Sanjay. M. Mahajani

Link To Detailed Information

Research Areas

1. Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, Multifunctional Reactors:
   Reactive Distillation, Reactive chromatography
2. Energy: Coal gasification, Biofuels, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
3. Computer Aided Design and Simulations
   
4. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
   

Awards

1. IIChE Amar Dye Chem Award (2002)
   
2. AICTE Young Teacher Career Award (2002)
   
3. Manudhane Best Undergraduate Teacher Award (2006)
   
4. Manudhane Award for Applied Research (2007)
   
5. Excellence in Teaching, IIT Bombay (2008)

Current Research

• Reaction Engineering, Catalysis and Multifuctional Reactors
  
  Studies in reaction kinetics of both catalysed/ uncatalysed homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Catalysis with solid acid catalysts like ion exchange resins, zeolites etc. for liquid phase organic reactions. Reactions in supercritical media. Experimental and theoretical investigations to check the feasibility of reactive adsorption (chromatography), reactive distillation and extractive reactions for industrially important processes.


• Energy: Coal gasification, Biofuels, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
  
  Underground Coal Gasification, Process and catalyst development studies in synthesis of biodiesel, Kinetics and reactor engineering for Fischer Tropsch Synthesis.
  
  
• Computer Aided Design  Simulations
  
  Conceptual Design of distillation and reaction systems, application of residue curve maps and attainable region concepts for reactive separation, Steady state and dynamic simulation of complex reaction systems e.g. reactive distillation, simulated moving bed reactors, Non-linear dynamic effects and Optimization.


• Reaction Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics
  
  Studies on influence of flow patterns on the reactor performance. Determination of velocity field, power in agitated vessels. Compartment modeling based on residence time distribution for non-conventional reactors (e.g. underground coal gasification, mixer-settlers).

Selected Publications

1. M. M. Sharma and S. M. Mahajani, "Industrial applications of Reactive Distillation" (A review), in "Reactive Distillation: Status and Future Directions" by Sundmacher K. and Kienle A. (Eds), Wiley VCH, Germany (February 20, 2003).
   

1. Mahajani S. M., Kinetic Azeotropy and Design of Reactive Distillation Columns, Ind. Eng,. Chem. Res., 38 (1999) 186-286.
   


2. Mahajani S. M., Sharma M. M. and Sridhar T., Uncatalysed Oxidation of Cyclohexene, Chem. Eng. Sci., 54 (1999) 3967-3976 .
   


3. Khadse A., Qayyumi M., Mahajani S. M. and Aghalayam P., Reactor Model for the Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) Channel, Int. J. Chem. React. Engg, 4, 2006, Article A37.
   


4. Talwalkar S. and Mahajani S. M., Synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone from acetone over metal-doped ion exchange resin, Applied Catalysis A: General 302 (1), 2006, 140-148.
   


5. Singh A., Tiwari A., Bansal V., Gudi R. D. and Mahajani S. M., Recovery of Acetic Acid by Reactive distillation: Parametric Study and Nonlinear Dynamic Effects, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46(26), 2007, 9196-9204.
   


6. Singh K. K., Mahajani S. M., Shenoy K. T., Ghosh S. K., CFD Modeling of Pump-Mix Action in Continuous Flow Stirred Tank, AIChE J., 54(1), 2008.
   


7. Mahajan Y. S., Shah A. K., Kamath R. S., Salve N. B. and Mahajani S. M., Recovery of trifluoroacetic acid from dilute aqueous solutions by reactive distillation, Sep and Purif. Tech., 59, 2008, 58-66.