Projects
The impact of microwaves on wheat gluten structure. KU Leuven
Optimisation of anaerobic digestion processes through biostimulation with microwaves. KU Leuven
Anaerobic digestion is a microbial process in which, in absence of oxygen, complex organic substrates, such as municipal waste sludge and kitchen waste, are degraded and converted to a high-energetic biogas. The hydrolysis of large organic molecules into their monomeric building blocks is generally considered as a major rate-limiting step, and a lot of research has been dedicated on pre-treating the substrate to increase its biodegradability. ...
Microwave- and ultrasound-assisted extraction methods for the recovery of valuable components from brown seaweed species KU Leuven
The study aims to employ environmentally friendly intensification techniques, such as Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) and Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE), to reduce chemical, water, and energy usage during seaweed extraction processes. The effectiveness of cell disruption through ultrasonic treatment will be evaluated and the efficient heating provided by microwaves assessed. The study will focus on optimizing the extraction ...
Ultrasound- and microwave- assisted non- aqueous solvent extraction in milliflow reactors KU Leuven
To investigate the extraction of critical metals in flow reactors. To study the effects of ultrasound and microwaves on solvent extraction with non-aqueous fluids such as ionic liquids. To understand the potential of solvent extraction applied in flow reactors and actuated by alternative energy forms. Proof-of-principle that critical metals can be extracted in continuous flow reactors. Enhanced extraction rates achieved by the application of ...
Dielectric characterisation and microwave heating for flow chemistry KU Leuven
Microwaves are increasingly being used to intensify organic synthesis reactions and improve their outcome in terms of product purity. However, these improvements were mostly demonstrated on the scale of mL's using commercial equipment that relies on 2.45 GHz irradiation. Even though the advantages of microwave-based heating have been clearly demonstrated, we believe that this is merely the tip of the iceberg, and further significant ...
Microwave a la carte flow chemistry (MIRACLE) KU Leuven
Demonstration of Sonication and Microwave Processing of Essential Chemicals KU Leuven
SIMPLI-DEMO, the Demonstration of Sonication and Microwave Processing of essential chemicals project, aims at strengthening the chemical process industry ? and in particular the specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries ? in its capacity to produce materials and chemicals in a sustainable and competitive way by moving from batch to continuous and modular production with flexibility being ensured by the application of alternative ...
European Training Network for Continuous Sonication and Microwave Reactors KU Leuven
The European chemical industry faces some very serious challenges if it is to retain its competitive position in the global economy. The new industries setting up in Asia and the Near East are based on novel process-intensification concepts, leaving Europe desperately searching for a competitive edge. The transition from batch to continuous micro- and milliflow processing is essential to ensure a future for the European fine-chemicals and ...
Microwave Heating for Microfluidics KU Leuven
This PhD project aims at developing integrated microwave or millimeter wave based heating systems for total analysis systems (μTAS), whichare miniaturised microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices that perform several laboratory functions on a single device.
In total analysis systems (μTAS) accurate and fast temperature cycling is an important issue. Temperature control in μTAS typically employs Peltier elementsor resistive heaters, which ...