KARAMANEV, Dimitre

Professor
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

P.Eng.
Diploma Engineer (Mendeleev University, Russia) 1980
Ph.D. (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences), 1988

BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING

1. Invention and development of the BioGenerator

Since it is a completely new concept in power generation, the first thing we had to do was to name it.  We chose BioGenerator.  Since the BioGenerator is a bio-electro-chemical device, the following research topics are involved:

• membrane research and development - open research position
• development of 3D electrodes - open research position
• development of non-noble metal electrocatalysts
• kinetics and catalysis of the anodic and cathodic reactions
• optimization of bipolar plate flow fields
• bioreactor design
• biokinetics of chemolithoautotrophs (such as Acidithiobacillus and Leptospirillum)
• oxygen mass transfer in bioreactors
• mathematical modeling

2. Invention of novel types of bioreactors
3. inverse fluidized bed bioreactor
4. immobilized solids bioreactor
5. rotating fibrous bioreactor

3. Extending the limits of life

It has been shown for a first time that:

1. microorganisms can use zero-valence metals as a direct electron donor
2. microorganisms can use anodic electrons as a sole energy source

FLUID FLOW

1. Fundamentals of multiphase systems

Three of my equations are used in the Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook:

• for calculation of the terminal velocity of freefalling solid particles (replacing Newton's and Stokes equations)
• for calculation of the terminal velocity of free rising buoyant solid particles
• for calculation of the terminal velocity of free rising gas bubbles

Currently, I have two open positions for --

RESEARCHERS / POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS:

1. for the development of a fuel cell electrode for hydrogen oxidation

2. for the synthesis of polymer membranes