About Us
At LAMURE, or Laboratory of Multifunctional Reactors, we are focused on the design, development, and study of multifunctional reactors for applications related to:
- CO2 capture and valorisation through the methanation reaction;
- Treatment and/or valorisation of agroindustrial residues (e.g., for H2 production by steam reforming);
- Simultaneous depuration of contaminated gaseous and liquid effluents by advanced oxidation processes, namely Fenton/Fenton-based technologies.
The unifying element of the mentioned research topics are the multifunctional reactors. Among our different activities, we perform reactor modelling and simulation, catalyst preparation and screening, and reactor design. To intensify our reactions’ performance, we resort to multifunctional reactors capable of in-situ separation of gaseous products, namely through the use of H2 perm-selective membranes and/or CO2 or H2O sorbent materials.
At LAMURE we are deeply concerned about sustainable development and accomplishing the European Union’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We have made it our mission to develop technological solutions that tackle some of the most severe environmental issues we currently face, both at a regional and global level.
We are part of LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy research unit integrated in the newly established consortium ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, based at FEUP – Faculty of Engineering of Porto.
NEWS
- Last month, junior researcher Cláudio Rocha, from the Environmental Sciences and Technologies group at #LEPABE, joined the EFCE Section Early Career Chemical Engineers, a European association under the European Federation of Chemical Engineering. This association brings together young chemical engineers from both academic and industrial sectors. The group’s objective is to promote collaboration with other professionals in the field and contribute to the development of new ideas and practices in chemical engineering. Learn more here: https://efce.info/EarlyCareerCE.html#Members
- Tiago mendes defended the Master Dissertation entitled “Thermodynamic Analysis of Waste Cooking Oil Steam Reforming” in Chemical Engineering on the 25th of July 2024 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Miguel Soria (Supervisor, FEUP), Cláudio Rocha (Co-supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP). João Lemos defended the Master Dissertation entitled “Treatment of Effluents with Advanced Oxidation Processes” in Chemical Engineering on the 11th of July 2023 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Carmen Rodrigues (Supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP). Congratulations for both!
- Maria Salomé Macedo defended the doctoral thesis entitled “Glycerol steam reforming for renewable hydrogen production in multifunctional reactors” in Chemical and Biological Engineering on the 2nd of April 2024 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Luis M. Madeira (Supervisor, FEUP) and Miguel Angel Soria (Co-supervisor, FEUP). Congratulations and good luck in your future!
Researchers from #LEPABE, Dr. Cláudio Rocha, Prof. Luís Miguel Madeira, Dr. Miguel Soria, and Ph.D. student Pedro Cerqueira, were honored in the 6th edition of the BIP PROOF Program (2023/2024), an initiative by U.Porto Inovação, with the project “HydroAzeite: valorizing wastewater from olive oil mills.” The primary objective of BIP Proof is to create a proof-of-concept system that can contribute to the maturation of technology and its closer approach to the market.
The HydroAzeite project aims to “optimize and apply a multifunctional hybrid reactor that combines the wastewater reforming reaction and the simultaneous removal of CO2 (a byproduct of the reaction) in a single device through a CO2-selective adsorbent,” something never before achieved at an industrial level. According to the researchers, employing this method will bring numerous advantages to companies, and it may also generate a new source of revenue due to the production of the H2 biofuel.
- The #LEPABE project “CYCON – Cyclic device for continuous CO2 capture and conversion into CH4” emerged victorious in the 3rd edition of the Air Liquide Scientific Challenge 2023, under the theme “Energy storage using essential small molecules.” The three winners (the other two in different topics) were selected from a total of 119 applications originating from 29 countries, by a jury consisting of 8 members, all of whom play a significant role in the scientific and industrial community. The Air Liquide Scientific Prize, amounting to €50,000, was awarded to Professor Luís Miguel Madeira and his team, comprised of Dr. Miguel Soria, Dr. Cláudio Rocha, and Ph.D. student Joana Martins, during the award ceremony held on November 29th, near Versailles. In addition to this award, the development of this project will be fully financed by Air Liquide as part of a 3-4 year project aimed at advancing this innovative proposal and transforming it into market-ready technology.
- Our researcher Bruno Esteves will leave the group to face new professional challenges. He was present in our group for more than 7 years, obtaining a PhD during this journey, contributing to several scientific publications and communications (as well as being our best English corrector). LAMURE wishes you the best in your profissional and personal life! Thank you for all your work and contributions 🙂
- Joana Martins secures the Young Scientist Flash Presentation Award at CHEMPOR23 with the oral presentation “CO2 capture and valorization to synthetic natural gas – process integration“. Congratulations Joana!
- Anabela Coelho Figueiredo defended the Master Dissertation entitled “Preparation and Characterization of Materials for Low- to Intermediate-Temperature CO2 Adsorption” in Chemical Engineering on the 11th of July 2023 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Cláudio Rocha (Supervisor, FEUP), Miguel Angel Soria (Co-supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP). Vasco Filipe Moreira Ribeiro defended the Master Dissertation entitled “Methanation of CO2 in a Sorption-Enhanced Reactor” in Chemical Engineering on the 11th of July 2023 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Miguel Angel Soria (Supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP). Congratulations for both!
- Ana Paula Salgado Costa Teixeira defended the Master Dissertation entitled “Synthetic fuels or valued chemicals production from biogas ” in Chemical Engineering on the 27th of July 2023 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Miguel Angel Soria (Supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP). Congratulations!
- Ana Catarina Oliveira Pinto Faria defended the doctoral thesis entitled “Multifunctional reactors for CO2 methanation: Power-to-Gas Concept” in Chemical and Biological Engineering on the 21st of April 2023 in FEUP. The thesis was supervised by Luis M. Madeira (Supervisor, FEUP), Alírio E. Rodrigues (Co-supervisor, FEUP) and Carlos V. Miguel (Co-supervisor, Fraunhofer Portugal). Congratulations!
- The 1st Webinar from the VOCAdvanced project, entitled Compostos Orgânicos Voláteis – da Problemática ao Tratamento took place on the 21st of July of 2022.
- On the 5th of May of 2022, the 2nd Power2Methane Webinar, entitled CO2 capture and utilization: from fundamentals to demonstration plants, was held. The event featured academia/research and industrial speakers in fields related to CO2 capture and/or utilization and was attended by over 210 participants from all over the world. Additional information about the event (program, flyer, speakers’ bio, recordings and visual support of some of the lectures) can be found in the website of the FCT funded Power2Methane project
Latest published articles
- M. Calaixo, S. Ribeirinho-Soares, L.M. Madeira, O. Nunes, C. Rodrigues. Catalyst-free persulfate activation by UV/visible radiation for secondary urban wastewater disinfection. 2023, Journal of Environmental Management, 348, no. 119486.
- M. Salomé Macedo, N. Acha Uriarte, M.A. Soria, Luis M. Madeira, J.A. Calles, R. Sanz and D. Alique. Effect of ceria particle size as intermediate layer for preparation of composite Pd-membranes by electroless pore-plating onto porous stainless-steel supports. Sep. Purif. Technol.. 2023, 327, no. 124932.
- João Brito, F. Pinto, Alexandre Ferreira, M.A. Soria and Luís M. Madeira. Steam reforming of biomass gasification gas for hydrogen production: From thermodynamic analysis to experimental validation. Fuel Processing Technology . 2023, 250, no. 107859.
Ongoing Projects
- Wastenergy
- CYCON (Air Liquide Scientific Challenge)
- HydroAzeite
Ongoing theses
- Cerqueira, Pedro Pereira (2021 – ). Autothermal Sorption-Enhanced Reforming for the Production of Hydrogen from Agro-Industrial Wastewater. Doctoral Thesis in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at University of Porto, Portugal – Miguel A. Sória (Supervisor, FEUP) and Luis M. Madeira (Co-supervisor, FEUP).
- Alves, Ana Sofia Pereira (2021 – ). Tratamento de Efluentes Contendo Compostos Orgânicos Voláteis por Processos Oxidativos Avançados à Base de Persulfato. Doctoral Thesis in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at University of Porto, Portugal – Luis M. Madeira (Supervisor, FEUP), Carmen S.D. Rodrigues (Co-supervisor, FEUP).
- Martins, Joana Andrade Silva Esteves (2020 – ). Design of Hybrid Reactors for Biogas Upgrading via CO2 Methanation. Doctoral Thesis in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at University of Porto, Portugal – Luis M. Madeira (Supervisor, FEUP) and Alírio E. Rodrigues (Co-supervisor, FEUP).
- Sampaio, Emanuel Filipe da Silva (2021 – ). Simultaneous Treatment of Gaseous and Liquid Effluents Containing Volatile Organic Compounds by the Fenton’s Process using Bubble Column Reactors. Doctoral Thesis in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at University of Porto, Portugal – Luis M. Madeira (Supervisor, FEUP), Carmen S.D. Rodrigues (Supervisor, FEUP) and Olívia Salomé Soares (Co-supervisor, FEUP).
OUR LABORATORY
Reaction engineering
Our reasearch activity aims at developing relevant and innovative technologies for the production of H2, renewable CH4 as well as CCU processes, with particular interest in multifunctional reactors.
Materials synthesis
Our group focuses on the synthesis of materials for adsorption of CO2, catalysis and dual functional materials (that combine both sorbent characteristics and catalytic activity).
Advanced Oxidation Processes for wastewater & gases treatment
Development & application of Fenton/persulfate-based oxidation technologies (in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems), for the treatment of both liquid and gaseous contaminated effluents using different reactor configurations (fixed-bed, bubble column, CSTR, …).
Water/wastewater characterization
We perform analysis of several water/wastewater parameters, including: COD, BOD5, toxicity, TSS, TDS, etc.