Olson, James

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Research Interests

• Fluid Mechanics
• Machine Design
• Material Science
• Forest Bio-Products

Research Projects

• High-value, energy-efficient mechanical pulp materials: Mechanical wood fibre production uses more than 10% of the all electrical energy produced in British Columbia. To ensure the long term competitiveness of the Canadian mechanical pulping industry, UBC has created a 5 year, $2+M multi-disciplinary research program with the goal of reducing electrical energy consumption and improving the material properties of mechanical pulp through scientific discovery and development of new processes and technology. My research emphasis is on the implementation and optimization of low-consistency (LC) refining and fibre fractionation systems to produce high-value fibre materials for product applications beyond printing papers. In addition we work with our mill and supplier partners to ensure adoption of these technologies.
• Modelling turbulent fibre suspensions: This research is aimed at developing a mathematical model of fibre orientation and concentration in turbulent fluids that can be implemented with conventional CFD techniques. The current approach is to develop an Eulerian formulation of fibre orientation and concentration that is computationally efficient and accounts for fibre-fibre and fibre-fluid interactions.
• Micro-Fibrillar Cellulose (MFC) development and application: Our research has shown that LC refining has been shown to be an low cost, energy efficient and industrially practical means of producing MFC materials. These LC refiner produced MFC have been used in a range of novel applications that include: paper strength additive, foam formed fibre material strength additive, micro-fibre reinforced polymer composites, etc.