Luis R. López De León Email & Phone Number

Liège, Walloon Region, Belgium

Girona, Catalonia, Spain

The MICRO-BIO process is a Marie Curie Individual Fellowship project that aims to produce biofuels using CO2 from indoor environments. The MICRO-BIO process is proposed as a comprehensive platform to capture carbon dioxide from indoor air, transform it into valuable carbon-neutral commodity chemicals, and enhance the production of long carbon chain chemicals, such as hexanol.Tasks• Design and fabrication of a CO2 microconcentrator prototype and define the effect of operating conditions (flow rate, temperature, humidity, CO2 inlet concentration) over CO2 adsorption for different adsorbent materials.• CO2 microconcentrator prototype construction and experimentation, aiming to maximize CO2 adsorption capacity and concentration during the release cycle.• Determine the optimal conditions for steering gas bio-electro-fermentation towards selective production of biofuels such as methanol and ethanol, evaluating parameters affecting the carbon conversion process, such as pH, pH2 and CO2 availability.• Feeding strategies optimization from CO2 microconcentrator to the microbial electrosynthesis module by characterization of the adsorption and desorption cycles (duration, flow).Results• Development of a CO2 microconcentrator prototype to capture CO2 from indoor environments, capable of producing a concentrated stream of up to 50 % CO2 / 50 % N2 (v/v).• Successful coupling of the CO2 microconcentrator prototype into a microbial electrosynthesis technology (MEST) to produce methane bioelectrochemically using captured CO2 from indoor environments.• Integration capillary microbioreactors into the bioelectrochemical system to improve gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency.

Girona, Catalonia, Spain

Assesment of carbon dioxide capture and concentration from indoor environments, theoretically and experimentally. Tasks• Literature revision and review article preparation about indoor air carbon dioxide capture technologies.• Preparation and evaluation of different types of adsorbent materials to capture carbon dioxide from indoor air. Materials selection was based on the most promising materials indicated in the literature.Result:• Publishing of a review article assessing the effects of CO2 within indoor environments, from the environmental and health risk to the potential of CO2 as a renewable carbon source. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159088.• Design of an experimental setup for evaluation of CO2 adsorbent materials.

Barcelona, Cataluña / Catalunya, España

Associate professor in different courses related to the chemical engineering department at UAB. Subject taught: Chemical Engineering Experimentation 2 and 3 and Biotechnological processes laboratory.Tasks• Experimental verification of the balances of heat energy, mechanical energy, and matter. • Practical application of concepts related to the subjects of Balances, Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Fluids, Heat, and Computer Applications.Outcome• Understand and apply the basic principles on which chemical engineering is based, and more specifically: balances of matter, energy, and amount of motion; thermodynamics, interphase balance, and chemical balance; kinetics of the physical processes of transfer of matter, energy, and momentum, and kinetics of the chemical reaction.• Teach students to organize the work in the laboratory and the quality in the analysis and communication of the results obtained experimentally.• Make a critical analysis of the experimental results and the overall work carried out.• Communicate efficiently, orally and in writing, knowledge, results, and skills, both in professional environments and in front of non-expert audiences.

Barcelona, Cataluña, España

Participated in the pre-LIFE NIMBUS project as part of the UAB team. The aim of the project is to demonstrate the power-to-gas technology based on biological processes to produce biomethane by biological methanation and bio-H2 by a bioelectrochemical system.Tasks:* Development and start-up of an experimental methodology to quantify kinetic parameters of a hydrogenotrophic methanogen culture under high-pressure conditions.* Realization of respirometric tests under high-pressure conditions to determine biokinetic parametersResults:* Development of a novel methodological approach to perform respirometric tests under high-pressure conditions* Biokinetic parameters of a hydrogenotrophic methanogen culture

Durham, North Carolina

Design and develop a multiplexed biofiltration unit of Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The project was a collaboration with an industrial partner, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry (WBI) and it was funded through the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) of the United States of America’s government.Tasks• Development of microbioreactors for the treatment of VOCs with intended application to indoor air treatment.• Optimization of microbioreactors performance through experimental and mathematical modeling of mass transfer, mixing and reaction rates.• Research and development for different fabrication techniques for the construction of a biocatalyzed microreactor (3D printing).• Monthly and Quarterly reports preparation to inform the industrial partner and funding agency of the current status of the project and the planned work.Results• Development of a new prototype of microbioreactor for the removal of high VOCs inlet concentrations with a performance 10-80 times higher than conventional biofiltration systems.• Automation and miniaturization of the capillary microbioreactor prototype, providing the system of total autonomy to be monitored, controlled, and operated without human intervention.• Calibration and validation of a mathematical model of a capillary microbioreactor treating VOC, capable of describing transient and steady-state conditions.• Delivered over 36 monthly written reports and slide decks for conference calls, and 12 quarterly reports (written reports and slides decks) to the funding agency

Murcia Y Alrededores, España

Participation in an R+D+i project as a specialist technician in the startup and post-start up of a two-stage biological biogas desulfurization plant for a food processing plant. The project was developed jointly by a spin-off and a private company specialized in the development of gas treatment technologies for environmental applications: Aeris Tecnologias Ambientales and Ecología Técnica (ECOTEC). The project focused on reducing SOx emissions derived from biogas burning since the company produced heat (steam) by burning the biogas obtained in an anaerobic digestor. Besides applying an environmentally friendly process, the project aimed at obtaining a valuable product, which in this case, was the recovery of elemental sulfur. Tasks• Coordinate the different tasks needed previous the startup, and post-startup of a bioscrubber for biogas desulfurization in the food industry. • Review and update PI&D diagrams of the bioscruber system• Lead the different tests needed to verify the proper operation of the bioscruber system• Follow up of the installed bioscruber after the startup period• Trained plant personnel to learn the bioscrubber process and give them autonomy to operate the system• Sampling from different points of the system, to verify the proper performance of the installation.Results• Installation achieved a complete (99.9%) desulfurization of a biogas stream with a flow rate of up to 300 m3/h with up to 20,000 ppmv of H2S.• All the security tests needed to run the system were passed satisfactorily, and the unit remained operating safely without interruptions• Operators at the plant were trained at the different levels to be able to operate correctly the installation

Barcelona Y Alrededores, España

Trainee research staff fellow (PIF) funded by the Catalan Government. This grant aimed to provide economic support to perform Master and Doctorate studies, as well as to provide academic experience to the candidate, through the immersion of the candidate in different teaching and academic activities of the universityTasks• Teaching assistant in different courses related to the chemical engineering department at UAB. Subjects taught: Basic operations of chemical engineering, Separation operations, Chemical Engineering experimentation, simulation of chemical engineering processes.Results• Application of the scientific and technological foundations of the mass and heat transfer to the separation operations.• Evaluation of alternatives and calculations for the design and operation in separation processes of binary and multicomponent mixtures.• Generalize the concepts of analysis and design of separation operations to apply to different operations of the process engineering industry.• Scientific communication, oral and writing, knowledge, results, and skills, both in professional environments and in non-expert audiences.

Barcelona Area, Spain

The thesis was carried out in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering of the UAB, in the Research Group on Biological Treatment and Valorisation of Liquid and Gas Effluents (GENOCOV) within the project “Monitorización, modelización y control para la opmitización de biofiltros percoladores de desulfuración anóxicos y aerobios” (MICROBIOFIN), funded by the Ministerio de Economía. The project aims at establishing different control protocols and strategies that will permit a robust, stable and secure operation under optimal conditions. The work was particularly focused on understanding different variables involved in process control loops of a desulfurizing biotrickling filter operated under aerobic conditions through experimental studies and a model-based analysis. With the results obtained along this thesis, process is optimized through application of control strategies, fulfilling the objectives of the project.

Gante Y Alrededores, Bélgica

Short stay in the department of Biosystems engineering part of the Ph.D. program studies aimed to obtain the Doctorate with International Doctoral Research Component. The main goal of the visit was to perform a model-based analysis of control strategies in an aerobic biotrickling filter for biogas desulfurization to improve process performance under variable load conditions. The work was supervised by Prof. dr. ir. Eveline Volcke was. Eveline Volcke is the founder and head of the research unit ‘Biosystems Control (BioCo), dealing with efficient and sustainable process design and process control.Tasks• Performed a model-based analysis of control strategies in an aerobic biotrickling filter for biogas desulfurization to improve process performance under variable load conditionsResults• Development and simulation of control strategies analysis for an aerobic biotrickling filter for biogas desulfurization. • Successful development and application of strategies based on the enhancement of the desulfurization process without diminishing biogas calorific power.

Cerdanyola Del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain

Benchmarking study of the gasoil filters surface roughness. Working together with the quality department and the production department in order to evaluate the surface roughness of the gasoil filters produced in the Cerdanyola plant

Sant Cugat Del Vallès (Barcelona), España

Primary role was to give support to the Process Engineer and the HSE&S manager in projects related to Process Safety Management (PSM) and ISO-9001 compliance. Participated in training activities for plant operators, that was achieved through the development of a plan of continuous training sessions and evaluation sessions, where the main principles about emulsion and solution polymerization and the risks associated to those processes were highlighted. Dr. López also worked closely with the HSE&S department to implement Process Hazard Assessments (PHA’s) according to the Lubrizol critically hazards matrix, and to include Safety Operating Ranges (SOR) for all the different polymers procedures prepared at that site. Tasks• Support to the Process Engineer and the HSE&S manager in projects related to Process Safety Management (PSM) and ISO-9001 compliance• Develop continuous training sessions and evaluation sessions to plant operators about the main principles about emulsion and solution polymerization and the risks associated with those processes. • Process Hazard Assessments (PHA’s) according to a critically hazards matrix.• Include Safety Operating Ranges (SOR) for all the different polymers procedures prepared at that site.Results• Training sessions were performed, and to all plan, operators to highlight the main risks related to each step of the polymerization process to reduce risk.• PHA calendarization and preparation of the corresponding tools for performing PHA’s (What if/checklist, HAZOP)• Inclusion of SOR parameters into the top formulations (130 formulations)• Automation of excel spreadsheets to obtain a risk warning according to the SOR parameters for a specific procedure• Elaboration of a database for the MSDS and classification on SEVESO categories for the raw materials, within the framework of the Responsible Care Management (RCM) Tracking System.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Environmental Science And Technology, Specialty In Environmental Technology, Cum Laude, International Doctorate Research Component

Activities and Societies: GENOCOVThe thesis has been carried out in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering.

Advanced Course In Bioprocess Design, Biotechnology

Master'S Degree, Environmental Studies, Excellent

Activities and Societies: GENOCOVApplication of titrimetry for monitoring biological activity in biotrickling filters and for carbon.

Bachelor'S Degree, Materials Engineering

Activities and Societies: Escola d'EnginyeriaFirst year of Materials Engineering

Bachelor'S Degree, Chemical Engineering

Activities and Societies: Escola d'Enginyeria

First Year Of Chemical Engineering