Weiyu Xu


Address:
927, S Monitor Ave.
Chicago, IL - 60644
Phone no: (630) 515 8772
email:weiyu@vri-custom.org

Research Projects at VRI:

Algorithms, Methods and Tools
Energy and Environment
Materials and Molecular Modeling


Research Interests:

  1. Sustainability and sustainable management
  2. Environmental management and pollution control
  3. Optimization and optimal control
  4. Application of advanced control in bioengineering

Highlights:

  • Good working knowledge in DOE, SPC, general laboratory techniques, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, thermodynamics, transport phenomena, unit operations (extraction, filtration, crystallization, reaction etc.), and aqueous/organic solvent systems.
  • Solid background in advanced mathematical algorithms (ODE, PDE, DAE etc.), optimization algorithms, dynamic simulation/optimization, and their applications in computer-aided product/process design.
  • Hands-on experience of reactor design, separation process design, optimization, control and process scale-up/startup.

Education:

  • Ph.D. (December 2004) Chemical Engineering
    University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Research advisor: Urmila M. Diwekar
    Thesis title: Integrated solvent selection and solvent recycling under uncertainty.
  • Master of Science (Spring 2002) Chemical Engineering
    University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Research advisor: John R. Regalbuto
    Thesis title: The speciation of noble metal coordination complexes.
  • Bachelor of Science (Spring 1998) Chemical Engineering and Technology
    Tianjin University, Tianjin, P. R. China. Research advisor: Zhongyi Jiang
    Thesis title: Peptide synthesis and study on its reaction kinetics.

Research and Industrial Experience:

  • Postdoc Researcher, Vishwamitra Research Institute, Center for Uncertainties: Tools for optimization and Management (CUSTOM). Jan 2005-present.
    • Established mathematical models to facilitate separation processes design/optimization.
    • Performed coal based hydrogen coproduction with carbon dioxide capture process design.
  • Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago. August 2000-October 2004.
    • Developed a novel global stochastic optimization algorithm based on genetic algorithm for the integrated product and separation process design under uncertainty.
    • Used computer aided molecular design (CAMD) to fabricate new chemicals as separating agents to separate Acetic acid - Water system (A process used by Eastman Chemical).
    • Conducted process optimization and statistical analysis to find robust, cost effective, high quality, and environmentally benign separation processes.
    • Investigated adsorption of precious metal complexes onto alumina from aqueous solutions by changing temperature, pH and other parameters.
    • Performed calculations to determine the equilibrium dissociation constants for noble metal complexes in solution.
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago. August 2000-December 2000. Engineering Thermodynamics.
  • Teaching Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago. January 2001-May 2001. Senior Design.

Software skills:

  • Chemical Engineering Software: ASPEN, HYSYS, ChemOffice, FLUENT, AutoCAD.
  • Optimization Software: GAMS, Lingo, Lindo.
  • Languages: C, C++, BASIC, FORTRAN, Matlab, Maple.
  • Other software: MS Word, Excel, Access, Project, PowerPoint, Visio, SPSS.
  • Technical skills: Gas Chromatography (GC), Mass Spectroscopy (MS).

Publications, Presentations and Projects:

  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Environmentally friendly heterogeneous azeotropic distillation system design: integration of solvent selection and process design. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2005, 44, 4061-4067.
  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Multi-objective solvent and process design for heterogeneous azeotropic distillation system using genetic algorithm. Accepted by International Journal of Environment and Pollution.
  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Improved genetic algorithms for deterministic and stochastic optimization-Part I: Algorithm development. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2005, 44, 7132-7137.
  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Improved genetic algorithms for deterministic and stochastic optimization-Part II: Solvent selection under uncertainty. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2005, 44, 7138-7146.
  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Paper titled "Cost effective, environmentally benign solvent selection and solvent recycling" presented in AIChE Annual meeting, New Orleans, LA, 2003.
  • Xu, Weiyu and Diwekar, M. Urmila. Paper titled "Multi-objective optimization for a separation process design" presentated in INFORMS local meeting, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. 2003.

Awards:

  • Honor student, Tianjin University, 1994-1997.