About Me

I am Jacob Himmens, a Chemical and Biological Engineering (CHBE) student at the University of British Columbia. I am interested in bioprocess systems, scalable vaccine manufacturing, applied process design, and hands-on engineering projects.

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My Current Focus in My Spare Time

A little chemical engineering

From crude oil to gasoline

Separate the mixture. Transform the molecules. Refine the fuel.

  1. Extraction

    Recover crude oil

    well / recoveryReservoir mixtureRecovered crude

  2. Distillation

    Separate by boiling point

    heat / condenseDesalted crudeNaphthaHeavier fractions

  3. Desulfurization

    Remove sulfur

    C6H14S + H2 → C6H14 + H2S. The sulfur-containing impurity is treated in a refinery stream.SH+ H₂Co–Mo catalyst+H₂SHexane-1-thiolHexaneSulfur removal

  4. Hydrocracking

    Split longer chains

    C12H26 + H2 → C8H18 + C4H10. This balanced example represents one possible split, not the full product distribution.+ H₂heat / catalyst+Dodecane · C₁₂Octane · C₈Butane · C₄

  5. Isomerization

    Make branched chains

    n-C6H14 ⇌ iso-C6H14. The example product is 2-methylpentane, one of several possible isomers.Pt / acidic supportn-Hexane2-Methylpentane

  6. Blending

    Meet fuel specifications

    combine streamsBlend componentsGasoline mixture

ReactionPhysical process

Line ends and corners are carbon; attached hydrogens are implied. Selected reactions from different refinery streams, simplified here. Gasoline is a blend, not a single molecule.

Process references: EIA & Penn State.

Pressure / vacuum swing adsorption

From air to enriched oxygen

Capture nitrogen. Collect oxygen. Regenerate and repeat.

  1. Condition the feed

    Activated alumina protects the LiX bed from moisture.

    AirAluminaDry feed

  2. Pressurize

    One column pressurizes while the other vents.

    +1.79 bargCompressorLiX column A

  3. Capture nitrogen

    Li⁺ sites favor N₂ adsorption; O₂ travels onward.

    +Pressure ↑Pressure ↓Gas + siteAdsorbed N₂

  4. Collect enriched oxygen

    Regulated product enters a surge tank.

    O₂-rich streamRegulatorSurge tank

  5. Blow down, then evacuate

    Venting and vacuum release nitrogen, regenerating the bed.

    −0.82 bargN₂-rich exhaustRegenerated LiX

  6. Switch columns

    Alternate beds; the tank smooths delivery.

    Two-column cycle · Table 1
    PhaseColumn AColumn B
    1PressurizeBlowdown
    2Produce O₂Vacuum
    3BlowdownPressurize
    4VacuumProduce O₂

N≡N · nitrogenO=O · oxygenAdsorption contact

Physical adsorption; bonds stay intact. Gauge pressures; valves omitted.

Reported prototype: 1.128 L/min; 91.64 vol% peak O₂. Purity fell to ~80% after 300 cycles.

Pan, Omar & Rohani (2017): Figure 1, Table 1 & §4.1. DOI: 10.3390/nano7080195.