Berhane H. Gebreslassie


Address:
900, W. Taylor St., SELW 2040
Chicago, IL - 60612
Phone no: (765) 714-2298
email:berhane@vri-custom.org

Research Topic:

In general, my research focuses on sustainable design of the process system engineering. Specifically, selection of environmentally benign adsorbents, sustainable process design and synthesis, solar assisted cooling systems, sustainable hydrocarbon biorefinery designs through advanced computer aided molecular design, simulation and optimization approaches. Techno-economic analysis, Deterministic and Stochastic Optimization techniques in multi-objective optimization framework are implemented to analyze the design problems. Recently, for the optimal design of process systems, there has been a growing interest of incorporating environmental concerns along with the traditional economic criteria. Mainly, this interest is motivated by several issues, the major ones being the tighter government regulation and the awareness of customers for environmentally conscious products. In this respect, Life Cycle Assessment tool is implemented to quantify and analyze the environmental concerns.


Research Projects at VRI:

  1. Algorithms, Methods and Tools
  2. Sustainability and Security
  3. Energy and Environment
  4. Materials and Molecular Modeling

Research Interests:

  1. Sustainability and sustainable management
  2. Environmental management and pollution control
  3. Optimization and optimal control
  4. Optimal design of hydrocarbon biorefineries
  5. Sustainable design of solar assisted cooling systems

Software and Programming Tools:

  1. GAMS, Matlab, Fortran,EES, ABSIM, ASPEN PLUS, SuperPro Designer, EcoInvent
  2. Heuristic Optimization: Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithm and Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm

Academic History:

  1. Ph.D : Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 2010.
  2. MSC : Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 2010.
  3. MSC : Mechanical Engineering, Addiss Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2004.
  4. BSC : Chemical Engineering, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 2001.

Publications:

Journal:

  1. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Randall Wayne, and Fengqi You. Sustainable design and synthesis of algae-based biorefinery for simultaneous hydrocarbon biofuel production and carbon sequestration. AIChE Journal, 59(5); 1599–1621, 2013.
  2. Belinda Wang, Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Fengqi You. Sustainable Design and Synthesis of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery via Gasification Pathway: Integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-economic Analysis with Multiobjective Superstructure Optimization. Computers & Chemical Engineering, 52; 55–76, 2013.
  3. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Maxim Slivinsky, Belinda Wang, Fengqi You (2013). Life Cycle Optimization for Sustainable Design and Operations of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery via Fast Pyrolysis, Hydrotreating and Hydrocracking. Computers & Chemical Engineering. 50; 71-91, 2013.
  4. Berhane H. Gebreslassie Yuan Yao, & Fengqi You. Design under Uncertainty of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery Supply Chains: Multiobjective Stochastic Programming Models, Decomposition Algorithm and A Comparison between CVaR and Downside Risk. AIChE Journal. 58(7); 2155-2179,2012.
  5. Berhane H. Gebreslassie Eckhard A. Groll, Suresh V. Garimella. Multi-objective optimization of sustainable single-effect water/Lithium Bromide absorption cycle. Renewable Energy, 46: 100-110, 2012.
  6. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Solar assisted absorption cooling cycles for reduction of global warming: a multi-objective optimization approach. Solar Energy, 86(7); 2083-2094, 2012.
  7. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. A systematic tool for the minimization of the life cycle impact of solar assisted absorption cooling systems. Energy, 35(9): 3849-3862, 2010.
  8. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Marc Medrano, and D. Boer. Comparative Second Law Analysis of multi-effect Water-LiBr Absorption Cooling Cycles. Renewable Energy, 35(8): 1773-1782, 2010.
  9. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, M. Medrano, L.F. Mendes and D. Boer. Thermo-economic Optimization of Absorption Cooling Cycle Using Structural Coefficient. International Journal of Refrigeration, 33(3): 529-537, 2010.
  10. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Economic performance optimization of an absorption cooling system under uncertainty. Applied Thermal Engineering, 29(17-18):3491-3500, 2009.
  11. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Design of environmentally conscious absorption cooling systems via multi-objective optimization and life cycle assessment. Applied Energy, 86(9):1712-1722, 2009.
  12. Dieter B, Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Marc Medrano, M. Nogues. Effect of internal Heat Recovery in Ammonia-Water Absorption Cooling Cycles: Exergy and structural Analysis. International Journal of Thermodynamics, 12(1):17-27, 2009.

Proceedings:

  1. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Yao, Y., & You, F. Multiobjective Optimization of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery Supply Chain Designs under Uncertainty. Proceeding of 51st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control. 5560 – 5565, 2012.
  2. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Eckhard A. Groll, and Suresh V. Garimella. Optimization of Solar Assisted Single-Effect Water/LiBr Absorption Chiller, Proceedings of ASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition, IMECE2011, Denver, Colorado, USA, November 11-17, 2011.
  3. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Multi-objective optimization of solar assisted absorption cooling system. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 28: 1033–1038, 2010.
  4. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Design of environmentally friendly absorption cooling systems via multi-objective optimization. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering 26: 1099–1103, 2009.

Thesis:

  1. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Optimization of environmentally friendly solar assisted absorption cooling systems. University of Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 2010.
  2. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Thermo economic optimization of absorption cycle using ammonia-water fluid. University of Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain, 2007.
  3. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Experimental analysis of drying of agricultural products. Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 2004.
  4. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Application of cleaner production strategies in edible oil factory. Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 2001.

Coference Contributions:

  1. Yao, Y., Berhane H. Gebreslassie, & You, F. Multiobjective Stochastic Programming Models and Algorithms for Robust Design and Optimization of Biofuels Supply Chains. AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA.USA, 2012.
  2. Yao, Y., Berhane H. Gebreslassie, & You, F. Optimal Design of County-Level Hydrocarbon Biorefinery Supply Chains under Uncertainty: A Case Study for the State of Illinois Using Spatially-Explicit Model. AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA. USA, 2012.
  3. Wang, B., Berhane H. Gebreslassie, & You, F. Optimal Design of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery Via Gasification Pathway: Multiobjective Optimization Coupled with Life Cycle Assessment. AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA. USA, 2012.
  4. Wang, B., Berhane H. Gebreslassie, & You, F. Process Design and Optimization for Hydrocarbon Biofuel Production From Corn Stover Via Gasification. AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA. USA, 2012.
  5. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Eckhard A. Groll, and Suresh V. Garimella. Design of solar assisted single-effect water/LiBr absorption cooling system via-multi-objective optimization. Cooling technologies research center conference, CTRC2011, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, May 10-11, 2011.
  6. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Optimization of the Economic and Environmental Performance of an Ammonia-Water Absorption Cooling Cycle. AIChE Annual Meeting. Nashville, TN (USA), November 2009.
  7. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Design of environmentally friendly absorption cooling systems via multi-objective optimization and uncertainty. 7th PhD Poster Exhibition of URV, Tarragona, Spain, 2009.
  8. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. Optimización económica de sistemas de refrigeración por absorción considerando el impacto medioambiental y la incertidumbre de los parmetros. VI Jornadas de Ingeniería Termodinámica, Cordoba, Spain, 2009.
  9. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Guillen-Gosalbez G., Jimenez L, Boer D. A systematic method for the environmentally conscious design of absorption cooling cycles. 11th Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering, Barcelona, SPAIN, 2008.
  10. Guillen-Gosalbez G, Mele F.D, Berhane. H. Gebreslassie, Jimenez L. Strategic planning of supply chains for biofuels production via multi-objective optimization and life cycle assessment. 11th Mediterranean Congress of Chemical Engineering, Barcelona, Spain, 2008.
  11. Mendes L.F, J. Cardoso J.P, Mortal A, Boer D, Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Medrano M. Thermoeconomic optimization of a solar absorption cooling system, 2nd International Conference of Solar Air-Conditioning. Tarragona, Spain, 2007.
  12. Mendes L.F, J. Cardoso J.P, Mortal A, Boer D, Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Medrano M. Exergy analysis of a solar absorption cooling system. 2nd International Conference of Solar Air-Conditioning, Tarragona, Spain, 2007.
  13. Berhane H. Gebreslassie, Boer D. Thermo-economic Optimization of an absorption cycle using ammonia-water working fluid, 6th PhD Poster Exhibition of URV, Tarragona,Spain, 2007.

Research Projects:

  1. Multiobjective optimization of the solar assisted H2O/LiBr absorption cooling systems and industrial waste heat recovery. Suppervised by Dr. Suresh V. Garimella and Dr. Eckhard A. Groll, Purdue University
  2. Life Cycle Optimization for Sustainable Design and Operations of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery via Fast Pyrolysis, Hydrotreating and Hydrocracking. Suppervised by Dr. Fengqi You,NorthWestern University
  3. Sustainable Design and Synthesis of Hydrocarbon Biorefinery via Gasification Pathway: Integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-economic Analysis with Multiobjective Superstructure Optimization. Suppervised by Dr. Fengqi You, NorthWestern University
  4. Sustainable design and synthesis of algae-based biorefinery for simultaneous hydrocarbon biofuel production and carbon sequestration. Suppervised by Dr. Fengqi You, NorthWestern University

Scholarships Received:

Scholarship from University of Rovira i Virgili, Spain, for master of science and Doctoral degree study at University of Rovira i Virgili, supervised by Dr. Dieter Boer.

Work Experience:

  1. Northwestern University: Worked as postdoctoral researcher from 2011 to 20012. The research was on "Sustainable design and synthesis of hydrocarbon biorefineries that integrates life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis through multiobjective optimization."
  2. Purdue University: Worked as postdoctoral researcher from 2010 to 20011. The research was on "optimal design of solar assisted absorption cooling systems and industrial waste heat recovery."
  3. University of Rovira i Virgili: Worked from 2006 to 2010 as teaching assistant. The job was to assist "technical lab of thermodynamics and heat transfer."
  4. Bahirdar University: Worked as graduate assistant and lecturer from 2004 to 2006. The job includes " Preparing lessons, lab manuals, lecture and supervising final year project at Chemical Engineering Department."

Peer Review Service:

  1. AIChE Journal
  2. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering
  3. International Journal of Refrigeration
  4. Journal of Cleaner Production
  5. Biomass and Bio-energy
  6. Fuel

Professional Membership:

  1. American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
  2. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)