Veluchamy Chitraichamy

headshot of Veluchamy Chitraichamy who is wearing a suit and tie
Research Assistant Professor
[email protected]
(320) 589-1711
UMN West Central Research and Outreach

46352 State Hwy 329
Morris, MN 56267
United States

Education
  • Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, 2018
  • B.Tech, in Agricultural Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, 2014

Areas of Interest

Renewable Energy, Biomass Utilization and Conversion, Waste Valorization, Circular Bioeconomy 

Biography

Dr. Velu’s research focuses on bio-utilization and ecological energetics for the sustainable development of a circular bioeconomy. He has conducted extensive research on the valorization of bioresource materials into biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts. His expertise includes the pre-treatment of lignocellulosic waste materials for value-added by-products, bioreactor design, kinetic studies, biochemical reaction modeling, and various evaluation techniques. These techniques include empirically screening feedstock to estimate energy potential, waste valorization, profiling microbial communities, determining the fate of pathogens during anaerobic digestion, monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, and developing decision-support guidance.

Teaching

  • BBE 1002 Biorenewable Resources
  • BBE 3043 Biological and Environmental Thermodynamics

Research

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. A mass diffusion model on the effect of moisture content for solid-state anaerobic digestion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 162:371-379. DOI:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.06.099

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. Enhanced methane production and its kinetics model of thermally pretreated lignocellulose waste material. Bioresource Technology, 2017, 241:1-9. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.05.068

C. Veluchamy, V. Wilson Raju, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. Prerequisite - An electrohydrolysis pretreatment for anaerobic digestion of lignocellulose waste material. Bioresource Technology, 2017. 235:274–280. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.03.137

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S Kalamdhad. Biochemical methane potential test for pulp and paper mill sludge with different food / microorganisms ratios and its kinetics. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 2017, 117:197-204. DOI:10.1016/j.ibiod.2017.01.005

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. Influence of pretreatment techniques on anaerobic digestion of pulp and paper mill sludge: A review.  Bioresource Technology, 2017, 245: 1206-1219. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.08.179

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. Enhancement of hydrolysis of lignocellulose waste pulp and paper mill sludge through different heating processes on thermal pretreatment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2017, 168:219-226. DOI:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.09.040

C. Veluchamy, V. Wilson Raju, Ajay S. Kalamdhad. Electrohydrolysis pretreatment for enhanced methane production from lignocellulose waste pulp and paper mill sludge and its kinetics. Bioresource Technology, 2018; 252:52-58. DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.12.093

C. Veluchamy, Brandon H. Gilroyed, Ajay S. Kalamdhad: Process performance and biogas production optimizing of mesophilic plug flow anaerobic digestion of corn silage. Fuel, 2019, 253:1097-1103.

K. Dhamodharan, V.S. Varma, C. Veluchamy, A. Pugazhendhi, K. Rajendran. Emission of volatile organic compounds from composting: A review on assessment, treatment and perspectives. Science of the Total Environment, 2019, 695:133725. DOI.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133725.

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad: Effect of Total solid content of lignocellulose pulp & paper mill sludge on methane production and modeling. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2020, 146, (3), 04019121. https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/%28ASCE%29EE.1943-7870.0001650  

D.E. Arias, C.Veluchamy, K.E. Dunfiled, M.B. Habash, B.H. Gilroyed: Hygienization and microbial metabolic adaptation during anaerobic co-digestion of swine manure and corn stover. Bioresource Technology, 2020, 306, 123168, doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123168  

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad:  Screening of different thermal pretreatments for enhanced methane production from lignocellulose waste material. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 2020, 866 1-9.  DOI: 10.1007/s13399-020-00886-9

C. Veluchamy, Ajay S. Kalamdhad, Brandon H. Gilroyed: Evaluvating and modelling of plug flow reactor digesting lignocellulosic corn silage. Fuel, 2021, 287, 119498. doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119498

D.E. Arias, C. Veluchamy, M.B. Habash, B.H. Gilroyed: Biogas production, wastes stabilization efficiency and hygienization potential of a mesophilic anaerobic plug flow reactor processing swine manure and corn stover. Journal of Environmental Management, 2021, 284, 112027.  doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112027

Honors and Awards

  • 2020;   Webster Post-Doctoral Fellowship Award – University of Guelph (UoG), Ontario, Canada 
  • 2017;  Shastri Indo-Canadian Doctoral Research Fellowship - Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute  India