Projects
Model based optimization and process control of gas fermentation with the example of methane as a substrate KU Leuven
Biotechnological processes are commonly used to convert cheap and widely available raw materials such as sugars into more valuable components such as polymers, fuels, or protein. In order to maintain high productivity and stable operation of the process, a critical component in modern bioprocesses is the optimization and control of the process. Optimization thereby refers to the a priori choice of operating conditions for maximal ...
Process optimization of sulfur-based wastewater treatment Ghent University
Sulfur-based carbon and nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater involves 90% reduction in sludge production, 35% reduction in energy consumption and 35% reduction of CO2 emissions compared to conventional wastewater treatment processes.
This project addresses major challenges limiting full-scale implementation of a sulfur-based process for municipal wastewater treatment. Process optimization will be achieved through steady state ...
Optimization of the aerobic granular sludge process for sustainable wastewater treatment Ghent University
This doctoral research concerns domestic wastewater treatment with aerobic granular sludge, which needs 75% less space 30% less energy compared to conventional systems. The objectives are
- optimization of effluent quality, energy consumption and costs
- application of off-gas analyses for process monitoring and control
- minimization of greenhouse gas emissions
via mathematical modelling, full-scale monitoring and ...
GOPRESUSE – Towards generic optimizations and prospective evaluations for the design of sustainable disruptive process technologies and resource management systems by connecting statistical entropy, economic and environmental aspects. University of Antwerp
Chemical recycling of plastic waste: model-guided design and optimization of sorting and pyrolysis processes Ghent University
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues. Chemical recycling of plastic waste into pyrolysis oils, followed by steam cracking into platform molecules, overcomes the limitations of current recycling processes and is expected to become one of the main routes to boost circularity. However, plastic waste contains large amounts of contaminants, a.o. halogens, heteroatoms (N, S, O, P), and metals. Steam crackers ...
Process optimisation and valorisation of short-chain fatty acids from fermentation Ghent University
Development of a sustainable process for recovery of short-chain fatty acids from dilute aqueous streams, which are formed by conversion of biomass, organic waste or CO2. This process is a combined extraction and esterification in an ionic liquid, resulting in a facilitated process and valorisation of the low value fatty acid building blocks.
Robust model predictive online control of bioproduction processes based on fungal growth inspired multi-objective optimisation algorithms KU Leuven
Since millennia, microorganisms have been used in the production of
foods and beverages. More recently, microorganisms have also
shown their potential as producing agents of fine chemical
compounds. However, while most microorganisms are incapable of
producing (an economically viable concentration of) a targeted
compound, they are often genetically modified for this purpose. The
studied process ...
Numerical methods for parametric dynamic optimisation of (bio)chemical processes KU Leuven
This project deals with parametric optimisation of large-scale (bio)chemical processes, i.e., calculating the solution path of an optimisation problem as a function of one or more varying parameters. Typical examples include heat transfer coefficients (which change when fouling occurs), design parameters (e.g., dimensions) and operational parameters (e.g., maximal admissible reactor temperature).
As ...