ABTECP – ADVANCED BIO, THERMO AND ELETTRO CHEMICAL PROCESSES

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Description and objectives
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The main objective of the section is the development of technological processes for innovative energy plants and systems in synergy with private companies, public bodies and other research groups.

The section consists of five Units:

1. Laboratory of FLUIDO-DYNAMICS AND CHEMICAL REACTORS of DIIIE (Department of Industrial, Information and Economic Engineering) of the University of L’Aquila (Prof. Pier Ugo Foscolo);
2. Laboratory of ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT of the Faculty of Agri-Food and Environmental Biosciences and Technologies of the University of Teramo (Prof. Sergio Rapagnà);
3. Laboratory of ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the USGM (University of Guglielmo Marconi) of Rome (Prof. Enrico Bocci);
4. Laboratory of Biomass Energy Certification – CIRDER – of the University of Tuscia (Prof. Maurizio Carlini and Researcher Mauro Villarini);
5. Laboratory of ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES of the eCAMPUS University (Researcher Luca Cioccolanti).
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Areas of interest
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Main research areas – in which the interdisciplinary section has more than twenty years of theoretical / experimental experience – are:

• Stationary energy systems (biomass / biofuels, solar, conventional):
  • Technical-economic analysis for feasibility studies of advanced and renewable systems (high efficiency and / or alternative fuels) with stationary energy;
  • Solar systems: simulation, design and testing of various innovative solar thermal systems (solar panels, accumulators, absorbers, ORC) through various programs (solterm, trnsys, matlab) for various applications;
  • Chemical plants: plant and process simulation, design, construction and testing of biomass reactors (combustors, pyrolysers, gasifiers) for various applications;
  • Biochemical plants: experimental tests, simulation, design of anaerobic digestion reactors, using programs such as aquasym, Comsol;
  • Plants for the production of biofuels, in particular the production of biodiesel from exhausted vegetable oil of domestic origin.
• Transport energy systems / Smart Grid: design, development and testing of Powertrain, energy optimization of renewable energy plants in an autonomous and networked environment. Activities:
  • Analysis of the vehicle consumption and performance in relation to the imposed driving cycles;
  • Design and sizing of the overall system through an accurate simulation;
  • Integration and restoration of battery packs, supercapacitors, electric motors, fuel cells.
• Life Cycle Assessment: studies on social and environmental impacts (neural networks and genetic algorithms) of renewable energy plants;
• Local dissemination of activities (cities, provinces and region);
• Scientific activity of dissemination of results through peer-reviewed international scientific journals and participations in national and international scientific conferences.
  

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Composition of the Section

Coordinator:

Components:

• Professors: Pier Ugo Foscolo, Sergio Rapagnà, Lorenzo Giovanni Gibilaro, Nader Jand, Katia Gallucci, Maurizio Carlini, Mauro Villarini, Luca Cioccolanti.
• Technicians: Antonelli Giampaolo, Benedetti Giuseppina, Centofanti Marcello, Ferrante Fabiola, Spagnoli Giuseppe, Spera Agata, Spera Loredana, Stefano Innocenti, Sonia Castellucci.
• PhD students and research grant holders: Tania Antonini, Andrea Di Carlo, Luca Del Zotto, Simone Giovanni Santori, Andrea Di Giuliano, Umberto Pasqual Laverdura, Francesco Ferella, Elisa Savuto, Vanessa Pallozzi, Sara Rajabi.
• Grant holders: Roberto Tascioni, Andrea Monforti, Giuliano Malandrino, Gabriele Belardi, Marco Creati.

Main international scientific collaborations:

• TU Wien;
• University of Strasbourg;
• Institute for Energy Technology (IFE – Norway);
• Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA);
• HYGEAR;
• UNISTRA (Strasbourg chemistry faculty)
• Walter Tosto SpA;
• ENERTECNA srl;
• New Ma-Tec2001;
• Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI);
• Azienda per i Trasporti Autoferrotranviari del Comune di Roma (ATAC);
• Region Lazio;
• RAMPINI CARLO SpA;
• Stirling International Association;
• Società per il Trasferimento Tecnologico e Guida all’Innovation Engineering (S.TRA.TE.G.I.E. srl).
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Activities

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The Section participated in several research projects funded by both national and international institutions, in particular by the European Union with the 7th Framework Program (2007-2013). By way of example, the most recent national projects to which the group has participated are the following:

List of recent publications: