Vivek Kumar Patel
Process Scientist — Catalysis, Novel Process Development & Refinery Technology
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About
Process scientist with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and 4+ years of industrial R&D experience developing and scaling heterogeneous catalytic processes at a refinery-affiliated research center (HPCL Green R&D Centre, Bengaluru). Track record of taking novel catalytic chemistry from bench-scale reaction studies through kinetic characterization, process modelling (Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS, MATLAB), and scale-up support toward pilot-scale demonstration — with direct application to CO2 utilization, refinery de-carbonization, and sustainable/bio-based feedstock processing. Comfortable operating at the interface of experimental science and engineering design: diagnosing catalyst deactivation and process upsets through structured root-cause analysis, generating mass/energy balances and techno-economic evaluations to inform technology decisions, and communicating findings through technical reports, patent disclosures, and peer-reviewed publications.
Experienced collaborating across process engineers, analytical teams, operations, and external technology partners, with an established record of supporting laboratory HSSE and safety culture.
Experience
Research Associate — Green R&D Centre - Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) - Bengaluru, India
(2023-01 - 2026-06)
Catalysis & Novel Process Development Led R&D on catalytic conversion of CO2 and hydrogen into value-added chemicals and sustainable fuel intermediates, developing new catalyst formulations and evaluating reaction pathways from concept through bench-scale validation. Developed and evaluated catalytic pathways for refinery de-carbonization, renewable feedstock processing, and advanced fuel production, applying physical science and reaction-engineering knowledge to constraint-busting and optimization problems in manufacturing-relevant contexts. Diagnosed catalyst deactivation, process upsets, and off-spec performance in gas-phase conversion reactions using structured, data-driven root-cause approaches, then implemented corrective actions with measurable performance recovery.
Process
Modelling, Scale-Up & Techno economic Evaluation Built steady-state process and kinetic models in Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS, and MATLAB, and used Python for statistical analysis of experimental data to support process optimization and techno economic evaluation of new technology options. Supported scale-up from laboratory reactors toward pilot-scale demonstration units, generating mass/energy balances and p
Senior Research Fellow - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi - India
(2022-05 - 2022-11)
- Developed and optimized heterogeneous catalysts for the isomerization of α-pinene to camphene, designing and executing experimental campaigns to target efficient synthesis of fine chemicals.
- Investigated catalytic performance, selectivity, and reaction parameters, characterizing catalyst activity, stability, and reusability to build a foundation in product-quality-focused catalytic process research.
Education
PhD - Chemical Engineering - Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) (2021)
M.Tech - Chemical Engineering - Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) (2014)
B. Tech - Chemical Engineering - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (2011)
