Rachad Rafeh, Eng.
Coordinator, Department of Chemical Engineering
Rachad Rafeh is a course coordinator in the Chemical Engineering Department and a senior university lecturer at Université La Sagesse. He is a process engineer with proven skills in academic, industrial field and management, promoting proactive practices toward sustainability. He holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering (chemical process & technology) from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, BSc in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from University of Balamand and LAU, respectively. His research focuses on novel CO₂ capture process for pure hydrogen production by combining Cu and Ca chemical loop. He has obtained a process safety certificate from IChemE in Trondheim, Norway. He is also a professional member of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers & OEA in Lebanon.
Qualifications
- Masters of Science in Chemical Engineering (M.Sc. in Process Engineering, 2015), Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands)
- Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (2013), University of Balamand (Lebanon)
Professional qualifications and certifications:
- Running a Refinery at Shell Industrial Challenge (Netherlands Process Technology Symposium)
- Process Safety in Chemical Industries Certification (Institute of Chemical Engineers, Trondheim, Norway)
- Member of Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers (KIVI)
- Professional member of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
- Member of Order of Engineers & Architects, Lebanon
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Training and Certification
Professional Experience
Process Engineer Consultant
USAID, Rene Moawad Foundation – Jounieh, Lebanon – April 2023 – Present
o Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods-PSL Activity with cluster of NGOs
o Economic Study and Budget Estimation for Wastewater Treatment (Irrigation Project in Btedii, Lebanon)
Process Engineer
RAFCO Water Treatment & Technology – Ainab, Lebanon – February 2016 – Present
o Designing and simulating advanced water system operations/technologies with WAVE integrated modeling software (Ion Exchange, Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration)
o Supervising university engineering students in their summer internships and final year projects
o Performing and optimizing water treatment and distribution facilities operations for enhanced system design and efficiency
o Undergoing water process planning and designing small-to-large scale facilities
o Preparing engineering reports for complex water projects, process and equipment troubleshooting, training operators
Production Engineer of Batching Operations (Non-carbonated Beverages)
PepsiCo, SMLC- Choueifat, Lebanon – February 2013 – August 2014
o Supervision of batching room activity and personnel
o Managing, planning and assigning workforce duties
o Troubleshooting batching process defects and maintaining a balanced work flow of beverage preparation, quality check according to production and ISO considerations
o Working closely with process chemists, preparing batching and production progress reports
Teaching interests
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemical Reaction Engineering & Reactor Design
- Unit Operations
- Mass Transfer
- Water and Waste Water Treatment
- Process Safety in Chemical Industries
- Thermodynamics and its application in Chemical Technology
Research interests
- Materials & Nanotechnology: Synthesis and characterization of advanced materials, membranes and nanostructures especially in water and wastewater treatment
- Sustainable and Green Engineering: Development of environmentally friendly processes, waste minimization and renewable energy technologies
- Energy and environmental engineering: carbon capture, hydrogen production, fuel cells and water treatment technologies
- Reaction Engineering & Catalysis: Design and optimization of catalytic processes for energy and environmental applications.
Working Papers / Blogs
- Rafeh R. (2015). Experimental Study of CO2 Sorbents for Ca-Cu Chemical Loop. Chemical Engineering & Chemistry Portal, Eindhoven University of Technology. Rafeh_2015.pdf
Community Services
- Core Team Leader, GREENPEACE Mediterranean (Organizing environmental public awareness campaigns in cooperation with other international team leaders/ making direct action plans that aim to control GHG emissions, illegal dumping and management of wastes especially in factories/ starting petitions and collecting numerous signatures in support of ‘going green’ campaigns and build more parks), September 2010 – August 2013