Ana Sofia Lourenco Amorim
@c5lab
c5Lab
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Engineering
Scopus Publications
- Performance assessment and modelling of CO2 capture via temperature swing adsorption using biowaste-based materials
Ana S. Amorim, Rui M. Filipe, Cintia K. Rojas-Mayorga, Didilia I. Mendoza-Castillo, Adrián Bonilla–Petriciolet, Henrique A. Matos
Chemical Engineering Science, 2026
• Pyrolysis is the preferred method to produce CO 2 adsorbents using biowastes. • The kinetic models accurately reproduced the experimental CO 2 capture performance. • Cork- and rice husk-based adsorbents do not deactivate over five cycles. • The CO 2 uptake from cement plant flue gas was higher than expected. The multicyclic kinetic performance and equilibrium CO 2 adsorption capacities of different biowaste-based adsorbents were measured experimentally, modelled and compared using pure CO 2 streaming and cement plant flue gas. Biowaste-based adsorbents used for CO 2 capture were synthesized from cork stoppers, grape marc, and rice husks via pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization with and without lanthanum functionalization. The results demonstrate that pyrolysis is a more effective method than hydrothermal carbonization for producing CO 2 -capturing adsorbents from tested biowastes. These adsorbents can reach equilibrium CO 2 carrying capacities of up to 63 mg/g at atmospheric temperature and pressure. No deactivation was observed over five adsorption/desorption cycles for cork- and rice husk-based adsorbents and the deactivation observed for grape marc-based adsorbents under flue gas can be overcome via lanthanum functionalization. Kinetic parameters for CO 2 adsorption on biowaste-based adsorbents were calculated and compared to identify the impact of micropores and mesopores on separation performance. - Analysis of integrated calcium looping alternatives in a cement plant
Ana Amorim, Rui M. Filipe, Henrique A. Matos
Chemical Engineering Science, 2025
• A section of a cement plant was modelled and validated with real operational data. • An entrained-flow carbonator model was proposed and compared with the literature. • The deactivation of the adsorbent was considered in the carbonator model. • Integrated calcium looping configurations were proposed and compared with a tail-end calcium looping configuration. Calcium looping is a promising post-combustion CO 2 capturing technology, highly compatible with the cement industry, one of the major industrial sources of CO 2 emissions. Limestone, a raw material for clinker, forms lime, a calcium looping adsorbent. Thus, it is possible to maximize the synergies between a cement plant and a calcium looping unit by establishing an integrated configuration. Nevertheless, the integration of calcium looping in cement plants has not yet been thoroughly studied. This study examines different integration alternatives, developing models for the preheater and calciner using Aspen Plus, validated with operational data, alongside an entrained-flow carbonator model considering adsorbent deactivation. By combining these models, six integrated configurations are proposed and compared with the tail–end calcium looping configuration. The integrated configurations show a reduction in fuel consumption and net energy consumption for the same CO 2 avoided emissions. The most promising configuration was identified and a comparative techno-economic analysis was conducted. - The effect of alternative fuels on calcium-looping
Ana Amorim, Ismail Mohamed, Luíza Marques, Rui M. Filipe, Henrique A. Matos
Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, 2022
