Center for Advanced Research in Drying

Here's what CARD's IAB Chair, Xue Liu of BASF, had to say about membership in our organization: "Participation in CARD allows us to access some of the latest drying techniques. A combination of experiments and computer models improves the understanding and performance of multiple drying approaches. The cutting-edge research and the innovations in the projects provide unique opportunities to better control our drying process, to improve our dryer efficiency, and to achieve our sustainability goals. CARD provides a research, development, and education resource for industry."

On Friday, February 21, 2025, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO, Emily Reichert, announced the launch of Massachusetts’ Climatetech Economic Development Plan at Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) Sagamore Labs. The plan is a comprehensive roadmap to solidify Massachusetts as the global leader in climatetech innovation, drive equitable economic growth, and advance the state’s net-zero climate goals. The plan emphasizes Massachusetts’ unique position as #1 in the U.S. #climatetech startups per capita and the second-largest climatetech ecosystem in the country, with a proven track record of innovation and commercialization of breakthrough technologies. PHOTO INFO: The photo was taken at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) at the Center for Advanced Research in Drying (CARD) Smart Dryer Lab located at 15 Sagamore Road, Worcester, MA. Featured are left to right: Bogdan Vernescu (Vice President and Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, WPI), Melissa Hoffer (Massachusetts Climate Chief), Hanshen Yu (WPI PhD student), Jamal Yagoobi (CARD Director), Robyn Kennedy (Massachusetts State Senator), and Zahra Nazariharavani (WPI PhD student). Click here to find the links to the articles in the Boston Globe Business and Renewable Energy Magazine: https://lnkd.in/gUe-jJ_F

We are pleased to share that Scott Bishop and Baskar Vairamohan, P.E., C.E.M., of Electric Power Research Institute, visited the CARD lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute on February 4, 2025 to explore the new drying technologies being developed within CARD. Featured in the photo are: Back row –?Itamar Harris and Hanshen Yu (both PhD students) and Scott Bishop (EPRI) Front row –?Zahra Nazariharavani and Mana Masrouri (both PhD students), Baskar Vairamohan, P.E., C.E.M. (EPRI), and Jamal Yagoobi (CARD Director) CARD is always happy to share its facilities with those who are interested in the groundbreaking research that we are doing in #DryingTechnology #IndustrialDrying.

We are pleased to announce that Prof. Yuxiang Liu’s group won the Excellent Poster Presentation Award at the 23rd International Drying Symposium, which was held in Wuxi, China. The poster title is “Chemical and crystallinity detection with a fiber-based optical sensor for Raman spectroscopy”. The work presented in the poster was supported by CARD in 2023 and 2024. The lead students working on this project were Yao Shen (2023-2024) and Yan Wu (2024). The developed fiber Raman probe is shown in the photo, together with the current lead student, Yan Wu (right), and Prof. Yuxiang Liu (left).

We are pleased to share this latest testimonial from Toby Strite, PhD, Sr. Director of Strategic Marketing at IPG Photonics. “IPG Photonics is thrilled to be a full member of CARD. The networking and educational opportunities provided by the consortium shortened our time to market and learning curve to help speed the commercial introduction of laser drying technology.” If you'd like to hear what others are saying about our center, you can find them here: https://lnkd.in/gJkUkDPf #LaserDrying #laserdryingtechnology

We are pleased to share that Xue Liu, of BASF, has stepped up from Co-Chair to Chair of the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) for CARD, and Stephen Cobbe, The Kerry Group, LLC has stepped into the position of Co-Chair. Thank you both for your commitment to CARD. Recently, Sanjay Sarang, PepsiCo, stepped down as Chair of the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) for CARD. We thank Sanjay for his hard work as Chair, and his dedication to our center. Featured in this photo left to right: Professor Jamal Yagoobi, CARD Director, Dr. Sanjay Sarang, PepsiCo, Professor Srinivasa Salapaka, CARD UIUC Site Director, Dr. Sheyla Ramsay, PhD, PepsiCo, and Dr. Xue Liu, BASF

CARD researcher Yash Shah of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign had his paper chosen for the cover of InterPore Journal, an International Society of Porous Media Journal.?The name of his paper is“Hybrid mixture theory-based modeling of unsaturated transport in a deforming porous food matrix during frying.”?This is quite an honor since the editors selected it independently. Yash is a student of Professor Pawan Takhar. https://lnkd.in/gPzyKqzx

In a new study, CARD researchers evaluated far-ultraviolet C (far-UVC) light as a safe way to alleviate fungal contamination of corn and wheat and found this technology to be effective. The study co-author Yi-Cheng Wang, assistant professor in FSHN at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and lead author Zhenhui Jin (UIUC), a recent graduate of FSHN’s doctoral program, tested the efficacy of far-UVC light against two fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium graminearum. The study, “Mitigating fungal contamination of cereals: The efficacy of microplasma-based far-UVC lamps against Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium graminearum,” was published in?Food Research International. https://lnkd.in/gBUfr_52

CARD director, Professor Jamal Yagoobi, gave a keynote presentation at the 23rd International Drying Symposium (IDS) which was held in Wuxi, China in November 2024. The title of his presentation was “Decarbonizing Industrial Drying – The Role of Academic Institutions." Learn more about IDS 2024 https://lnkd.in/gDVmDazP

Professors Jamal Yagoobi, Kedar Prashant Shete, and Mehdi Mortazavi along with Mana Masrouri, a CARD PhD student, visited Nyle Thermal located in Brewer/Bangor, Maine, on December 19, 20204. We are delighted to announce that?Nyle Systems?is in the process of joining CARD as an affiliate member. Since 1977, Nyle Thermal has been manufacturing innovative, industrial heat pump products to transform industrial and commercial processes. We are so pleased to have this organization as our newest member!