Dr. Rani Ramachandran
Research and/or project statements
Sustainable food system with valorization, process optimization, simulation, numerical modelling, digital twin, validation, robotics & automation of post-harvest unit operations aided with smart sensing, non-destructive techniques, and Artificial Intelligence.
Professional activities / interests
Research and development in Sustainable Food Systems;
Unravel new research questions in food technologies, numerical modelling and simuation of Food & Bioprocesses, digital twin, robotics, and Automation.
Reviewer For International Journal: LWT- Food Science and Technology, Biosystems Engineering, Food and Bioprocess Technology, European Food Research and Technology, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Desalination and Water Treatment
Education and awards
Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering 2018- University of Manitoba
AWARDS and HONOURS:
2018-2019 - Distinguished Dissertation Award, University of Manitoba
2018-2019 - Canadian Society for Bioengineering Graduate Thesis Award (Ph.D.)
2018-2019 - MITACS Accelerate Post-Doctoral Fellowship
2017-2018 - MITACS Accelerate Doctoral Fellowship
2016-2017 - Toporeck, Edward R. Graduate Fellowship in Engineering, Canada
2015 - International Graduate Students Scholarship University of Manitoba
2015-2017 - University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship
2013-2017 - Graduate Enhancement of Tri-Council Stipends (GETS)
2015 - Best poster awards (International Congress on Engineering and Food 2015, ICEF12), Quebec City, Canada
2014 - International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship University of Manitoba
2010-2012 - Gold medal of Honor/First rank of merit in Academics (Master's in Food Process Engineering)
2005-2009 - Gold medal of Honor/First rank of merit in Academics (Bachelor’s in Agricultural Engineering)
Key publications
- Ramachandran R. P., V. Chelladurai, & C. Erkinbeav. (2022). Chapter 20-Smart Nano-Biosensors in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Applications. In Micro and Nano Technologies, Food, Medical, and Environmental Applications of Nanomaterials, Elsevier, Pages 527-542. doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822858-6.00019-4
- Malhotra, S., Chaudhry M. M. A, Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal J., (2023). Development of Safe Storage Guidelines for Kabuli Chickpeas. Journal of Stored Product Research. 100, 102067, doi.org/10.1016/j.jspr.2022.10206.
- Choo, K., Ramachandran R. P., Sopiwnyk, E., & Paliwal, J. (2022). Effects of seed moisture conditioning and mechanical scouring pre-treatments on roller milled green lentil (Lens culinaris) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum) flours. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 15: 1311-1326.
- Ramachandran R. P., Erkinbaev, C., Thakur, S., & Paliwal, J. (2021) Three dimensional characterization of micronized Soybean Using X-Ray Microcomputed Tomography. Food and Bioproduct Processing, 127: 388-397.
- Diaz-Contreras, L. M., Ramachandran R. P. & Paliwal, J. (2021) Effects of post-harvest conditions on sorption isotherms of soybeans, Transactions of the ASABE. 64(3): 1027-1037.
- Brar, N. K., Ramachandran R. P., Cenkowski, S. & Paliwal, J. (2021). Effect of superheated steam and hot air processing on functional and nutritional properties of yellow peas. Food and Bioprocessing Technology, 14:1684–1699.
- Ramachandran R. P., Cenkowski, S. & Paliwal, J. (2020) Thermo-physical characterization of Kraft lignin mixed with bio-plasticizers- a valorization approach, Transaction of ASABE. 63(5): 1193-1206, doi: 10.13031/trans.13720) @2020.
- Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal, J. & Cenkowski, S. (2019) Computational modelling of superheated steam drying of compacted distillers’ spent grain pellet coated with solubles. Food and Bioproducts Processing. 116, 63-77, doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp.2019.04.011.
- Erkinbaev, C.1, Ramachandran R. P.1, Cenkowski, S., & Paliwal, J. (2019) A comparative study on the effect of superheated steam and hot air drying on microstructure of distillers’ spent grain pellets using X-ray Micro-computed Tomography. Journal of Food Engineering, 241, 127-135, DOI: org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2018.08.004. [1 These two authors contributed equally].
- Ramachandran R. P., Akbarzadeh, M., Paliwal, J., & Cenkowski, S. (2018) Computational fluid dynamics in drying process modelling - a technical review. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 11(2), 271-292, DOI: org/10.1007/s11947-017-2040-y.
- Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal, J., & Cenkowski, S. (2018). Modeling of effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of distillers’ spent grain pellets with distillers’ solubles during superheated steam drying. Biomass and Bioenergy 116: 39-48, doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.06.004.
- Ramachandran R. P., Akbarzadeh, M., Paliwal, J., & Cenkowski, S. (2017) Three-dimensional CFD modelling of superheated steam drying of a single distillers’ spent grain pellet. Journal of Food Engineering, 212, 121-135, DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2017.05.025.
- Ramachandran, R. P., Bourassa J., Paliwal, J. & Cenkowski, S. (2017) Effect of temperature and velocity of superheated steam on initial condensation of distillers’ spent grain pellets during drying. Drying Technology 35(2): 182-192, DOI: 10.1080/07373937.2016.1166123.
- Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal, J. & Cenkowski, S. (2017) Thermo-physical properties of distillers’ spent grain pellets at different moisture content and condensed distillers’ soluble concentrations. Food and Bioprocess Technology 10: 175-185, DOI: 10.1007/s11947-016-1807-x.
- Bourassa, J., Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal, J., and Cenkowski, S. (2015) Drying characteristics and moisture diffusivity distillers’ spent grains dried in superheated steam. Drying Technology 33(15-16):2012-2018, DOI: 10.1080/07373937.2015.1040883.
- Bourassa, J. Ramachandran R. P., Paliwal, J. & Cenkowski, S. (2015) Initial Condensation during superheated steam drying and the effect of orientation of DSG Pellets during the Drying Process. Paper No. CSBE15-054: CSBE/SCGAB 2015 Annual Conference Delta Edmonton South Hotel, Edmonton, Alberta 5-8 July 2015.
- Ramachandran R. P., V. Chelladurai, D.S. Jayas, N.D.G. White, and C.V. Kavitha-Abirami. (2013) Storage studies on pinto beans under different moisture contents and temperature regimes. Journal of Stored Product Research. 52: 78-85, DOI:org/10.1016/j.jspr.2012.11.003.