Research Interests

Our group has developed the first Liquid-Solid Circulating Fluidized Bed (LSCFB) in Canada. LSCFB widely been used in chemical, petrochemical, biochemical and environmental processes given its proficient mixing and superior heat and mass transfer characteristics. The KSA has recognised that the reuse of wastewater, after treatment, is the one of the most viable long term solution to meet the increasing problem of water demand in the country. Currently there is a growing need for more efficient biotechnological process in order to treat the increasing volume of wastewater.Currently one project funded by NSTIP-KACST going on collaboration with Powder Technology Research Center (PTRC), the University of Western Ontario, Canada.  It is also the aim of this study to investigate the scale (up/down) effects on the hydrodynamics of the bioreactor system by varying the size of the riser columns using different size of the biofilm carriers. 

Our research group actively working on CO₂ capture and wastewater treatment in both Chemical and Biochemical Process system. Microalgae cultivation in photo-bioreactors by utilizing CO₂ from point sources (power plant, cement), wastewater (industrial, municipal, dairy) as nutrient source and sunlight for photosynthesis to produce biomass contains high oil and starch making possible the production of high quality biodiesel. Thus, microalgae culture can contribute to CO₂ fixation, wastewater treatment and potential source of bio-energy. Currently we have two projects in this research field funded by KASCT and NSTIP-KACST. Two new proposal submitted for funding in addition of current projects in this vast area of research.

The treatment of wastewater is the existence of recalcitrant molecules that cannot efficiently be removed during treatment. For such molecules, bioaugmentation has been proposed as a viable strategy for their elimination. Bioaugmentation consists of adding efficient microorganisms to remove pollutants in wastewater treatment plant, however, the main limitation of this approach is the identification and isolation such of efficient bacteria. Oil & grease (O&G), mainly from cooking-oil and animal fat, are one of the contaminants that are not efficiently removed from wastewater using standard methods.  The main components of O&G are triglycerides, also known as esters of fatty acids attached to a glycerol. We have proposed to develop a bioaugmentation strategy to efficiently clean wastewater from O&G. One of the funded project going on with collaboration of biology department at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia.

Projects