Chief Chemical Engineer
Chief Chemical Engineer

Biography

Karthikeyan Ramasamy received his undergraduate degree from Bharathiar University, India, masters degree from University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL and doctoral degree from Washington State University, Pullman, WA under the supervision of Yong Wang. Prior to joining PNNL, Ramasamy worked as a research engineer at Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL between 2002 and 2008. During this period, he was involved in research focused on renewable hydrogen production and hydrogen storage. Ramasamy is currently chief chemical engineer at PNNL. His current research work is focused on developing heterogeneous catalyst towards producing renewable chemicals, marine fuels and sustainable aviation fuels.

Research Interests

  • Heterogeneous catalyst development
  • Green chemistry development towards renewable chemicals
  • Chemical process development
  • Sustainable aviation fuels and marine fuels

Education 

  • PhD in chemical engineering, Washington State University
  • MS in environmental engineering, University of Central Florida
  • BS in chemical engineering, Bharathiar University, India

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Alternate Councilor, American Chemical Society, Catalysis Science & Technology Division, 2022-Present
  • Director, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Fuels & Petrochemical Division, 2020-Present
  • Co-Chair, Hydrothermal Liquefaction: Path to Sustainable Aviation Fuel Workshop, 2020
  • Co-Chair, Thermal and Catalytic Sciences for Biofuels and Biobased Products Conference, 2020
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Catalysis Today, 2018-Present
  • Treasurer, American Chemical Society, Catalysis Science & Technology Division, 2018-2021
  • Program Chair, American Chemical Society, Catalysis Science & Technology Division, 2014-2017
  • Member of the American Chemical Society (ACS)
  • Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

Patents

  • Ramasamy, K. K., M. F. Guo, S. Subramaniam, U. Sanyal, and C. O. Brady. Processes for the Conversion of Mixed Oxygenates Feedstocks to Hydrocarbon Fuels. U.S.11492303, filed May 12, 2021, and issued November 8, 2022.

  • Mond F, G., and K. S. Ramasamy. Method and System Embodiments for Converting Ethanol to Para-Xylene and Ortho-Xylene. U.S.17387725, filed July 28, 2021, and issued May 10, 2022.

  • Ramasamy, K. K., M. J. Gray, Alvarez-Vasco, C. A., M. F. Guo, and S. Subramaniam. Conversion of Ethanol to C5+ Ketones in Single Catalyst Bed. U.S.10221119, filed January 15, 2018, and issued March 5, 2019.

  • Ramasamy, K. K., M. F. Guo, M. J. Gray, and S. Subramaniam. Method of Converting Ethanol to Higher Alcohols. U.S.20190031585A1, filed July 26, 2018, and issued January 31, 2019.

  • Lilga, M. A., R. T. Hallen, K. O. Albrecht, A. R. Cooper, J. G. Frye, and K. K. Ramasamy. Systems and Processes for Conversion of Ethylene Feedstocks to Hydrocarbon Fuels. U.S.10005974, filed August 18, 2017, and issued June 26, 2018.

  • Lilga, M. A., R. T. Hallen, K. O. Albrecht, A. R. Cooper, J. G. Frye, and K. K. Ramasamy. Systems and Processes for Conversion of Ethylene Feedstocks to Hydrocarbon Fuels U.S.9771533B2, filed October 30, 2014 and issued September 26, 2017.

  • Ramasamy, K. K., A. R. Cooper, M. A. Lilga, J. G. Frye, K. O. Albrecht, and R. T. Hallen. Systems and Processes for Conversion of Ethylene Feedstocks to Hydrocarbon Fuels. filed October 30, 2014, and issued May 30, 2017.

Publications

2022

  • Cronin D.J., S. Subramaniam, C.O. Brady, A.R. Cooper, Z. Yang, J.S. Heyne, and C. Drennan, et al. 2022. "Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wet-Wastes." Energies 15, no. 4:Art. No. 1306. PNNL-SA-169987. doi:10.3390/en15041306
  • Lin F., M. Xu, K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, Z. Li, J. Klinger, J. Schaidle, and H. Wang. 2022. "Catalyst Deactivation and its Mitigation during Catalytic Conversions of Biomass." ACS Catalysis 12, no. 21:13555-13599. PNNL-SA-175764. doi:10.1021/acscatal.2c02074
  • Snowden-Swan L.J., S. Li, Y. Jiang, M.R. Thorson, A.J. Schmidt, T.E. Seiple, and J.M. Billing, et al. 2022. Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels: 2021 State of Technology. PNNL-32731. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. doi:10.2172/1863608. Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels: 2021 State of Technology

2021

  • Cosimbescu L., K.B. Campbell, S. Subramaniam, M.S. Swita, N. Hao, C.M. Moore, and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, et al. 2021. "The Properties of Bicyclic and Multicyclic Hydrocarbons as Bio-derived Compression Ignition Fuels That Can Be Prepared via Efficient and Scalable Routes from Biomass." Sustainable Energy & Fuels 5, no. 12:3143-3159. PNNL-SA-156518. doi:10.1039/d0se01742f
  • Guo M.F., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, C.A. Alvarez-Vasco, S. Subramaniam, X. Zhang, and L. Kovarik, et al. 2021. "Uncovering the Active Sites and Demonstrating Stable Catalyst for Cost-Effective Conversion of Ethanol to 1-Butanol." Green Chemistry 23, no. 20:8030-8039. PNNL-SA-164007. doi:10.1039/D1GC01979A
  • Kallupalayam Ramasamy K. 2021. Renewable Octane Hyper boosting Blendstock for High-Efficiency - CRADA 494. PNNL-SA-159125. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
  • Kallupalayam Ramasamy K. 2021. Renewable Octane Hyper boosting Blendstock for High-Efficiency - CRADA 494. PNNL-SA-159125. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. [Unpublished]
  • Kallupalayam Ramasamy K., M.R. Thorson, J.M. Billing, J.E. Holladay, C. Drennan, B. Hoffman, and Z. Haq. 2021. Hydrothermal Liquefaction: Path to Sustainable Aviation Fuel. PNNL-31930. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Hydrothermal Liquefaction: Path to Sustainable Aviation Fuel
  • Maddi B., S.D. Davidson, H.M. Job, R.A. Dagle, M.F. Guo, M.J. Gray, and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy. 2021. "Production of Gaseous Olefins from Syngas over a Cobalt-HZSM-5 Catalyst." Catalysis Letters 151, no. 2:526-537. PNNL-SA-134786. doi:10.1007/s10562-020-03324-7
  • Snowden-Swan L.J., J.M. Billing, M.R. Thorson, A.J. Schmidt, Y. Jiang, D.M. Santosa, and T.E. Seiple, et al. 2021. Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels: 2020 State of Technology. PNNL-30982. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Wet Waste Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Biocrude Upgrading to Hydrocarbon Fuels: 2020 State of Technology
  • Subramaniam S., D.M. Santosa, C.O. Brady, M.S. Swita, K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, and M.R. Thorson. 2021. "Extended catalyst lifetime testing for HTL biocrude hydrotreating to produce fuel blendstocks from wet wastes." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 9, no. 38:12825-12832. PNNL-SA-161175. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c02743

2020

  • Dagle R.A., A.D. Winkelman, K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, V. Dagle, and R.S. Weber. 2020. "Ethanol as a renewable building block for fuels and chemicals." Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 59, no. 11:4843-4853. PNNL-SA-148314. doi:10.1021/acs.iecr.9b05729
  • Shi H., K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, R. Ma, and H. Wang. 2020. "Nanoporous Catalysts for Biomass Conversion." In Nanoporous Materials for Molecule Separation and Conversion, edited by J. Liu and F. Ding. 387-440. PNNL-SA-152618. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-818487-5.00012-1
  • Subramaniam S., M.F. Guo, T. Bathena, M.J. Gray, X. Zhang, A.I. Martinez, and L. Kovarik, et al. 2020. "Direct Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to C5+ Ketones: Role of Pd-Zn Alloy on Catalytic Activity and Stability." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59, no. 34:14550-14557. PNNL-SA-148910. doi:10.1002/anie.202005256
  • Weber R.S., and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy. 2020. "Electrochemical Oxidation of Lignin and Waste Plastic." ACS Omega 5, no. 43:27735-27740. PNNL-SA-155219. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c03989

2019

  • Guo M.F., S. Subramaniam, M.J. Gray, and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy. 2019. "Selective Butanol Production from Ethanol over an Atomically Dispersed Cu on Mixed Oxide Catalyst." In North American Catalysis Society Meeting (NAM 26), June 23-28, 2019, Chicago, IL. Orefield, Pennsylvania:North American Catalysis Society. PNNL-SA-140256.
  • Murugesan V., M.J. Gray, M.F. Guo, H.M. Job, L. Kovarik, A. Devaraj, and S. Thevuthasan, et al. 2019. "Thermally Activated Nucleation and Growth of Cobalt and Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles on Porous Silica." Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films 37, no. 3:Article No. 031101. PNNL-SA-121414. doi:10.1116/1.5080448
  • Settle A., N.S. Cleveland, C. Farberow, D. Conklin, X. Huo, A. Dameron, and R. Tracy, et al. 2019. "Enhanced Catalyst Durability for Bio-Based Adipic Acid Production by Atomic Layer Deposition." Joule 3, no. 9:2219-2240. PNNL-SA-144252. doi:10.1016/j.joule.2019.06.022
  • Su Q., H. Dai, H. Chen, Y. Lin, Y. Xie, and K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy. 2019. "General Equilibrium Analysis of the Cobenefits and Trade-Offs of Carbon Mitigation on Local Industrial Water Use and Pollutants Discharge in China." Environmental Science & Technology 53, no. 3:1715-1724. PNNL-SA-142640. doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b05763

2017

  • Devaraj A., V. Murugesan, J. Bao, M.F. Guo, M.A. Derewinski, Z. Xu, and M.J. Gray, et al. 2017. "Nanoscale Compositional Mapping of Spent HZSM-5: An Atom Probe Tomography Study." In Proceedings of the North American Catalysis Society Meeting (NAM25), June 4-9, 2017, Denver, CO. PNNL-SA-122368.
  • Murugesan V., M.J. Gray, M.F. Guo, H.M. Job, A. Devaraj, C.J. Szymanski, and S. Thevuthasan, et al. 2017. "Thermal Evaluation of Metal Oxides on Silica Supports." In North American Catalysis Society Meeting, June 4-9, 2017, Denver, CO, Paper No. P-T-BRM-44. PNNL-SA-122369.

2016

  • Alvarez-Vasco C.A., R. Ma, M. Quintero, M. Guo, S.C. Geleynse, K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, and M.P. Wolcott, et al. 2016. "Unique Low-molecular-weight Lignin with High Purity Extracted from Wood by Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES): A Source of Lignin for Valorization." Green Chemistry 18, no. 19:5133-5141. PNNL-SA-118851. doi:10.1039/C6GC01007E
  • Devaraj A., V. Murugesan, J. Bao, M.F. Guo, M.A. Derewinski, Z. Xu, and M.J. Gray, et al. 2016. "Discerning the Location and Nature of Coke Deposition from Surface to Bulk of Spent Zeolite Catalysts." Scientific Reports 6. PNNL-SA-113562. doi:10.1038/srep37586
  • Lebarbier V.M., C.D. Smith, M.D. Flake, K.O. Albrecht, M.J. Gray, K.K. Ramasamy, and R.A. Dagle. 2016. "Integrated Process for the Catalytic Conversion of Biomass-Derived Syngas into Transportation Fuels." Green Chemistry 18, no. 7:1880-1891. PNNL-SA-113248. doi:10.1039/c5gc02298c
  • Ma R., M.F. Guo, K. Lin, V. Hebert, J. Zhang, M.P. Wolcott, and M. Quintero, et al. 2016. "Peracetic Acid Depolymerization of Biorefinery Lignin for Production of Selective Monomeric Phenolic Compounds." Chemistry - A European Journal 22, no. 31:10884-10891. PNNL-SA-117752. doi:10.1002/chem.201600546
  • Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, C.D. Smith, and Y. Wang. 2016. "Tunable catalytic properties of bi-functional mixed oxides in ethanol conversion to high value compounds." Catalysis Today 269. PNNL-SA-115950. doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2015.11.045
  • Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, D.M. Santosa, X.S. Li, A. Devaraj, and A.J. Karkamkar, et al. 2016. "Role of Calcination Temperature on the Hydrotalcite Derived MgO-Al2O3 in Converting Ethanol to Butanol." Topics in Catalysis 59, no. 1:46-54. PNNL-SA-110874. doi:10.1007/s11244-015-0504-8
  • Smith C.D., V.M. Lebarbier, M.D. Flake, K.K. Ramasamy, L. Kovarik, M.E. Bowden, and T. Onfroy, et al. 2016. "Conversion of Syngas-Derived C2+ Mixed Oxygenates to C3-C5 Olefins over ZnxZryOz Mixed Oxides Catalysts." Catalysis Today 6, no. 7:2325-2316. PNNL-SA-111860. doi:10.1039/C5CY01261A
  • Tan E., L.J. Snowden-Swan, M. Talmadge, A. Dutta, S.B. Jones, K. Kallupalayam Ramasamy, and M.J. Gray, et al. 2016. "Comparative Techno-economic Analysis and Process Design for Indirect Liquefaction Pathways to Distillate-range Fuels via Biomass-derived Oxygenated Intermediates Upgrading." Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining 11, no. 1:41-66. PNNL-SA-120207. doi:10.1002/bbb.1710

2015

  • Ramasamy K.K., M.J. Gray, H.M. Job, and Y. Wang. 2015. "Direct Syngas Hydrogenation over a Co-Ni Bimetallic Catalyst: Process Parameter Optimization." Chemical Engineering Science 135. PNNL-SA-107517. doi:10.1016/j.ces.2015.03.064

2014

  • Ramasamy K.K., and Y. Wang. 2014. "Ethanol Conversion to Hydrocarbons on HZSM-5: Effect of Reaction Conditions and Si/Al Ratio on the Product Distributions." Catalysis Today 237. PNNL-SA-101512. doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2014.02.044
  • Ramasamy K.K., H. Zhang, J. Sun, and Y. Wang. 2014. "Conversion of Ethanol to Hydrocarbons on Hierarchical HZSM-5 Zeolites." Catalysis Today 238. PNNL-SA-100662. doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2014.01.037
  • Ramasamy K.K., M.A. Gerber, M.D. Flake, H. Zhang, and Y. Wang. 2014. "Conversion of Biomass-Derived Small Oxygenates over HZSM-5 and its Deactivation Mechanism." Green Chemistry 16, no. 2:748-760. PNNL-SA-97838. doi:10.1039/c3gc41369a

2013

  • Ramasamy K.K., and Y. Wang. 2013. "Catalyst Activity Comparison of Alcohols over Zeolites." Journal of Energy Chemistry 22, no. 1:65-71. PNNL-SA-92939.
  • Ramasamy K.K., and Y. Wang. 2013. "Conversion of Methanol, Ethanol and Propanol over Zeolites." In 23rd North American Catalysis Society Meeting, June 2-7, 2013, Louisville, Kentucky, Paper No. P-Tu-BRC-67. N/A:North American Catalysis Society. PNNL-SA-92019.
  • Ramasamy K.K., and Y. Wang. 2013. "THERMOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF FERMENTATION-DERIVED OXYGENATES TO FUELS." In Biomass Processing, Conversion and Biorefinery, edited by B Zhang and Y Wang. 289-300. Hauppauge, New York:Nova Publishers. PNNL-SA-92769.

2012

  • Ramasamy K.K., M.A. Gerber, M.A. Lilga, and M.D. Flake. 2012. "Conversion of Mixed Oxygenates Generated from Synthesis Gas to Fuel Range Hydrocarbon." In 244th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, August 19-23, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Washington DC: American Chemical Society. PNNL-SA-87111.

2010