RESEARCH and COMPUTER SKILLS
- Familiar with biodiesel production process and biodiesel product quality analyses in ASTM D6751;
- Familiar with HPLC (PDA and ELSD detector), GC-FID, ICP-AES, FT-IR, TGA, and PDSC analyses: Method development and troubleshooting;
- Familiar with Experimental Design using Response Surface Methodology and statistical data analyses;
- Proficient in SAS, SPSS, Minitab, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access.
WORKING EXPERIENCE
Piedmont Biofuels Industrial LLC- Pittsboro, North Carolina
Chemist January 2009-current
- Quality control for Piedmont Biofuels biodiesel product based on ASTM D6751;
- Perform lab testing for both production and research;
- Participate grant-funded projects, such as Department of Energy SBIR enzymatic project;
Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Crude Cottonseed Oil
- Examined the effects of different variables on biodiesel yield by using ultrasonic irradiation method.
- Used response surface methodology (RSM) basing on central composite rotatable design to set up and
optimize the transesterification reaction conditions for both conventional and ultrasonic irradiation
production method.
- Developed protocols for HPLC quantitative analyses of antioxidants (such as gossypol, carotene) in the
crude cottonseed oil.
- Correlated antioxidants contents with biodiesel Oxidative Stability Index (OSI) results.
- Evaluated biodiesel engine test results by using SAS program.
Project Manager, Lubricant Company R&D Center, Sinopec, Shanghai, China
- Responsible for the project named “Determination of the content of wear metals in used lubricating oil” in Lubricant Company (Sinopec, China)
- Established the enterprise standard named “Determination of chlorine in lubricating oil by ICP-AES with organic-sample”.
- Developed protocols for physicochemical properties analyses of lubricating oil by using ICP-AES, FT-
IR, TGA and PDSC.
- Developed metal-working fluid lubricant products, such as anti-corrosive lubricating oil, aluminum, copper, and stainless steel rolling oil etc.
QC Group Member
- Engaged in the laboratory authentication and administration of the ASTM and enterprise standards.
Preparation and Properties Study of Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts
- Prepared hydrodesulfurization catalysts through sol-gel technology combined with CO2 supercritical
extraction method.
- Characterized the catlysts’ physicochemical properties by using BET、XRD、IR and EXAFS analysis
methods.
- Evaluated the catalysts’ hydrodesulfurization properties.
Chemical Engineer, Liaohe Oil Field, CNPC, China
- Participated in the petroleum refining-related work and monitored unit operation.
- Technical support for the use of oil layer protection reagents.
EDUCATION
2008 – Doctor of Philosophy, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clemson University
Concentration: Ultrasonically assisted production of biodiesel; Biodiesel production optimization;
Study of biodiesel oxidative stability; Biodiesel engine test performance.
Dissertation: Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Crude Cottonseed Oil
2003 – ME, Chemical Engineering and Technology, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing,
University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
Concentration: Specialized in Petroleum and Natural Gas Processing, Petroleum hydrodesulfuriza
-tion catalysts preparation and properties study.
1998 – BE, Chemical Engineering, University of Petroleum, ShanDong, China
RELEVANT CLASS WORK
Design and Analysis of Experiments; Petroleum Processing Engineering; Petroleum Chemistry; Heavy Oil Chemistry & Processing; Catalysis Principles II; Chemical Reaction Engineering II; System in Chemical Engineering; Regression and Least Squares Analysis; Sampling; Statistical Methods, II;
PUBLICATIONS
Xiaohu Fan, Rachel Burton, Greg Austic, “Enzymatic Conversion of Brown Grease to
Biodiesel in a Solvent-free Medium”, Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and
Environmental Effects, 2010, accepted;
Xiaohu Fan, Rachel Burton and Greg Austic, “Conversion of degummed soybean oil to
biodiesel-optimization of degumming methods and evaluation of fuel properties”,
International Journal of Green Energy, 7: 593-599, 2010.
Rachel Burton, Xiaohu Fan and Greg Austic, “Evaluation of Two-step Reaction and
Enzyme Catalysis Approaches for Biodiesel Production from Spent Coffee Grounds”,
International Journal of Green Energy, 7: 530-536, 2010.
Xiaohu Fan, Rachel Burton and Greg Austic, “Preparation and Characterization of
Biodiesel Produced from Fish Oil”, Chemistry and Technology of Fuels and Oils, 46(5):
287-293, 2010.
Xiaohu Fan, Feng Chen and Xi Wang, “Ultrasound-assisted Synthesis of Biodiesel from
Crude Cottonseed Oil Using Response Surface Methodology”, Journal of Oleo Science,
59(5): 235-241, 2010.
Xiaohu Fan, Xi Wang and Feng Chen, “Ultrasonically Assisted Production of Biodiesel
from Crude Cottonseed Oil”, International Journal of Green Energy, 7: 117-127, 2010.
Xiaohu Fan, Rachel Burton and Yongchang Zhou, “Glycerol (Byproduct of Biodiesel
Production) as a Source for Fuels and Chemicals-Mini Review”, The Open Fuels &
Energy Science Journal, 3: 17-22, 2010.
Xiaohu Fan, Rachel Burton and Greg Austic, “Preparation and Characterization of
Biodiesel Produced from Recycled Canola Oil”, The Open Fuels & Energy Science
Journal, 2: 113-118, 2009.
Xiaohu Fan and Rachel Burton, “Recent Development of Biodiesel Feedstocks and the
Applications of Glycerol: A Review”, The Open Fuels & Energy Science Journal, 2:
100-109, 2009.
Xiaohu Fan, Xi Wang, Feng Chen, Daniel P. Geller and Peter J. Wan, “Engine
Performance Test of Cottonseed Oil Biodiesel”, The Open Fuels & Energy Science
Journal, 1: 40-45, 2008.