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Journal articleDelpisheh M, Moradpoor I, Souhankar A, et al., 2026,
Advancing the hydrogen economy: Economic, technological, and policy perspectives for a sustainable energy transition
, RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS, Vol: 226, ISSN: 1364-0321 -
Journal articleChen Q, Trusler JPM, 2025,
Olivine dissolution kinetics at elevated temperatures and pressures
, Chemical Engineering Journal, Vol: 525, ISSN: 1385-8947Experimental and modelling studies of the dissolution kinetics and surface chemistry of olivine in CO2-saturated water at elevated temperatures and CO2 pressures are reported. The apparent initial dissolution rates of olivine are reported at temperatures between 373 and 473 K and at pressures between 7.7 and 15.6 MPa. The influence of mass transfer effects on olivine dissolution and the formation of passivation layers were studied, and the minimum stirring speed at which mass transfer resistance was effectively eliminated was determined. The optimum temperature for olivine dissolution in the long term was determined to be approximately 423 K. This study provides the first data for olivine dissolution rates at temperatures above 423 K. The initial olivine dissolution rates did not show a monotonic increasing trend with the increase of temperature due to the formation of various passivation layers on the olivine particle surfaces at different temperatures. A simple model, dependent upon temperature and the activity of H+, was developed to represent the experimental data. This model is generally applicable under similar temperature and pressure conditions, and when the same type of passivation layer is present. Based on the proposed model, the PHREEQC geochemical simulator was used to predict the saturation indices of Fe2O3 (hematite), FeO(OH) (goethite), Fe(OH)3 (ferric hydroxide) and SiO2 (both quartz and amorphous silica). The pH and elemental concentrations were also predicted and these calculations served to partially rationalize the experimental results.
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Journal articleChristopher B, Alaa AK, Heleen DC, et al., 2025,
Defining ‘abated’ fossil fuel and industrial process emissions
, Energy and Climate Change, Vol: 6, ISSN: 2666-2787There is scientific consensus that limiting warming in line with the Paris Agreement goals requires reaching net zero CO2 emissions by mid-century and net negative emissions thereafter. Because of the entrenchment of current fossil fuel energy and feedstock demand estimated in almost all global modelled scenarios, 'abated' fossil fuel and industrial process and product use (IPPU) CO2 emissions, using carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to perform carbon management, are likely to be part of any transition. In addition to fossil fuel combustion, this will be primarily in cement & lime kilns, chemical production, and possibly waste incineration and iron and steel making, in processes producing maximally concentrated CO2 waste streams. Abated fossil fuel and IPPU CO2 emissions in the context of recent commitments, however, requires consideration of capture rates for fuel processing and end-use, permanence of storage, reduction of upstream production and end-use fugitive methane, and sufficient means to sequester residual emissions. Based on an assessment of evolving CCS technologies in existing sectors and jurisdictions, criteria are proposed for defining a benchmark for 'abated' fossil fuel and IPPU emissions as where near 100 % GHG abatement is to be eventually achieved, with N2O and fluorinated gases considered separately. This can be accomplished through: 1) CO2 capture rates of more than or equal to 95 % of CO2 emitted; 2) permanent storage of captured emissions; 3) reducing upstream and end-use fugitive methane emissions to <0.5 % and towards 0.2 % of gas production & an equivalent for coal; and 4) counterbalancing remaining emissions using permanent carbon dioxide removal. Application of these criteria to just steel and cement yields estimates of more than or equal to 1.37 Gt CO2 per year reductions after all other reasonable and lower cost actions are taken. At the same time, we acknowledge the value of capture rates below 95 %, so as long t
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Journal articleWenck N, Muggeridge A, Jackson S, et al., 2025,
The impact of capillary heterogeneity on CO <sub>2</sub> plume migration at the Endurance CO <sub>2</sub> storage site in the UK
, Geoenergy, Vol: 3<jats:p> Predictive modelling of subsurface CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> flow is used for optimzing the design of geological CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> storage projects e.g. with respect to mass stored and long-term security. However several field scale projects have reported plume dynamics that do not match numerical predictions. Previous work has indicated that upscaling capillary heterogeneity results in different plume dynamics in synthetic 2D cross-sections and at early times (<0.2 PV injected). Here we extend the workflow to 3D and analyse the impacts of longer-term flow behaviour in an industrial scale geological carbon storage site with multi-point CO <jats:sub>2</jats:sub> injection, structural relief and realistic flow rates. The models reveal that capillary heterogeneity in horizontally layered lithologies enhances the formation of preferential flow paths, increases swept volumes and areas, and reduces vertical migration speed near the injectors, all of which improve storage efficiency. At distances far from the injectors, the plume travels faster as a result of the heterogeneity. The results also show that simulations in 3D have qualitatively distinct results from those in 2D due to the increase in flow pathways. </jats:p>
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Journal articleBahzad H, Leonzio G, Soltani SM, et al., 2025,
Techno-economic analyses of a novel hydrogen production process<i> via</i> chemical looping water splitting, integrated with sorption enhanced water gas shift
, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, Vol: 188, ISSN: 0360-3199 -
Journal articleFalugi P, Odwyer E, Zagorowska MA, et al., 2025,
Robust co-design framework for buildings operated by predictive control
, Energy and Buildings, Vol: 346, ISSN: 0378-7788Cost-effective decarbonisation of the built environment is a stepping stone to achieving net-zero carbon emissionssince buildings are globally responsible for more than a quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions. Improving energy utilisation and decreasing costs requires considering multiple domain-specific performance criteria. The resulting problem is often computationally infeasible. The paper proposes an approach based on decomposition and selection of significant operating conditions to achieve a formulation with reduced computational complexity. We present a robust framework to optimise the physical design, the controller, and the operation of residential buildings in an integrated fashion, considering external weather conditions and time-varying electricity prices. The framework explicitly includes operational constraints and increases the utilisation of the energy generated by intermittent resources. A case study illustrates the potential of co-design in enhancing the reliability, flexibility and self-sufficiency of a system operating under different conditions. Specifically, numerical results demonstrate reductions in costs up to 30% compared to a deterministic formulation. Furthermore, the proposed approach achieves a computational time reduction of at least 10 times lower compared to the original problem with a deterioration in the performance of only 0.6 %.
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Journal articleMoarrefi S, Naraki MR, Jacob M, et al., 2025,
Adsorption thermodynamics of methane reforming over solid oxide fuel cell anodes
, Journal of Power Sources, Vol: 655, ISSN: 0378-7753Adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics on nickel base anode materials remain underexplored under reforming conditions when fuelled directly with methane. The kinetics determine how quickly and effectively reactant gases interact on the anode surfaces, affecting the behavior of subsequent electrochemical reactions. However, the complexity of these interactions under operating conditions have led to a limited number of detailed studies in this area. Thus, further investigation into adsorption kinetics could unlock new possibilities for optimizing fuel cell performance. This study examines the adsorption Gibbs free energy of reactants on the anode in solid oxide fuel cell to assess the electrocatalyst activity. Our findings reveal that H2O exhibits more favorable adsorption conditions than CO2 on the catalyst surface, and increased temperature and current density lead to different surface adsorption behaviours. The results show that steam reforming prevents coke formation on the fuel cell anode more effectively than dry reforming. This proposed method can also be used to examine the coke resistance and the performance of anode structures during the investigation and development stages for fuel cell research. The study provides valuable insights into anode performance and offers a foundation for future advancements in SOFC technology.
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Journal articleAboulrous AA, Darraj NM, Cunsolo V, et al., 2025,
Effect of imidazolium-based ionic liquid on CO2 sequestration: a study on solubility, interfacial properties, and X-ray imaging in water-wet formations
, Journal of Molecular Liquids, Vol: 435, ISSN: 0167-7322The efficiency of geological CO₂ sequestration is often limited by low CO₂ solubility, which poses challenges for long-term storage stability. This study addresses these limitations by exploring the potential of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (BMIM-Br) to enhance CO₂ storage in water-wet subsurface formations. BMIM-Br was synthesized via a microwave-assisted method and the structure was confirmed using different spectroscopic methods including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR) analysis.Under conditions of 3 MPa and 323.15 K, the solubility of CO₂ in a 5 wt% BMIM-Br solution was more than double the solubility in pure water. At 0.3 MPa, the interfacial tension (IFT) between CO₂ and the BMIM-Br solution decreased from 36.3 mN/m to 32.9 mN/m at 293.15 and 323.15 K, respectively compared to the pure water values 69.9 mN/m and 63.8 mN/m respectively at the same conditions. When CO2 was injected into a Bentheimer sandstone rock sample fully saturated with the aqueous phase. There was a significant increase in CO₂ saturation (SCO2), rising from 0.58 with pure water to 0.72 with BMIM-Br. The lowered interfacial tension allows more of the pore space to be accessed at the same imposed capillary pressure. When the aqueous phase was injected to displace CO2, the residual saturation was 0.21 with pure water, but only 0.16 for the BMIM-Br solution. This is likely a consequence of increased dissolution of CO2 in BMIM-Br. These results suggest that BMIM-Br significantly improves CO₂ solubility and injectivity by reducing interfacial tension. Its overall impact points to a promising strategy for optimizing CO₂ sequestration in subsurface formations.
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Journal articleSuleman MY, Judah HL, Bexis P, et al., 2025,
The acetate anion promotes hydrolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) in ionic liquid-water mixtures
, GREEN CHEMISTRY, Vol: 27, Pages: 11475-11490, ISSN: 1463-9262 -
ReportCorujo Simon E, Chachuat B, Kucherenko S, et al., 2025,
Making peptides: enabling a medical revolution
, Making peptides: enabling a medical revolution, Publisher: Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering -
Journal articleGasós A, Pini R, Becattini V, et al., 2025,
Correction: Carbon footprint of oil produced through enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide directly captured from air
, Energy and Environmental Science, Vol: 18, Pages: 8088-8088, ISSN: 1754-5692Correction for ‘Carbon footprint of oil produced through enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide directly captured from air’ by Antonio Gasós et al., Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ee01752a.
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Journal articleMeka W, Rachmaniah O, Pamungkas BWB, et al., 2025,
Compositional Chemical Property Analysis and Evaluation of Liquid Smoke Produced from Microwave-assisted Pyrolysis of Mixtures of Oil Palm Solid Waste
, Journal of Multidisciplinary Applied Natural Science, Vol: 5, Pages: 998-1030<jats:p>Microwave-assisted pyrolysis (MAP) was employed to valorise oil palm solid waste, namely empty fruit bunches (EFBs), kernel shells (KSs), and mesocarp fibres (MFs), into liquid smoke at 300 and 400 °C. Unlike conventional pyrolysis systems, which rely on slow, external heating and often yield broad, less selective chemical profiles; MAP offers rapid, volumetric heating and non-thermal effects that enhance product specificity and energy efficiency. This study investigates how MAP temperature and binary blending ratios (EFB-to-KS and EFB-to-MF) influence liquid smoke yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant capacity. Liquid smoke yields were significantly affected by temperature in EFB-KS mixtures, with higher yields at 400 °C, while EFB–MF mixtures showed yield stability across conditions. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed phenol as the dominant compound across all samples, with compound diversity and antioxidant activity varying by feedstock. KS-rich mixtures favoured catechol and cresol formation, MF-rich mixtures produced cyclopentenones and carboxylic acids, and EFB-rich mixtures yielded more carbonyl-containing compounds. Antioxidant capacities, measured via DPPH assay, were highest in KS-derived liquid smoke due to its catechol content, while EFB-rich samples exhibited lower activity. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to GC-MS data to elucidate the chemical transformation pathways, revealing distinct degradation routes for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin under MAP conditions. These routes were further supported by compound clustering in PCA loading plots, highlighting the influence of temperature and biomass composition on product speciation. This study demonstrates the innovative integration of MAP with oil palm waste valorisation, offering a sustainable alternative to wood-based pyrolysis. By tailoring feedstock ratios and operating temperatures, MAP enables the targeted prod
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Journal articleGasos A, Pini R, Becattini V, et al., 2025,
Carbon footprint of oil produced through enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide directly captured from air
, Energy and Environmental Science, Vol: 18, Pages: 7440-7446, ISSN: 1754-5692Some argue that using CO2 from direct air capture (DAC) in enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) can produce carbon-neutral oil by permanently storing more CO2 than is emitted when using the extracted fossil fuels. However, existing analyses often provide case-specific insights based on short-term operations without considering the full life cycle of reservoir exploitation, including primary, secondary, and tertiary (EOR) recovery phases. Here, we present a general, top-down approach based on mass and volume conservation to assess the potential carbon footprint of oil production, applicable to different temporal perspectives of reservoir exploitation. Supported by field data from 16 EOR projects, our analysis shows that 30% of projects appear carbon-neutral when EOR is considered in isolation, but they all become significantly carbon-positive when the full reservoir lifetime is considered. The volume of emitted CO2 exceeds the pore space freed for storage by at least a factor of three, making carbon-neutral oil physically unattainable in conventional reservoirs. The favorable conditions for low-carbon oil production during CO2-EOR exist solely because of extensive prior oil extraction and water injection, and only residual oil zones may truly offer potential for carbon-neutral oil due to their low oil saturation and lack of legacy emissions. While omitting legacy emissions from previously depleted fields may be justifiable and may enable claims of carbon neutrality during the EOR phase, newly developed fields, i.e., developed now or in the future, should be held accountable for the full life-cycle emissions they generate. This necessitates clear and transparent accounting policy frameworks. Although CO2-EOR may reduce oil's carbon footprint, promoting it as a pathway to carbon-neutrality risks legitimizing continued fossil fuel production, ultimately undermining global climate targets.
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Journal articleSoh QY, Acha S, Shah N, et al., 2025,
Simultaneous design and control optimisation of combined rainwater harvesting and flood mitigation systems
, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol: 222, ISSN: 0921-3449The design and operational parameters of large-scale rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems should be optimised for its local environment to maximise their efficiency. This paper looks to address the barriers in RWH system performances when their design and operational strategies are optimised separately. This is achieved using a framework which identifies a set of candidate optimal designs with their corresponding optimal control policies by optimising each possible combination of control policy and actuator location. The globally optimal configuration is then determined using a high-resolution simulation model that evaluates their performance under a wide range of historically observed rainfall profiles. When implemented for a RWH system in a tropical city, the optimal configuration was found to improve harvested water yields by 15%–27% in comparison to when only its design is optimised. The 15% improvement is also achieved with a 25% reduction in capacity, reducing spatial competition with other key utilities for the estate.
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Journal articleLaksahapsoro B, Bird M, Acha S, et al., 2025,
Optimisation of photovoltaic and battery systems for cost-effective energy solutions in commercial buildings
, Applied Energy, Vol: 392, Pages: 125907-125907, ISSN: 0306-2619 -
Journal articleKucherenko S, Shah N, Klymenko OV, 2025,
Analytical identification of process design spaces using R-functions
, Computers and Chemical Engineering, Vol: 198, ISSN: 0098-1354A process design space (DS) is defined as the combination of process design and operational conditions that guarantees the assurance of product quality. This principle ensures that, as long as a process operates within its DS, it consistently yields a product that meets specifications. A novel DS identification method called the R-DS identifier has been developed in this work. It makes no assumptions about the underlying model - the only requirement is that each model constraint (e.g., defining product Critical Quality Attributes or process Key Performance Indicators) should be approximated by a closed-form function, e.g., a multivariate polynomial model. The method utilizes the methodology of V.L. Rvachev's R-functions and allows for explicit analytical representation of the DS with only a limited number of model runs. R-functions provide a framework for representing complex geometric shapes and performing operations on them through implicit functions and inequalities defining the regions. The theory of R-functions enables the solution of geometric problem such as identification of DS through algebraic manipulation. It is more practical than traditional sampling or optimization-based methods. The method is illustrated using a batch reactor model.
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Journal articleDezashibi AHM, Hallett JP, Fennell PS, 2025,
Design and operation of a cost-effective reactor for large protic ionic liquid synthesis
, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND PROCESSING-PROCESS INTENSIFICATION, Vol: 213, ISSN: 0255-2701 -
ReportMoustafa N, Saenz Cavazos P, Beath H, et al., 2025,
Destination Net-Zero: what is your best path? Insights for decision-makers navigating the low carbon transition
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Journal articleEluwah C, Fennell PS, 2025,
Novel onboard ammonia cracker for light-duty automotive fuel cell vehicles
, Energy Advances, ISSN: 2753-1457This work introduces an innovative onboard ammonia cracker module integrated with a 100-kW fuel cell system for light-duty automotive fuel cell vehicles. Utilizing a hollow fibre palladium membrane reactor (HFMR), two configurations are explored: a 3 × 3 simultaneous heating and cracking module and a 4 × 4 intermediate heating and cracking module. The 3 × 3 module, arranged in a serpentine configuration, exhibits superior performance with a calculated required volume of 8.9 liters, a total module area of 1.2 m2 and a process thermal efficiency of 93.5%. Each reactor in this module operates isothermally at an exit temperature of 475 °C, achieving ammonia conversion rates that increase from 15.8% in the first reactor (R1) to an impressive 99.99% in the final reactor (R8), facilitated by in situ hydrogen removal through the palladium membrane. The steady-state analysis was carried out using Aspen Plus Software, and validated against experimental data from existing literature. The results demonstrated a high degree of agreement, confirming the model's capability to accurately predict system performance. For transient analysis, Aspen Plus Dynamics was employed to assess the system's responsiveness to varying driving conditions. Utilizing the Hyundai Nexo fuel cell car as a case study, the worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) was simulated, to model realistic driving cycles, allowing for a rigorous interrogation of the transient performance of the on-board ammonia cracker. Overall, this research establishes a 3 × 3 simultaneous heating and cracking HFMR module as the optimal configuration for on-board ammonia cracking for hydrogen production in fuel-cell vehicles, highlighting its operational efficiency and potential contribution to sustainable transportation solutions. Future research should focus on optimizing heat management and temperature control within the HFMR module, as well as enhancing transient response characteri
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Journal articleKhan SN, Zhao M, Fennell PS, et al., 2025,
Construction of Highly Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks via Green Metallic Solvents Assisted Route for Chemical CO<sub>2</sub> Fixation
, SMALL, Vol: 21, ISSN: 1613-6810- Cite
- Citations: 4
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Journal articleRiorda A, Negro V, Pantaleo AM, et al., 2025,
Sustainable hydrogen from biomass: what is its potential contribution to the European defossilization targets?
, Energy and Fuels, Vol: 39, Pages: 6412-6425, ISSN: 0887-0624This study investigates the potential role of hydrogen production from biomass in the EU hydrogen objectives. With the EU aiming to produce 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen by 2030 and significantly scaling this production by 2050, diverse hydrogen production pathways must be explored. Our research focuses on assessing whether biomass-derived hydrogen can serve as a viable and substantial component of the hydrogen production mix alongside and complementing established methods such as electrolysis powered by renewable electricity. Through a comprehensive literature review, the main hydrogen production pathways from biomass have been assessed, including thermochemical and biological methods, with an emphasis on hydrogen yield, production costs, and technology readiness levels (TRLs). The work also considers the availability of biomass resources and potential production scenarios for 2030 and 2050. Our findings suggest that biomass-derived hydrogen can meaningfully contribute to the defossilization of the hydrogen sector, particularly in the midterm scenario for 2030. The analysis suggests that biomass has the potential to contribute a substantial share of the EU’s 2030 hydrogen target, ranging from under 0.1 Mt to over 16 Mt per year. Biomass-derived hydrogen offers additional flexibility and security of supply in the transition to a sustainable hydrogen economy, other than the possibility to benefit from negative emissions in some cases and added value from the coproduction of defossilized materials and chemicals, relying on domestic resources available in Europe.
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Journal articleBird M, Andraos R, Acha S, et al., 2025,
Lifetime financial analysis of a model predictive control retrofit for integrated PV-battery systems in commercial buildings
, Energy and Buildings, Vol: 332, ISSN: 0378-7788As electrical grids decarbonise, the need for flexible, real-time energy management systems becomes crucial to handle the variability of renewable sources. This paper investigates the lifetime performance of a commercial PV-battery system under three potential control approaches. Two rule-based controllers and one economic MPC approach are simulated over the lifetime of the battery, considering both the upfront capital and ongoing operational costs. Under the nominal rule-based control, installing the battery system saves 2.9% in operational costs per year. An informed rule-based schedule was then created, based on observing the typical PV and building loads and electricity price dynamics, increasing savings to 4.3%. These additional savings can be realised without any additional capital or operational investment. A supervisory MPC approach is integrated with the existing system control, requiring an upfront investment of $13.7k, combined with additional operational costs of $5.89k/yr. Accounting for these additional costs, net operational savings increase to 6% compared to the baseline operation without a battery system, while also reducing carbon emissions by 9.8%. MPC savings increase to 13.2% when considering the volatile electricity prices seen during the 2022 energy crisis. Despite these encouraging savings, current battery systems remain financially unattractive due to their high upfront cost, and all three control scenarios result in a negative NPV. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that optimal sizing of batteries and reductions in their cost are the most significant factors when evaluating the lifetime performance of PV-battery systems.
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Conference paperLewin DR, Shah N, Barzilai A, 2025,
One-week flipped workshop on heat integration
, Pages: 110-120, ISSN: 1749-7728This paper describes the first implementation of a flipped, one-week workshop on heat integration that was taught in Spring 2024 to the 3rd Year cohort of 138 students in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College, London. The “flipped” workshop consisted of three online lessons that cover the core materials on pinch design of heat exchanger networks, which the students were required to complete ahead of each of the corresponding three face-to-face class meetings, which focused on problem-solving exercises largely carried out by the students themselves. The paper describes the teaching methodology applied, presents and analyses the results of a survey conducted to assess the students’ perceptions and degree of satisfaction with the workshop. Learning outcomes relevant to the workshop topic, that is, the ability to design and optimize heat exchanger networks in realistic plant-wide settings, are also presented and compared to those of previous years. The main conclusion is that the short workshop format can successfully achieve the learning objectives, even for relatively large class sizes. Evidently, this workshop can be taught effectively in this concentrated form provided that the workshop participants are given access to the online lessons in advance of the class exercises.
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Journal articleSarkis M, Shah N, Papathanasiou MM, 2025,
Resilient pharmaceutical supply chains: Assessment of stochastic optimization strategies for process uncertainty integration in network design problems
, COMPUTERS & CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Vol: 195, ISSN: 0098-1354- Cite
- Citations: 3
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Journal articleEckel A-ME, Rovelli A, Pini R, 2025,
Direct characterization of free solutal convection in porous rocks for CO₂ storage applications
, Environmental Science & Technology, Vol: 59, Pages: 4618-4630, ISSN: 0013-936XFree solutal convection refers to the mixing process induced and sustained by local density differences arising from solute dissolution. This process underpins the long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) following its injection and dissolution in the formation brine of subsurface rock formations, such as saline aquifers. Direct experimental evidence of free solutal convection in porous rocks is to-date still lacking, leaving large uncertainties on the realized rate of CO2 dissolution and its contribution toward storage. Using an analogue solute–solvent pair and 4D X-ray computed tomography, we report direct observations of this mixing process in rock core samples, including sandstones and carbonates. The imagery is used to characterize the mixing structures that arise upon solute dissolution and to quantify differences between the rock types. Thus, we compute the temporal evolution of spatial moments of the concentration distribution to derive practical properties, such as the effective transport velocity of the solute plumes. Unlike previous studies on random bead packs, we observe that these measures do not scale well with core-scale rock properties (permeability, porosity, Rayleigh number) and are influenced by microscale rock characteristics (subcore and pore-scale heterogeneities). The latter may need consideration when evaluating the CO2 storage potential of candidate formations.
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Journal articleAldren C, Shah N, Hawkes A, 2025,
Quantifying key economic uncertainties in the cost of trading green hydrogen
, Cell Reports Sustainability, ISSN: 2949-7906In a fully decarbonized global energy system, hydrogen is likely to be one of few energy vectors that can facilitate long-distance export of renewable energy. However, because of divergent literature findings, consensus is yet to be reached on the total supply chain costs of shipping hydrogen either as a cryogenic liquid or ammonia. To this end, this article presents a detailed process systems-based economic analysis of a typical hydrogen value chain in 2050, employing the method of elementary effects to quantify the effect of uncertainties. With expected landed costs for liquid hydrogen of $4.60 kg−1(H2) and ammonia of $3.30 kg−1(H2), the importance of uncertainty quantification is demonstrated, given that specific parametric combinations can yield landed costs below $2.50 kg−1(H2). Given our delivered hydrogen cost of $4.70 kg−1(H2), these results demonstrate the stark difference between the aspirations of decarbonization policy (with some countries aiming for prices below $1 kg−1 by 2050) and the present techno-economic reality.
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Journal articleYang D, Yang Y, Wong T, et al., 2025,
Solution-processable polymer membranes with hydrophilic subnanometre pores for sustainable lithium extraction
, nature water, Vol: 3, Pages: 319-333, ISSN: 2731-6084Membrane-based separation processes hold great promise for sustainable extraction of lithium from brines for the rapidly expanding electric vehicle industry and renewable energy storage. However, it remains challenging to develop high-selectivity membranes that can be upscaled for industrial processes. Here we report solution-processable polymer membranes with subnanometre pores with excellent ion separation selectivity in electrodialysis processes for lithium extraction. Polymers of intrinsic microporosity incorporated with hydrophilic functional groups enable fast transport of monovalent alkali cations (Li+, Na+ and K+) while rejecting relatively larger divalent ions such as Mg2+. The polymer of intrinsic microporosity membranes surpasses the performance of most existing membrane materials. Furthermore, the membranes were scaled up and integrated into an electrodialysis stack, demonstrating excellent selectivity in simulated salt-lake brines. This work will inspire the development of selective membranes for a wide range of sustainable separation processes critical for resource recovery and a global circular economy.
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Journal articleJaeggi A, Eckel A-M, Pini R, et al., 2025,
Exploring disordered packing of non-equant particles: Insights from computed tomography and Monte Carlo simulations
, POWDER TECHNOLOGY, Vol: 452, ISSN: 0032-5910 -
Journal articleAlanazi K, Mittal S, Hawkes A, et al., 2025,
Renewable hydrogen trade in a global decarbonised energy system
, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol: 101, Pages: 712-730, ISSN: 0360-3199Renewable hydrogen has emerged as a potentially critical energy carrier for achieving climate change mitigation goals. International trade could play a key role in meeting hydrogen demand in a globally decarbonized energy system. To better understand this role, we have developed a modelling framework that incorporates hydrogen supply and demand curves and a market equilibrium model to maximize social welfare. Applying this framework, we investigate two scenarios: an unrestricted trade scenario where hydrogen trade is allowed between all regions globally, and a regional independence scenario where trade is restricted to be intra-regional only. Under the unrestricted trade scenario, global hydrogen demand could reach 234 Mt by 2050, with 31.2% met through international trade. Key trade routes identified include North Africa to Europe, the Middle East to Developing Asia, and South America to Japan and South Korea. In the regional independence scenario, most regions could meet their demand domestically, except for Japan and South Korea due to self-insufficiency. Finally, this analysis reveals that producers in North Africa and South America are likely to gain more economic value from international trade compared to other producing regions. The results offer key insights for policymakers and investors for shaping future hydrogen trade policies and investment decisions.
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Journal articleKurotori T, Zahasky C, Benson S, et al., 2025,
Direct observations of solute dispersion in rocks with distinct degree of sub-micron porosity
, Water Resources Research, Vol: 61, ISSN: 0043-1397The transport of chemical species in rocks is affected by their structural heterogeneity to yield a wide spectrum of local solute concentrations. To quantify such imperfect mixing, advanced methodologies are needed that augment the traditional breakthrough curve analysis by probing solute concentration within the fluids locally. Here, we demonstrate the application of asynchronous, multimodality imaging by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and positron emission tomography (PET) to the study of passive tracer experiments in laboratory rock cores. The four-dimensional concentration maps measured by PET reveal specific signatures of the transport process, which we have quantified using fundamental measures of mixing and spreading. We observe that the extent of solute spreading correlate strongly with the strength of subcore-scale porosity heterogeneity measured by XCT, while dilution is enhanced in rocks containing substantial sub-micron porosity. We observe that the analysis of different metrics is necessary, as they can differ in their sensitivity to the strength and forms of heterogeneity. The multimodality imaging approach is uniquely suited to probe the fundamental difference between spreading and mixing in heterogeneous media. We propose that when multi-dimensional data is available, mixing and spreading can be independently quantified using the same metric. We also demonstrate that one-dimensional transport models have limited predictive ability toward the internal evolution of the solute concentration, when the model is solely calibrated against the effluent breakthrough curves. The data set generated in this study can be used to build realistic digital rock models and to benchmark transport simulations that account deterministically for rock property heterogeneity.
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