Thermodynamics and kinetics of the thermochemical conversion of residual biomass
Understand and quantify the thermal decomposition of residual biomass and lignocellulosic waste in pyrolysis, co-pyrolysis and gasification, through physicochemical and thermogravimetric characterisation, non-isothermal kinetics, activation thermodynamics and equilibrium models, in order to design more efficient conversion processes.
Current questions
- Isoconversional kinetics and activation thermodynamics of co-pyrolysis
- Synergies between residues in blends
- Self-purging pyrolysis without inert gas
- Gibbs free-energy minimisation equilibrium models
Results
Co-supervised doctoral thesis, with laureate distinction, on small-scale co-gasification of pelletised rice husk and corncob (2026). Undergraduate theses with laureate distinction on pelletised biochar by slow pyrolysis and on the thermogravimetric analysis of the lignocellulosic fraction of municipal waste (2026). International talk on pyrolytic gas from pelletised blends in a batch reactor (2025).
Produces original kinetic and thermodynamic data on agro-industrial residues, used to size reactors and train predictive models.