Dr Firas Ridha

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Qualification

GHG Accounting Certificate

Office timings

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Email

fridha@muscatuniversity.edu.om

About

Dr. Ridha is a chemical engineer with over twenty years of experience in industry, academia, and research and development. His main research stream focuses on clean fossil fuel technologies. Prior to joining Muscat University, Dr. Ridha had worked as a research scientist at the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources – Ottawa. Currently, Dr. Ridha teaches four modules:

  • Introduction to Transfer Processes (CE1009MU)
  • Transfer Processes (CE2004MU)
  • Separation Processes (CE2103MU)
  • Energy Supply and Delivery (CE2042MU)

Research Interest(s)

  • Dr. Ridha’s main research interests include: CO2separation and capture, development and synthesis of catalysts and sorbents for industrial separation processes, clean energy technologies, and natural gas storage.

Notable Publication(s):

Patent

  • Patent:System and Method for Oxygen Carrier Assisted Oxy-Fired Fluidized Bed Combustion, CA3016349A1 (Canada): EP3417206A1 (Europe), 2017.

Journal Papers

  1. Mohammad Samari, Firas N. Ridha, Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Direct capture of carbon dioxide from air via lime-based sorbents, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change24 (2019) 1-17.
  2. Yewen Tan, Firas N. Ridha, Dennis Lu, Robin W. Hughes, Reduction kinetics of ilmenite ore for pressurized chemical looping combustion of simulated natural gas, Energy & Fuels31 (2017) 14201–
  3. Yewen Tan, Firas N. Ridha, Marc A. Duchesne, Dennis Y. Lu, Robin W. Hughes, Reduction kinetics of ilmenite ore as an oxygen carrier for pressurized chemical looping combustion of methane, Energy & Fuels31 (2017) 7598–
  4. Zhen Kun Sun, Dennis Y. Lu, Firas N. Ridha, Robin W. Hughes, Enhanced performance of ilmenite modified by CeO2, ZrO2, NiO, and Mn2O3as oxygen carriers in chemical looping combustion, Applied Energy195 (2017) 303–
  5. Xuao Lu, Ryad Rahman, Dennis Y. Lu, Firas N. Ridha, March A. Duchesne, Yewen Tan, Robin W. Hughes, Pressurized chemical looping combustion with CO: reduction reactivity and oxygen-transport capacity of ilmenite, Applied Energy184 (2016) 132-139.
  6. Firas N. Ridha, Dennis Lu, Robert Symonds, Scott Champagne, Attrition of CaO-based pellets in a 0.1 MWthdual fluidized bed pilot plant for CO2capture, Powder Technology291 (2016) 60-65.
  7. Firas N. Ridha, Marc A. Duchesne, Xuao Lu, Dennis Lu, Dimitrios Filippou,Robin W. Hughes, Characterization of an ilmenite ore for pressurized chemical looping combustion cycles with CaO-CuO pellets, Applied Energy163 (2016) 323-333.
  8. Robert T. Symonds, Scott Champagne,Firas N. Ridha, Dennis Lu, CO2capture performance of CaO-based pellets in a 0.1 MWthpilot-scale calcium looping system, Powder Technology290 (2016) 124-131.
  9. Firas N. Ridha,Yinghai Wu, Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Enhanced CO2capture by biomass-templated Ca(OH)2pellets, Chemical Engineering Journal274 (2015) 69-75.
  10. Firas N. Ridha, Dennis Lu, Arturo Macchi, Robin W. Hughes, Combined Calcium looping and chemical combustion cycles in a fixed bed reactor,Fuel153 (2015) 202-209.
  11. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, CO2capture at ambient temperature in a fixed bed with CaO-based sorbents, Applied Energy140 (2015) 297-303.
  12. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Michael A. Anthony, Edward J. Anthony, Assessment of limestone treatment with organic acids for CO2capture in Ca-looping cycles, Fuel Processing Technology116 (2013) 284-291.
  13. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Yinghai Wu, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Pelletized CaO-based sorbents treated with organic acids for enhanced CO2 capture in Ca-looping cycles, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control17 (2013) 357-365.
  14. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Yinghai Wu, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Post-combustion CO2capture by formic-acid modified CaO-based sorbents, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control16 (2013) 21-28.
  15. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Edward J. Anthony, Arturo Macchi, The morphology of limestone-based pellets prepared with kaolin-based binders, Materials Chemistry and Physics138 (2013) 78-85.
  16. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, High-temperature CO2capture cycles for CaO-based sorbents with kaolin-based binders, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control6 (2012) 164-170.
  17. Firas N. Ridha,Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, The effect of SO2on CO2capture by CaO-based pellets prepared with kaolin derived Al(OH)3binder, Applied Energy92 (2012) 415-420.
  18. Firas N. Ridha, Paul A. Webley, Entropic effects and isosteric heats of nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption on alkali-exchanged chabazite zeolites, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials132 (2010) 22-30.
  19. Firas N. Ridha, Paul A. Webley, Investigation of the possibility of low pressure encapsulation of carbon dioxide in potassium chabazite (KCHA) and sodium chabazite (NaCHA) zeolites, Journal of Colloid & Interface Science337 (2009) 332-337.
  20. Firas N. Ridha, Paul A. Webley, Anomalous Henry’s law behavior of nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption on alkali exchanged chabazite zeolites, Separation and Purification Technology67 (2009) 336-343.
  21. Firas N. Ridha, Yunxia Yang, Paul A. Webley, Adsorption characteristics of a fully exchanged potassium chabazite prepared from decomposition of zeolite Y, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials117 (2009) 497-507.
  22. Alessandra Mosca, Junas Hedlund, Firas N. Ridha, Paul Webley, Optimization of synthesis procedures of structured PSA adsorbents, Adsorption14 (2008) 687-693.
  23. Firas N. Ridha,Rosli M. Yunus, Mohd.Rashid, Ahmad F. Ismail,Thermal analysis of adsorptive natural gas storages during dynamic charge phase at room temperature, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science32 (2007) 14-22.
  24. Firas N. Ridha,Rosli M. Yunus, Mohd. Rashid, Ahmad F. Ismail, Dynamic delivery analysis of adsorptive natural gas storages at room temperature, Fuel Processing Technology 88 (2007)349-357.
  25. Firas N. Ridha,Rosli M. Yunus, Mohd. Rashid, Ahmad F. Ismail, Thermal transient behavior of an ANG storage during dynamic discharge phase at room temperature, Applied Thermal Engineering27 (2007) 55-62.

Conference Publications

  1. Dennis Y. Lu, Zhenkun Sun, Firas N. Ridha, Robin W. Hughes, Characterization of ilmenite as oxygen carrier during chemical looping combustion and reforming, The 2016 AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, USA, November 13-18, 2016.
  2. Dennis Y. Lu, Firas N. Ridha, Robert T. Symonds, Robin W. Hughes, Effect of pressure on kinetics and morphological characteristics of ilmenite and iron ores under pressurized chemical looping, 4thInternational Conference on Chemical Looping, Manjing, China, September 26-28, 2016.
  3. Firas N. Ridha, Dennis Lu, Arturo Macchi, Robin Hughes, CO2capture performance of integrated calcium looping and chemical combustion cycles in a fixed-bed reactor, 64thCanadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Niagara Falls, Ontario, October 20-23, 2014.
  4. Firas N. Ridha, Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Ambient Temperature CO2capture in a fixed bed of CaO-based sorbents, 63rdCanadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Fredericton, New Brunswick, October 20-23, 2013.
  5. Firas N. Ridha, Yinghai Wu, Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, Organic acid-modified CaO-based sorbents for CO2capture from flue gas, 62ndCanadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, October 14-17, 2012.
  6. Vasilije Manovic, Firas N. Ridha, Edward J. Anthony, Direct CO2capture from air by calcium aluminate pellets, 62ndCanadian Chemical Engineering Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, October 14-17, 2012.
  7. Firas N. Ridha, Vasilije Manovic, Arturo Macchi, Edward J. Anthony, New sorbents for calcium looping processes, 21stFluidized Bed Combustion (FBC) Conference, Naples, Italy, June 4-7, 2012.
  8. Firas N. Ridha, Vasilije Manovic, Edward J. Anthony, CaO-based pellets for direct air capture, 2ndCarbon Management Canada (CMC) Conference, Gatineau, May 23-25, 2012.
  9. Firas N. Ridha, Edward J. Anthony, Arturo Macchi, Synthesis of limestone-based pellets for CO2capture in Ca-looping cycles, 1stCMC Conference, Calgary, May 18-20, 2011.
  10. Alessandra Mosca, Jonas Hedlund, Firas N. Ridha, Paul A. Webley, Optimization of synthesis procedures for structured PSA adsorbents, Fundamentals of Adsorption 9 Conference, Sicily, May 20-25, 2007.
  11. Firas N. Ridha, H.B. Mat, Thermal behavior of ANG tank loaded with activated carbon under dynamic discharge conditions, International Conference on Advances of Petrochemicals and Polymers in the New Millennium, Bangkok, Thailand, July 22-25, 2003.
  12. Zakaria, Firas N. Ridha, M.N. Abd. Rahman, H.B., Exhaustion operation of liquefied petroleum gas from commercial storage cylinder, International Conference on Advances of Petrochemicals and Polymers in the New Millennium, Bangkok, Thailand, July 22-25, 2003.
  13. Zakaria, Y. Sukirman, L.T. Peng, Firas N. Ridha, Effect of gas coincident factors on optimizing gas supply for domestic sector in Malaysia, International Conference on Advances of Petrochemicals and Polymers in the New Millennium, Bangkok, Thailand, July 22-25, 2003.
  14. Zakaria, Firas N. Ridha, M.N. Abdul Rahman, H.B. Mat, Characterization of liquefied petroleum gas system: II. intermittent exhaustion operation, Second World Engineering Congress (WEC), Sarawak, Malaysia, July 22-25, 2002.
  15. Terry, Z. Zakaria, Firas N. Ridha, H.M. Mat, Adsorbed natural gas: adsorption and desorption behavior of selected commercial adsorbents, Second World Engineering Congress (WEC), Sarawak, Malaysia, July 22-25, 2002.
  16. Firas N. Ridha, H.B. Mat, Z. Zakaria, On-board adsorptive natural gas storage: hindrances for commercial applications, 9thAsian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE) Congress, Christchurch, New Zealand, September 25-27, 2002.
  17. Firas N. Ridha, H.B. Mat, Z. Zakaria, Adsorptive natural gas storage: drawbacks, possibilities and future, Regional Symposium on Chemical Engineering (RSCE), Bandung, Indonesia, October 29-31, 2001.
  18. Zakaria, Firas N. Ridha, M.N. Abdul Rahman, H.B. Mat, Characterization of liquefied petroleum gas system: I. continuous exhaustion operation, Regional Symposium on Chemical Engineering (RSCE), Bandung, Indonesia, October 29-31, 2001.
  19. Zakaria, Firas N. Ridha, K.H. Chiow, G. Terry, H.B. Mat, Management of hazardous chemicals used in gas pipeline operation, Third International Conference on loss prevention (Safety, Health & Environment) in the Oil, Chemical and Process Industries. Society of Loss Prevention in the Oil, Chemical and Process Industries, Singapore, December 4-8, 2000.
  20. Zakaria, G. Terry, S.M. Tan, Firas N. Ridha, H.B. Mat, Safety management in gas pipeline operation, Third International Conference on loss prevention (Safety, Health & Environment) in the Oil, Chemical and Process Industries. Society of Loss Prevention in the Oil, Chemical and Process Industries, Singapore, December 4-8, 2000.