Research areas and methodologies

The Research Unit is specialized in the use of the theory of Transport phenomena and Principles of IngChemical engineering for understanding, modeling and scale-up of unit operations and innovative processes in the context of Energy transition. 

In particular, the research fields of the RU focus on topics related to:

  • Circular Economy
  • Development of innovative fuels (eg green hydrogen, green methane) that can replace traditional fossil fuels with high CO2 emissions
  • Technologies CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization), or capture of CO2 and reuse of the latter in the synthesis of green chemicals
  • Treatment of waters and dell 'air
  • Il food of the future: innovative food and food waste recovery

These themes are intertwined in the following lines of research in which the RU is active:

  • Water treatment using waste materials from the agro-food industry (e.g. exhausted tea, Aloe Vera leaves) as adsorbent solids
  • Process water treatment using innovative bio-reactors ("Two-Phase partition technologying bio-reactor")
  • Synthesis and Separation of Medium Chain Volatile Fatty Acids (e.g. Caproic, Butyric) from food-waste
  • Extraction with green solvents (e.g. Deep Eutectic Solvents) of compounds with high added value from vegetable waste matrices
  • Production of Green Hydrogen from innovative thermochemical cycles (e.g. modified IS cycle)
  • Production of electrolytic Green Hydrogen based on alkaline technology
  • Synthesis of methanol from Green Hyrogen and captured carbon dioxide
  • Separation of mixtures of hydrogen and methane downstream of a methanation process for the synthesis of Green Methane from hydrogen and captured CO2
  • PYROLYSIS
  • Prediction of blood glucose levels for the detection of adverse events in patients with diabetes
  • Point Of Care (POC) devices for simultaneous measurement of TSH and calcium
  • Modeling of the gastrointestinal system for drug bioavailability and microbiota drug interactions

Collaborations with other Research Centers

  • ENEA - National agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development - Italy
  • CNR - IRSA – Water Research Institute – Italy
  • Sapienza University of Rome
  • Polytechnic University of Milan (PoliMi)
  • WETSUS - European center of excellence for sustainable water technology – Leeuwarden, Holland

Collaboration with companies

  • Cereal Docks
  • Next-Chem
  • Novamont
  • Asja
  • Menarini
  • Procter & Gamble

Patents

  • Patent N° 102021000026348, 14-10-2021, DEVICE FOR SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION, E. Cordelli, L. Francini, S. Manfrini, V. Piemonte, R. Sicily, P. Soda.
  • Patent N° 102022000014785, 14-07-2022, Point-of-Care device for the measurement of compounds regulating thyroid function in a biological fluid, T. Boscarino, V. Piemonte
  • Patent N° 102022000010283, 18-05-2022, Process and plant for the conversion of carbon dioxide into methanol, V. Piemonte, A. Basile, M. Della Pietra, V. Cigolotti, V. Palma

Laboratory

  • "Laboratory 1" – The X-Lab (ICSS - Laboratory of IngChemical Engineering for Sustainable Development) is equipped to conduct the research lines of the RU. In the laboratory, educational experiences aimed at students are planned and theses of an experimental nature are regularly carried out.
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