Home Faculty and Research Kenneth A. Debelak
Kenneth A. Debelak PDF Print E-mail
Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Education

B.S., ChE University of Dayton, 1969

M.S., ChE University of Kentucky, 1973

Ph.D., ChE University of Kentucky, 1977


Contact Information

Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vanderbilt University
VU Station B, Box 351604
Nashville, TN 37235-1604

Phone: (615) 322-2088
FAX: (615) 343-7951

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Research Interests

  • Automotive catalyst coating. This work is a fundamental study of the deposition of a catalyst washcoat onto the ceramic monolith used for automotive and environmental catalysis. We have expanded our initial parametric work to address specific needs for the next generation of automotive catalyst coating process. We collected specific data aimed at addressing certain design issues for the new catalyst coaters. In addition, we have begun fundamental studies on flow visualization of the coating process.

  • Plant-wide modeling, simulation, and control. The first commercial version of the Intelligent Process Control System (IPCS) software that we have been developing was purchased by Dupont. We have since rewritten this software to include features such as vectored input and output variables, a better graphical editor, and new operator display interface. There is considerable interest in chemical engineering in plant-wide control. We are near the forefront in this technology. Our "commercialized" applications, a coherent material balance, and an operator interface, which displays key process variables, have been updated for the new software.

  • Polymer processing. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used in the form of fibers, films, and containers. The commercial applications of PET polymer depend on the molecular weight. The solid state polymerization process is used to produce higher molecular weight PET materials. We are studying the structural heterogeneity, which exists in commercial PET products, and can classified into an amorphous phase, a crystallized phase, void regions, and structural defects. The structural heterogeneity and defects deteriorate the mechanical and chemical properties of PET. We have been using surface techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), low voltage Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to investigate the crystallization in several commercial PET products. The crystallization gradient and microstructural features on cross-sections of PET are examined at the nanometer scale. A model of the crystallization process in the PET solid polymerization is suggested consisting of a shell of a highly crystallized phase of PET encasing a core of an amorphous phase.



Selected Publications

Debelak, K. A., W. Lu, A. Witt, C. Yang, C. Lott, and E. Collins, “Structural Features of Crystallized Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Polymers,” Journal of Polymer Science, Part B: Polymer Physics vol. 40, issue 3 (2002): 245-254. Published on line December 12, 2001.

Debelak, K. A., W. Lu, A. Witt, and E. Collins, “Crystalline Polymer Structures and their Formations Characterized by Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM),” Polymer News 25 (2000): 365-373.

Debelak, K. A., and M. Rutherford, “Partitioned Error Control,” Ind.& Eng.Chem 10 (1999): 4113-4116.

Debelak, K. A., “Temperature Control of Highly Exothermic Batch Polymerization Reactor,” J. Appl. Polymer Science (1997): 761-772.

Debelak, K. A., F. Aderounmu, H. Hussein, K. Smith, and R.C. Camperlino, “Machine Vision Eyes Wider CPI Role,” Chemical Engineering Progress 93, 2 (February, 1997).

Debelak, K. A., F. DeCaria, J. Weller, and P. Mathur, “.Dynamic Simulations of Dimethyl Terephthalate Productions, Workshop on Model-Integrated Computing,” IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Engineering of Computer Based Systems , July 31-August 1, 1997, USAF Arnold Engineering Development Center.

Debelak, K. A., G. Karsai, J. Sztipanovitz, S. Padalkar, and F. Decaria, “Activity Modeling Applications in Process Engineering, Intelligent Systems in Process Engineering,” AIChE Symposium Series, no. 312, 92 (1996): 409.

Debelak, K. A., M. Shariff, H. Hussien, and J.W. Williamson ,“Numerical Simulation of Newtonian Fluid Flow Through a Multiple Channel Honeycomb Monolithic Structure,” Symposium on Finite Element Applications of Fluid Dynamics, ASME Fluids Meeting, San Diego, July 1996.