Consultation Service for PDP Team Not Under My Supervision

Day 016. Provide assistance in whatever way you can

At the beginning of the Ph.D Second Assessment that I acted as one of the evaluating panel. The session took place while I was in today’s workshop (refer to the bottom for info)

It’s the beginning of a new week, the 3rd week of the year. Time flies so fast. My day was occupied not at my university but somewhere further, that was at Jen Hotel, located in Puteri Harbour, Medini, Johor — attending another workshop — the 4th one this year.

However, that is not what I want to highlight here. Three days ago, a student texted me and expressed his desire to have a meeting with me to discuss his team’s Plant Design Project (PDP) that is associated with the HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst.

The workshop that I attended today at Jen Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Medini, Johor

I was the first who arrived at the workshop. That shows my attitude and character, ain’t it?

Among the member of the workshop — busy working

I proposed to have a discussion after work, at 9 pm, because that’s the only time I am relatively free and can give them a helping hand. I just performed my Isya’ prayer and immediately switch on my Webex link to open the virtual meeting.

Two students were there, ready to ask me questions that have haunted them for the past few days. I carefully responded and gave whatever professional feedback I can base on my expertise and knowledge in the catalyst and reaction engineering aspect.

Among the questions were about Aspen Hysis, reactors, catalysts, catalyst regeneration, modified catalyst, phase changes, and others. The session took place for roughly 45 minutes, and I was virtually discussing with them in my car while waiting for my 3rd daughter completing her tuition at her school.

I’m glad that I assisted as much as I can. It’s my duty to help students in need of professional advice regarding their projects. The team just now was not the only team who approached me. Another team contacted me last week and asked about the suitable amount of catalyst to be loaded in a fixed bed reactor.

To answer that question, I searched for information given by my Ph.D co-supervisor from Finland. He has earlier shared valuable tips and rules of thumb to use solid catalysts in a fixed-bed reactor:

L / dp > 10

dL / dp = 10–20

where:

L = catalyst bed length

dp = diameter of the catalyst particle

dL = diameter of the reactor

Following the above rule of thumb will ensure a decent and correct reaction for a heterogenous catalyst scenario.

Other official tasks of the day:

• Attending MCED workshop — 3rd Workshop this year. Link for 1st and 2nd workshops.
• Checked and signed my TEDxUTM committee meeting activity
• 2nd Ph.D Assessment session as evaluating panel
• Checking and correcting the Poster for our upcoming CDIO combo workshop

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