52nd WEBINAR

02-06-2022 | 12:00

Scaled-down reactors for crystallization and precipitation processes

Filipa Castro

Junior Researcher at LEPABE/SA

Filipa Castro is a Biological Engineer and is currently a Junior Researcher at LEPABE-FEUP. In 2013, she completed her PhD thesis in Bioengineering at the University of Minho through the MIT-Portugal program. She has been working on the exploitation of oscillatory flow-based reactors and droplet-based microfluidics for the implementation of crystallization and precipitation processes, in particular protein crystallization and hydroxyapatite synthesis.

Talk summary

Micro (microliters) and meso (milliliters) reactors systems offer unequalled experimental conditions to explore crystallization/precipitation processes. Scaling down offers several advantages, namely enhanced heat and mass transfer, better control over the contact mode of the reagents and optical access for in situ characterization. Besides, low consumption of reagents makes them attractive tools for high-throughput experimentation. In this context, we have been exploiting micro droplet-based microfluidics and oscillatory flow-based reactors for protein crystallization and calcium phosphates precipitation.

Webinar Platform: Zoom

51st WEBINAR

19-05-2022 | 12:00

Hydrogen and fuel cells  -  A future perspective!

Paulo Ribeirinha

ALiCE-LEPABE/PPE

Paulo Ribeirinha is a junior researcher at LEPABE and co-founded Amnis Pura (www.amnispura.com), a company dedicated to hydrogen technologies. Since 2014 is working in the field of fuel cells, hydrogen production and purification. He authored and co-authored 20 publications, one book chapter, one patent and participated in more than 11 conferences. P. Ribeirinha has been or is supervising of 3 PhD thesis and 4MSc students and is/has been involved in 7 EU/national projects.

Talk summary

Hydrogen is part of the solution for the decarbonisation of the energy sector, and great efforts have been made during the last decade for its implementation. The implementation of a “hydrogen economy”, new applications are emerging in different sectors (i.e. transportation, building heat and power, and power generation buffering). Therefore, a great interest is emerging in decentralized H2 production, including water electrolysis, steam reforming of alcohols, biogas steam reforming, biomass gasification and ammonia cracking. But, despite the potential for transport and electricity generation, H2, is an energy vector, and not an energy source and not necessarily the fuel of the future. This webinar will be focused on H2 production processes, purification and applications.

Webinar Platform: Zoom

50th WEBINAR

05-05-2022 | 12:00

The Digitalization and The Chemical Engineering:          A Few Thoughts

Fernando G. Martins

Process Systems Engineering

Fernando G. Martins holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto. He is Associate Professor at FEUP and Senior Researcher at LEPABE, leading the Process Systems Engineering Group. His major research topics include: (i) Multivariate Statistical Methods and Models; (ii) Modelling, Simulation, Control and Optimization of Processes; and (iv) Air quality Modelling and Public Health.

Talk summary

This webinar is intended to present some thoughts of the speaker on the link between digitalization and Chemical Engineering. The role of artificial intelligence, namely, machine learning tools, in this subject will be discussed. Some works developed by the speaker and his co-workers in this area will be also presented.

Webinar Platform: Zoom