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Staff profiles

Personal details

Name
Dr Darryn Rackemann
Position(s)
Senior Research Fellow
Science and Engineering Faculty,
School of Mechanical Medical & Process Engineering
Discipline *
Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Biotechnology, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Phone
+61 7 3138 1353
Email
Location
View location details (QUT staff and student access only)
Identifiers and profiles
ORCID iD LinkedIn
Qualifications

PhD (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Engineering Science (James Cook Uni. of North Qld)

Professional memberships
and associations

Darryn is recognized as one of Australia’s Sugars™ Consultants. Sugars™ is the world’s most widely-used sugar process simulator. It is used to build and analyse models that simulate the behavior of sugar factories and refineries. Memberships

  • Member of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
  • Member of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists
  • Member of the Institution of Chemical Engineers

Awards

  • 2006 – Best Manufacturing Poster Merit Award (ASSCT)
  • 2009 – EPA Sustainable Industries Award: Energy Saving Innovation in the Industrial/Commercial Sector
  • 2015 – President’s Medal for Best Research Paper (ASSCT)
  • 2015 – QUT Vice-Chancellor’s Performance Individual Award
  • 2016 – Emile Hugot Award for Best Paper – Factory Commission (ISSCT)
  • 2016 – Maurice Paturau Award for Best Paper – Co-Products Commission (ISSCT)
  • 2017 – President’s Medal for Best Industry Paper (ASSCT)
* Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008

Biography

Darryn Rackemann has over 17 years experience in undertaking R&D and consulting for raw sugar mills and other clients. Over this time he has developed a comprehensive knowledge of the sugar industry in the areas of clarification and filtration technology and evaporation and crystallisation vessel design and operation. Mr Darryn Rackemann has developed CFD modelling tools and knowledge (including multi–phase and multi–component flows) to evaluate enhanced process vessel designs and has also trained other staff in CFD modelling techniques. Darryn has completed a Masters in Chemical Engineering on heat and mass transfer in crystallization unit operations and was responsible for the design of proprietary circulation and heat transfer assistance technology (SRI Jigger Tube System) for improving the performance of crystallisation pans. This technology is promoted worldwide. Darryn’s current research interests includes engineering assessment and design of sugar processing technologies, biomass pretreatment and processing strategies, and production of biochemicals and biomaterials. Darryn has recently completed a PhD program exploring environmentally friendly and efficient solvolysis processes to target bio-chemical products (e.g. platform chemicals and biofuels) from the carbohydrate content of lignocellulosics. Recently Darryn has been involved in a number of sugar factory and refinery design and review projects undertaking activities including developing Process Flow Diagrams, Heat and Mass Balance considerations and Process and Instrumentation Diagrams and preparing and reviewing proposed sugar factory and refinery process and equipment design, equipment selection and equipment layout.

This information has been contributed by Dr Darryn Rackemann.

Teaching

  • BVB328 – Applications in Biotechnology
  • Sugar Industry Pan Boilers and Fugal Operators course
  • Sugar Industry Chemical Process Supervision course
This information has been contributed by Dr Darryn Rackemann.

Experience

  • 2017 to Current  Senior Research Fellow, CTCB – Bioprocessing, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology
  • 2014 to 2016  Research Fellow, CTCB – Bioprocessing, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology
  • 2005 to 2014Research Fellow, Sugar Research and Innovation, Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, Queensland University of Technology.
  • 2000 to 2005 Process Engineer, Sugar Research Institute
This information has been contributed by Dr Darryn Rackemann.

Publications


For more publications by this staff member, visit QUT ePrints, the University's research repository.

Research projects

Grants and projects (Category 1: Australian Competitive Grants only)

Title
Investigations to Mitigate the Effects of Juice Degradation in Factory Evaporators on Sugar Recovery and Quality, Corrosion and Effluent Organic Loading (4300)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
2017/007
Start year
2017
Keywords
Title
Develop a Blueprint for the Introduction of New Processing Technologies for Australian Factories (4220)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
2015/043-RB003
Start year
2015
Keywords
Crystallisation Pans; Falling Film Evaporators; Juice Evaporation; Steam Economy
Title
Investigation Into Modifying Pan Boiling Techniques to Improve Sugar Quality (4222)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
2015/013-DM007
Start year
2015
Keywords
Crystalisation; Galactoglucomannan; Processing; Quality; Sugar
Title
Determination of factory processing procedures to better manage sugar quality issues(4045)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
QUT057
Start year
2012
Keywords
Clarification; Crystallisation; Sugar Manufacturing; Sugar Quality
Title
Evaluation of mud filtrate clarification options to improve factory performance (3956)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
QUT046
Start year
2011
Keywords
Clarification; Filtrate; Mud Recycle
Title
The Production of Biofuels and Value added Co-products from the Thermochemical Processing of Sugarcane Bagasse (3836)
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
QUT036
Start year
2009
Keywords
Thermochemical Processing; Sugarcane Bagasse; Biofuels; Platform Chemicals
Title
Assessment of a Low-Cost Analyser for On-Line Monitoring of Sugar in Process Water Streams
Primary fund type
CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
Project ID
QUT021
Start year
2007
Keywords
Sugar; Condensate; Effluent; On-line Monitoring; Pollution

Supervision

Current supervisions

Completed supervisions (Masters by Research)