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| Irman investigates the effect of catalysts on the quality of pyrolysis oil for the Faculty of Engineering Technology. Photo: Arjan Reef |
Irman joined the Laboratory of Thermal Engineering at the UT last year, after working at Delft University of Technology. His PhD research focuses on the development of the process and the catalyst for production of high-quality biofuels. The aim of his project is to carry out the thermal conversion of biomass and upgrade the bio-oil in a single unit process.
`We can already produce biofuels that we can use to produce electricity,' he said, while we climbed down the stairs into the mass of black tubes, aluminum pipes, monitors, and cables in the Horst Thermal Engineering Lab. `But what we are trying to improve is the quality of biofuels used for running vehicles. The problem is that the production and upgrading processing is so expensive, and we have to compete with the lower costs of fossil fuels. In this regard, government policies could help us to employ more sustainable energies.'
Born in Multan, one of the oldest cities in Asia and renown for being the City of Sufis, Imran has lived in Europe for the past five years. Besides spending three years in the Netherlands, he obtained his Masters of Science in Chemical and Process Engineering in Germany. `I feel very comfortable here in the Netherlands,' his boyish smile suddenly appeared. `The Dutch mentality is very humanistic.'
`What we are doing here,' he explained in the lab, `is producing biofuels in a pilot plant that can easily be up-scaled for industrial production. We heat the solid structure of wood in an oxygen-free environment. This process is called “cracking” because we break the wood into smaller molecules which we then condense into oil. Catalysts can control this “cracking” process and lower the oxygen content in the biofuel. Low oxygen biofuels hold more energy content. I am trying to develop a unit process where a catalyst will be employed in situ during the thermal cracking process to remove most of the oxygen from the liquid fuel.'
`We don't use any agriculture biomass, like soy or corn that can feed people. We are working with second-generation biofuels whose biomass origins include wood, algae, manure, biowaste, and municipal waste,' he explained.
Irman hopes to finish his research by the end of 2011. He is open to opportunities for further research projects in Europe or in Pakistan. In February he will be traveling to Multan to marry Farkhanda Kanwal, a longtime friend, who will join him in the Netherlands. They plan on having the traditional three-day Pakistani wedding.
`The first day, the families of the bride and groom gather to celebrate,' Imran explains. `The hands of new couple are decorated with henna and there is drumming, singing, dancing, plenty of sweet rice, and other delicious food. On the second day, we are actually married and a dinner is arranged at the bride's home. We expect about 400 people! After the party, Farkhanda will then move to my home, where on the third day, we have another dinner party with about 200 friends and relatives.'
Irman flashes his winning smile again in anticipation of his wedding. Like others from his hometown, he plays cricket. But during his free time, he likes to watch Bollywood movies at home and Hollywood movies at the cinema.
When asked about the current political situation in his country, he said, `I feel that the approach to fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida is misguided. Where do you think they are recruiting their young fighters? From the poor people. The US and Pakistani government policies should address this poverty. When you have no food to eat, no family, a lack of education and health care, then you are more likely to join the resistance.'
