ABOUT ME
Associate professor at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering of the University of Zaragoza (Spain), and researcher at the Thermochemical Process Group (GPT) of the Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A) of the University of Zaragoza (Spain).
My research interests are in the fields of high temperature chemistry, chemical kinetic modeling, and formation and destruction of air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulfur compounds, …) in energetic and industrial processes/applications.
BIOGRAPHY
I graduated with a Master in Chemical Engineering from the University of Zaragoza (Spain) and in 2013 I got the degree of PhD in Chemical Engineering at the same university. As part of this investigation, in January-April 2011, I made a short term collaboration at the (Combustion Harmful Emission Control) CHEC group of the Technical University of Denmark. My research activities were related to hydrocarbon conversion in presence of different gaseous compounds that can be typically present in atmospheres with recycled flue gas (RFG), such as CO2, NOx or SO2, to provide of the necessary experimental data both to get
insight into the phenomena controlling the process and to improve and update a gas-phase combustion scheme in relation to different reaction environments.
In 2015- 2017 I worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Instituto de Carboquímica (ICB) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), with a research Grant funded by the Spanish Government.
During this time my research activities were focused on the development and optimization of oxygen carriers for the Chemical Looping Combustion process. In June-September 2016 I made a short term collaboration at the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM) of the Technical University of Lisbon (Portugal), to study the influence of the presence of metals on the combustion of biomass.
Since 2017, I am a researcher at the Thermochemical Process Group (GPT) of the Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A) of the University of Zaragoza (Spain), performing fundamental studies related to the formation and destruction of main pollutants in thermo-chemical processes.
PUBLICATIONS
2019
Abián, María; Pernía, Ricardo; Millera, Ángela; Bilbao, Rafael; Alzueta, María U
Reactivity of Standard Diesel Particulate Matter with NO2 under Different Operating Conditions Journal Article
In: Energy and Fuels, vol. 33, no. 11, pp. 11932–11940, 2019, ISSN: 15205029.
@article{Abian2019a,
title = {Reactivity of Standard Diesel Particulate Matter with NO2 under Different Operating Conditions},
author = {María Abián and Ricardo Pernía and Ángela Millera and Rafael Bilbao and María U Alzueta},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines},
doi = {10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b02779},
issn = {15205029},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-11-01},
urldate = {2019-11-01},
journal = {Energy and Fuels},
volume = {33},
number = {11},
pages = {11932--11940},
publisher = {American Chemical Society},
abstract = {Nowadays, diesel vehicles include exhaust treatment technologies, such as diesel particulate filters, to meet the emission limitations of soot. Within the particle trap, soot can be oxidized by interaction with nitrogen oxides (NOx). The extent of this interaction will depend on the specific conditions at the trap, the nitrogen oxide considered (NO2 or NO), and the nature of the soot sample. In this context, the reactivity of a standard diesel particulate matter (SRM 1650b-NIST) with NO2 has been analyzed. The tests have been performed in a laboratory quartz gas flow reactor, discontinuous for the solid, in the 723-998 K temperature range and with 100-500 ppm NO2 as an oxidant. Additionally, the soot sample has been characterized through Raman spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Both temperature and inlet NO2 concentration are key parameters affecting the reactivity of soot with NO2. Temperatures ≥ 898 K are needed to achieve a complete conversion of carbon in soot and temperatures ≤ 973 K to limit the gas-phase conversion of NO2 into NO. Therefore, the experimental results from the tests performed in the 898-973 K temperature range have been used to determine the reaction kinetics (apparent activation energy and reaction order) of the reference diesel soot oxidation by NO2},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Alzueta, María U; Pernía, Ricardo; Abián, María; Millera, Ángela; Bilbao, Rafael
CH3SH conversion in a tubular flow reactor. Experiments and kinetic modelling Journal Article
In: Combustion and Flame, vol. 203, pp. 23–30, 2019, ISSN: 15562921.
@article{Alzueta2019,
title = {CH3SH conversion in a tubular flow reactor. Experiments and kinetic modelling},
author = {María U Alzueta and Ricardo Pernía and María Abián and Ángela Millera and Rafael Bilbao},
doi = {10.1016/j.combustflame.2019.01.017},
issn = {15562921},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-05-01},
journal = {Combustion and Flame},
volume = {203},
pages = {23--30},
publisher = {Elsevier Inc.},
abstract = {The use of non-conventional fuel sources, such as shale gas, brings new research requisites for its proper use in an environmental friendly manner. In this context, shale gas may include different sulphur containing compounds, such as methanethiol, that is also formed as intermediate during sulphur containing residues processing. The present work includes an experimental and kinetic modelling study of the oxidation of methanethiol, CH3SH, in a quartz flow tubular reactor at atmospheric pressure and in the 300–1400 K temperature range. The influence of the temperature, the O2 concentration and the presence of H2O on the conversion regime of CH3SH and the formation of different compounds has been analysed. The experimental results have been interpreted in terms of a detailed gas-phase mechanism compiled in the present work, and the elementary steps involved in the conversion of CH3SH have been identified. In general, oxidation of CH3SH is favoured by both oxygen level and temperature, while the presence of H2O does not modify the CH3SH conversion profile. The main sulphur containing products are SO2, H2S and CS2, pointing to a significant role of other products, apart from SO2, for the control of pollutant emissions.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Ramirez, A; Hueso, José Luis; Abián, María; Alzueta, María U; Mallada, Reyes; Santamaría, Jesús
Escaping undesired gas-phase chemistry: Microwave-driven selectivity enhancement in heterogeneous catalytic reactors Journal Article
In: Science Advances, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. eaau9000, 2019, ISSN: 2375-2548.
@article{Ramirez2019,
title = {Escaping undesired gas-phase chemistry: Microwave-driven selectivity enhancement in heterogeneous catalytic reactors},
author = {A Ramirez and José Luis Hueso and María Abián and María U Alzueta and Reyes Mallada and Jesús Santamaría},
url = {https://advances.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aau9000},
doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aau9000},
issn = {2375-2548},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-03-01},
journal = {Science Advances},
volume = {5},
number = {3},
pages = {eaau9000},
abstract = {Research in solid-gas heterogeneous catalytic processes is typically aimed toward optimization of catalyst composition to achieve a higher conversion and, especially, a higher selectivity. However, even with the most selective catalysts, an upper limit is found: Above a certain temperature, gas-phase reactions become important and their effects cannot be neglected. Here, we apply a microwave field to a catalyst-support ensemble capable of direct microwave heating (MWH). We have taken extra precautions to ensure that (i) the solid phase is free from significant hot spots and (ii) an accurate estimation of both solid and gas temperatures is obtained. MWH allows operating with a catalyst that is significantly hotter than the surrounding gas, achieving a high conversion on the catalyst while reducing undesired homogeneous reactions. We demonstrate the concept with the CO 2 -mediated oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane, but it can be applied to any system with significant undesired homogeneous contributions.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abián, María; Millera, Ángela; Bilbao, Rafael; Alzueta, María U
Effect of CO2 atmosphere and presence of NOx (NO and NO2) on the moist oxidation of CO Journal Article
In: Fuel, vol. 236, pp. 615–621, 2019, ISSN: 00162361.
@article{Abian2019,
title = {Effect of CO2 atmosphere and presence of NOx (NO and NO2) on the moist oxidation of CO},
author = {María Abián and Ángela Millera and Rafael Bilbao and María U Alzueta},
doi = {10.1016/j.fuel.2018.09.054},
issn = {00162361},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {Fuel},
volume = {236},
pages = {615--621},
publisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
abstract = {The role of CO2 on the moist oxidation of CO in the CO-NO and CO-NO2 systems is analyzed from both experimental and modelling points of view, under flow reactor conditions, at atmospheric pressure, over the temperature range of 700–1400 K and at fuel-rich ($łambda$ = 0.5) and fuel-lean ($łambda$ = 2) environments. Sensitivity and reaction rate analyses were used to identify the role of CO2 in this process. Additionally, the effect of the presence of NO and NO2 on CO oxidation is considered. Results indicate significant differences in combustion characteristics between CO oxidation in a 0% or 25% CO2 atmosphere, in the presence of both NO or NO2. In particular, at high temperatures, either NO or NO2 promote the CO oxidation in CO2 atmosphere, through a specific NO-NO2 interconversion system, which is catalysed by the CO2 presence. However, in the 1075–1150 K range and independent of the CO2 atmosphere, the CO oxidation is strongly inhibited by NO2 presence. The effect of CO2 and NOx presence on CO conversion is quite similar for both O2 levels.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Colom-Díaz, Juan Manuel; Abián, María; Ballester, M Y; Millera, Ángela; Bilbao, Rafael; Alzueta, María U
H 2 S conversion in a tubular flow reactor: Experiments and kinetic modeling Journal Article
In: Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 727–734, 2019, ISSN: 15407489.
@article{Colom-Diaz2019d,
title = {H 2 S conversion in a tubular flow reactor: Experiments and kinetic modeling},
author = {Juan Manuel Colom-Díaz and María Abián and M Y Ballester and Ángela Millera and Rafael Bilbao and María U Alzueta},
doi = {10.1016/j.proci.2018.05.005},
issn = {15407489},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-01-01},
journal = {Proceedings of the Combustion Institute},
volume = {37},
number = {1},
pages = {727--734},
publisher = {Elsevier Ltd},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}