James Olson

James Olson

James Olson

Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science

B.A.Sc., Ph.D. (British Columbia), Member API, FP Innovations Professor, Member ICICS

website: Dean Profile
phone:  (604) 822-6413
email: olson@mech.ubc.ca
office: KAIS 5000

 

Research Interests

My research is at the intersection of fluid mechanics, machine design and material science as applied to the forest bio-products industry.

Current Research Work

  • 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 have 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. See https://energyreduction.ppc.ubc.ca/
  • 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.

Selected Publications

  • Jahangir E., and Olson J.A., Low Consistency Refined Ligno-Cellulose Microfibre: An MFC Alternative for High Bulk, Tear and Tensile Mechanical Pulp Papers. Cellulose (2020) doi: 10.1007/s10570-019-02956-2
  • M Aigner, J Olson, P Wild., Measurement and interpretation of spatially registered bar-forces in LC refining – Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 2020
  • Rubiano Berna, J., Sandberg, C., Martinez, M., Olson, JA. Theoretical analysis of LC-refining – pressure screening systems in TMP. Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 0(0), pp 2019, doi:10.1515/npprj-2018-0040
  • Zaman, E., Vakil, A., Martinez, M. and Olson, J.A., An Integral Criterion for Turbulence Suppression in Swirling Flows. Can. J. Chem. Eng. Accepted Author Manuscript. January 2018 doi:10.1002/cjce.2314
  • J. Tian, L. Ni, T. Song, J.A. Olson, and J. Zhao, “An overview of operating parameters and conditions in hydrocyclones for enhanced separations,” Separation and Purification Technology, 2018.
  • F.J. Fernandez, D.M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “Investigation of low consistency reject refining of mechanical pulp for energy savings,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 33(1), pp.21-27, 2018.
  • J.E.R. Berna, D.M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “A comminution model parametrization for low consistency refining,” Powder Technology, 328, pp.288-299, 2018.
  • R.A. Khan, H.J. Salem, R. Korehei, D.M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “Application of fractionated bleached pulp fibres on sodium alginate films,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 95(1), pp.33-38, 2017.
  • M. Miller, J.A. Olson, and A. Luukkonen, “Effect of LC refining intensity on fractionated and unfractionated mechanical pulp,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 32(3), pp.386-394, 2017.
  • S. Salim, and J.A. Olson, “On the net refining energy and tensile development of nbsk pulp in a low consistency refiner,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 32(1), pp.110-118, 2017.
  • H. Cai, Z. Yuan, X. Zhang, S. Jun, H. Zhang, and J.A. Olson, “The Influence of Consistency and Fibre Length on the Yield Stress of OCC Pulp Fibre Suspensions,” BioResources, 12(4), pp.8368-8377, 2017.
  • W. Batchelor, A. Elahimehr, M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “A New Representation for Low Consistency Refining Data [C],” In Fundamental Research Symposium, 2017.
  • P. Jahangiri, B. Logawa, R. Korehei, M. Hodgson, D.M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “On acoustical properties of novel foam-formed cellulose-based material,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 31(1), pp.14-19, 2016.
  • R. Harirforoush, P. Wild, and J.A. Olson, “The relation between net power, gap, and forces on bars in low consistency refining,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 31(1), pp.71-78, 2016.
  • S. Heydarifard, M.M. Nazhad, H. Xiao, O. Shipin, and J. Olson, “Water-resistant cellulosic filter for aerosol entrapment and water purification, Part I: production of water-resistant cellulosic filter,” Environmental technology, 37(13), pp.1716-1722, 2016.
  • H. Tian, Q. Lu, R.B. Gopaluni, V.M. Zavala, and J.A. Olson, “Economic nonlinear model predictive control for mechanical pulping processes,” In 2016 American Control Conference (ACC) (pp. 1796-1801). IEEE, 2016.
  • F. Saville, M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “Energy and paper recycling: Modelling the time and energy requirements for low consistency batch repulping,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 94(3), pp.446-453, 2016.
  • H.J. Salem, J.A. Olson, and R.W. Gooding, “The effect of foil rotor design on some aspects of pulp screen performance,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 31(1), pp.49-53, 2016.
  • R. Korehei, P. Jahangiri, A. Nikbakht, M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “Effects of drying strategies and microfibrillated cellulose fiber content on the properties of foam-formed paper,” Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology, 36(4), pp.235-249, 2016.
  • J. Sha, A. Nikbakht, C. Wang, H. Zhang, and J.A. Olson, “The effect of consistency and freeness on the yield stress of chemical pulp fibre suspensions,” BioResources, 10(3), pp.4287-4299, 2015.
  • F. Saville, M. Martinez, and J.A. Olson, “Variables affecting specific energy requirements for repulping,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 93(3), pp.486-493, 2015.
  • J. Sha, H. Zhang, S. Mitra, A. Nikbakht, and J. Olson, “The effect of blending ratio and crowding number on the yield stress of mixed hardwood and softwood pulp fibre suspensions,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 30(4), pp.634-639, 2015.
  • R. Khoie, B. Gopaluni, J.A. Olson, and B. Stoeber, A magnetic sensor to measure wear in centrifugal pumps (pp. 1-4). IEEE, 2015.
  • A. Elahimehr, J.A. Olson, and D.M. Martinez, “Low consistency refining of mechanical pulp: how plate pattern and refiner operating conditions change the final properties of pulp,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, 30(4), pp.609-616, 2015.
  • J. MacKenzie, D. M. Martinez, and J. A. Olson, “A quantitative analysis of turbulent drag reduction in a hydrocyclone,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2014.
  • N. Rajabi Nasab, J. A. Olson, J. Heymer, and M. D. Martinez, “Understanding of no-load power in low consistency refiners,” The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, vol. 92, no. 3, pp. 524–535, 2014.
  • A. Elahimehr, J. A. Olson, and D. M. Martinez, “Understanding LC refining: The effect of plate pattern and refiner operation,” NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 386–391, 2013.
  • J. Gao, C. P. Bennington, D. M. Martinez, and J. A. Olson, “Latency removal of mechanical pulps: Phenomenological observations,” NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 198–202, 2013.
  • A. Elahimehr, J. A. Olson, D. M. Martinez, and J. Heymer, “Estimating the area and number of bar crossings between refiner plates,” NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 836–843, 2012.
  • A. Luukkonen, J. A. Olson, and D. M. Martinez, “Low consistency refining of mechanical pulp: Relationships between refiner operating conditions and pulp properties,” NORDIC PULP & PAPER RESEARCH JOURNAL, vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 882–885, 2012.
  • A. Madani, H. Kiiskinen, J. A. Olson, and D. Mark Martinez, “Fractionation of microfibrillated cellulose and its effects on tensile index and elongation of paper,” Nordic Pulp and Paper Research Journal, vol. 26, no. 3, p. 306, 2011.
  • X. F. Chang, J. A. Olson, and R. P. Beatson, “A comparison between the effects of ozone and alkaline peroxide treatments on TMP properties and subsequent low consistency refining,” BioResources, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 0099–0111, 2011.
  • A. Madani, J. A. Olson, D. M. Martinez, and A. Fung, “Novel methods to characterize and fractionate papermaking fibres,” Nordic Pulp & Paper Research Journal, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 448–455, 2010.
  • I. A. AbuYousef, J. A. Olson, D. M. Martinez, and S. Green, “Pumping Performance Increase Through the Addition of Turbulent Drag-Reducing Polymers to Pulp Fibre Suspensions,” in ASME 2010 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, 2010, pp. 709–718.

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