Short Bio
Greetings! I’m Sanjay Venkatachalam, a PhD student at the IPESE Lab, EPFL, where my work focuses on CO2 capture and air separation. My commitment to environmental sustainability, aimed at reducing global carbon emissions, is deeply rooted in my upbringing in the verdant landscapes of Tamil Nadu, India—a place rich in Tamil culture and tradition.
Namakkal, a district in Tamil Nadu where I come from, is known for its unique identity as “Egg City” due to its vast poultry industry, and as the “Transport Hub of South India,” reflecting its significant role in the region’s agriculture and industry. This vibrant community, with its rich agricultural heritage and bustling industry, is a testament to the harmony between tradition and progress.
Outside the lab, I find balance and rejuvenation through activities like gym workouts and swimming, providing a refreshing escape from academics. My roots in an agricultural setting have instilled in me a profound respect for nature and a commitment to sustainability, guiding both my personal and professional life towards fostering a sustainable future that respects our planet and its traditions.
My research
The focus of my PhD research is to optimize industrial gas separation processes by creating a synergy between novel adsorbent materials and optimized process designs. We are concentrating on two key applications: enhancing oxygen concentration for medical oxygen concentrators (MOCs) and capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas emissions. This work is crucial, given that current separation techniques consume about 15% of global energy. By improving adsorbent effectiveness and system efficiency, we aim to significantly reduce both energy use and CO2 emissions. Our holistic approach includes lab-based development of adsorbents, process design enhancements, and rigorous techno-economic evaluations to ensure viability and scalability. The end goal is a seamless integration of these advanced materials into real-world applications, aligning with global sustainability objectives and advancing crucial Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related to climate action and health.
Furthermore, along with Prof. Francois Marechal, I have an another supervisor to assist me during the PhD journey : Prof. Wendy Queen Lee, Director of Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Materials (LFIM).
Graphical abstract
My Publications
[Sanjay Venkatachalam, Valérie Held, Shivom Sharma, Yudong Xue, Wendy Queen, François Maréchal. (2023). Optimization of adsorption processes for oxygen separation using response surface methodology: 36th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimisation, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems – ECOS 2023, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, June 25-30, 2023. p. 1-12.
[Sanjay V., Muruganandham L., & Sabina E. P. (2021). Identifying the potential activity of Azolla pinnata through in vitro assay and sem. Songklanakarin Journal of Science & Technology, 43(5).
[Sanjay V, Rambabu K. (2018). PES/KI blend membrane synthesis for enhanced dye and heavy metal removal: International Conference on Sustainable Water Resources - TECHNOSCAPE 2018, Tamilnadu, India, 2018. p.1-24.