national institutional meetings and departmental seminars including:
  • Invited Keynote Lecture at International Symposium of Chemical Reaction Engineering- ISCRE27, Quebec City, June 2023.
  • Invited talk on “Perspective in Chemical Engineering: Process Intensification” to mark 100th Anniversary of Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, October 2021.
  • Invited talk at “Reactors, Scale-Up and Separations: Process intensification, integration and multifunctionality” conference organized by Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) Fine Chemicals Group and IChemE’s Catalysis Special Interest Group (September 2019)
  • Invited lecture at 2nd Europic Advanced Workshop, Dortmund, Germany (January 2017)
  • Invited Keynote at Process Intensification for Greener Industry Workshop aimed at Eyde group of Norwegian metallurgical/hydrometallurgical industries, Grimstad, Norway (2015).
  • Invited keynote at the Innovative Processing for Specialities and Pharma (iPSP) seminar, Singapore (2014).

 

  • Reviewer for leading journals in chemical engineering, bioprocessing, polymer science including Chemical Engineering Science, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Chemical Engineering Journal, Chemical Engineering & Processing: Process Intensification, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Applied Energy, Biochemical Engineering Journal, Tetrahedron Letters, Chemical Engineering and Technology, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, AIChE Journal


  • External PhD examiner at Khalifa University (UAE) (2023), University of Bath (2022), University of Leeds (2021), IIT Guwahati (India) (2020), Toulouse University (France) (2019), Imperial College London (2018, 2019), University of Sheffield (2014, 2018, 2019), Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) (2017), KU Leuven (Belgium) (2017), Technical University of Eindhoven (2013), University of Auckland (2013), external MPhil examiner at UMIST (2005) and several internal PhD examiner (2002-Present)


  • Award of an ExxonMobil Engineering Teaching Fellowship (2004-2007)


 

Research Funding 

(1) EU Horizon2020/BBI-JU: "BioSPRINT- Biorefining of Sugars via Process Intensification", Project value €5M (€860k to Newcastle University), 06/2020-05-2024 (Co-I at Newcastle)

(2) BBSRC NIBB (Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy) via C1Net: "Scaleable engineering approaches for exploiting a novel biocomposite material applied to light-driven CO2 absorption and utilization" January 2018 (PI)

(3) EU SPIRE8-2015: "IbD: Intensified by Design® for the intensification of processes involving solids handling", Project value:€8.4M (€639k to Newcastle University), 09/2015-08/2018 (PI at Newcastle)

Dutch Institute of Sustainable Process Technology: "Micromixing and power dissipation characterisation of SDR", Project value £97k, 09/2014-04/2016 (PI)

(4) Economic Development Board (Singapore) and GSK (Singapore): "Evaluation of Process Intensification on Early Development or Retrofitting Existing Processes for Green & Sustainability Benefits", Project value: SGD 884,000 (SGD 235,000 to Newcastle University), 09/2013-09/2016 (Principal Investigator at Newcastle)

(5) Industrial funding from various global petrochemicals and chemical companies, Total value of projects: over £100k, 2008-2012 (Principal Investigator)

(6) EU funded project: "Sustainable Microbial and Biocatalytic Production of Advanced Functional Materials (BIOPRODUCTION)", Project value €9,000,000 (£240,000 to Newcastle), 09/2006 - 08/2010 (Co-Investigator)



Publications