Current Research
Early work was concerned with catalytic reaction engineering
(1).The work during 1978-85 was concerned with hydrolysis of vegetable oils to produce fatty acids and
glycerol;this work via a model synthesises 35 years laboratory and plant data on the subject
(2); field work indicates that the model provides a powerful tool for design,operation
and retrofitting.
Work in the area of gas solid reaction engg (1984-1992)
has led to development of continous reactor-regenerator lab facility models to describe
the system(3,4). Relatedwork in the area of transport reactors and solid-solid reactions
have revealed several new features(5,6). Theoretical and experimental studies in penicillin
G hydrolysis with immobilised enzymes have revealed interesting features yielding significant
benifits to process industry(7)
Work in the area of ecological engineering (1990 onwards)
is directed at developing the science and the art of combining organics, inorganics and life
forms to derive value addition from waste. The process engages an ecology consisting of soil,
plants and soil micro & macro-organisms including geophagous earthworms. The technology known
as Engineered Ecosystems also variably known as Vermiculture has entered market since 1995.The
organic solid & liquid waste version of this technology has a very large clientele (5 million
users estimated) in city farming , animal husbandry, agriculture, wasteland development,
agro-industrial waste processing. New developments in Engineered Ecosystemsfor deployment
in non chemical drinking water purification, nonchemical swimmimng pool water purification,
retrofitting of existing waste treatment plants for effuent compatibility with aquatic
life all show excellent user response. This work was initially supported by Dept. Biotechnology
and subsequently by user segments (8).
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Selected
Publications
- Shankar, H.S., Agnew, J.B., "Catalyst Deactivation in
Acetylene by Hydroclorination",IEC Prod. Res. Dev., 25,19-22 (1988).
- Patil,T.A., Butala,D.N., Namdev,P.D., Shankar,H.S.
"Thermal Hydrolysis of vegetable oils PartI,II,III",IEC Res 27,727-743(1988).
- Joshi,P.A., Chidambaram,M. Shankar,H.S."Non Catalytic
Reactions in circulating fluidised beds",Ed.Basu.P,Pergaman Press,New York,423-429 (1986).
- Venkatesan,K.N., Johi,P.A., Namdev,P.D., Chidambaram,M.,
Shankar,H.S."Performance of circulating reactor regenerator system:InRecent trends in
chemical reaction engineering", VollI(ed) Kulkarni,B.D., Mashelkar,R.A., Sharma,M.M.,
Wiley Eastern, New Delhi,391-396(1987).
- Sivakumar,S., Shankar,H.S., Chidambaram.M,
"Analysis of non catalytic reactions in vertical transport reactors", The.Chem Engg.J 33,
103-107(1986).
- Acharya.R.V., Shankar,H.S., Bhatia,S.K., "Studies in solid
state reaction in Barium carbonate and cupric oxide", Metallurgical Transactions 23B, 493-504B(1991).
- Kumar,R., Suresh,A.K., Shankar,H.S."Kinetics and
reaction engineering of Penicillin G hydrolysis", J.Chem.Tech. Biotechnol, 66,243-250(1996).
- Patnaik,B.R., Bhawalkar,U.S., Shankar,H.S."Waste processing
in Engineered Ecosystems", Proceedings Enviro International, 27-29 Sept. 2000, New Delhi.
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