CHANCELLOR
Padmavibhushan
Prof. J. B. Joshi
Jyeshtharaj Bhalchandra Joshi is an Indian chemical engineer, nuclear scientist, consultant and professor, widely known for his innovations in nuclear reactor designs and generally regarded as a respected teacher. He is the DAE-Homi Bhabha Chair Professor, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, and is the recipient of Shantiswarup Bhatnagar Prize for Engineering Sciences and many other awards and recognitions. He received the third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 2014 for his services to the field of chemical engineering and nuclear science.
Joshi was born on 28 May 1949, in Masur, Satara district, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, as the son of Bhalachandra (Kaka) Joshi.He passed BE in chemical engineering in 1971 and ME in 1972 from the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Mumbai after which he started his research, under the guidance of renowned chemical engineer, Man Mohan Sharma. In 1977, he was awarded the PhD.
Joshi lives in Mumbai and is married to Rujuta and the couple has a son, Aniruddha, who is PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai.
Research and teaching
Scientific focus
Joshi is credited with many innovative designs in the area of multiphase reactors. He is reported to have successfully developed multiphase sparged and mechanically agitated reactors. This has helped in the set up of large number of commercial size reactors in India and abroad.Joshi published over 442 scientific papers he has published in peer-reviewed journals, with over 10772 citations on Google Scholar. Chem Tech Journal USA has recommended his procedures five times.
Some of his notable scientific works are:
- Development of inhouse codes for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for multiphase dispersions and complex geometries.
- Performed the first Laser-Doppler anemometer (LDA) measurements in multiphase dispersions.
- Development of an algorithm for the prediction of fractional gas hold-up and bubble size distribution.
- Deployment of the PIV technique to shadography for measuring motion of dispersed phases (bubbles, drops and particles).
- Development of a methodology for estimating detailed knowledge of the entire range of length, velocity and energy scales of turbulent structures in large number of Chemical Process Equipment.
- Development of a relationship between the mean and turbulent flow patterns and the design parameters such as axial mixing, mixing time, heat and mass transfer coefficients.
- Analysis of the multiphase reaction viz. absorption of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in water, alkaline and acidic solutions.
- Development of new designs for household cooker and stoves with thermal efficiencies of 50 to 60%, an improvement on the conventional cookers which have a thermal efficiency of 12 to 20%. He has released these technologies on a commercial basis.