Education

• Ph.D., Clemson University, 1994
• B.S., Clemson University, 1990

Research Interests

The majority of my current research and interests are in the areas of runaway reaction characterization and control, flammability characterization, and gas deflagration vent design.  The subjects are very broad and still in great need of additional research due to the complexity of the mechanisms and great variety of chemical species involved.  Inherently, the current state of the art involves coupling of voluminous calorimetry and explosion test data with mass/energy balances and lumped expression of reaction kinetics, thermochemistry, and high pressure phase equilibria.  I also have interests in the areas of novel reactor design, system dynamic simulation for model-based control and design, and equation of state models for solution properties.

Selected Publications

• Brandes, B. T.  Semiempirical Model of the Vapor-Liquid Phase Behavior of the Hydrogen Chloride-Water System.  Ind. Engr. Chem. Res.; 2005, 44, 639-644.

• Brandes, B. T.  Case Study of an Automatic pH Control Strategy for a Strong Acid-Strong Base System.  Ind. Engr. Chem. Res.; 2005, 44, 5622-5629.

• Brandes, B. Todd, and Daniel K. Smith, “Calorimetric Study of the Exothermic Decomposition of Dimethyl Sulfoxide,” Process Saf. Prog., 16, 4, 2016, 374-391.

• Doup, Benjamin, and B. Todd Brandes, “Disengagement Dynamics in HCN Storage Tanks,” J. Haz. Mat., 394, 2020.

• Brandes, Todd, “Basics of Gas Deflagration Venting Technology,” DIERS Spring 2025 Meeting, Apr 30-May 1, 2025.