Contact Details

Telephone

work +44 (0)1224 272205

Email

p.kechagiopoulos@abdn.ac.uk

Address

The University of Aberdeen School of Engineering, 
University of Aberdeen, 
Fraser Noble Building (Room 278), 
King’s College, 
Aberdeen, AB24 3UE, 
United Kingdom

Web Links

• ResearchGate profile
• LinkedIn profile
• Materials and Chemical Engineering Research Group

Biography

• Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, University of Aberdeen (08/2014 - Present)
• Industrial Research Fund Technology Developer, Ghent University (06/2012 – 07/2014)
• Post-doctoral Researcher, Ghent University, Laboratory for Chemical Technology (04/2010 – 05/2012)

Education

• Master in Information Systems, Hellenic Open University (11/2012)
• Doctor of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (07/2008)
• Diploma in Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (11/2002)

Research Interests

• Chemical reaction engineering
• Micro-kinetic modelling
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Biomass conversion technologies: pyrolysis, gasification
• Methane conversion technologies: reforming, partial oxidation, oxidative coupling
• Novel reactor concepts: spouted beds, membrane reactors

Current Research

Current research focuses on the application of, experimentally validated, computational methods to design and optimize chemical engineering processes for the efficient utilization of energy sources. The work primarily aims at the development of novel reactor concepts for the efficient conversion of natural gas and, more specifically, methane. Low-temperature steam reforming for the production of high-purity hydrogen as an energy carrier and Oxidative coupling for the one-step conversion of methane to ethylene as a chemicals building block are major application fields. In this regard, microkinetic models, consisting of elaborate elementary step reaction networks, are developed to accurately describe the occurring chemistry. Thermodynamic consistency is preserved, while a multitude of methods (transition state and collision theory, Evans-Polanyi relationships and unity bond index-quadratic exponential potential (UBI-QEP) calculations) are applied for the a priori determination of kinetic parameters. Intrinsic kinetic measurements of catalyst reactivity/selectivity are used to validate the developed models. The further integration of these kinetic models in reactor-scale simulations provides a deeper understanding that opens the road to knowledge-based process design and optimization and, ultimately, intensification. Novel reactor concepts, such as membrane configurations, are investigated to overcome thermodynamic limitations and design modular and energy efficient processes. Further extensions of the methodology are to be applied in the conversion of biomass-derived oxygenates to fuels and chemicals.

Teaching Responsibilities

Current

EX40HC Process Control (sole contributor) 

EG55P7 Process Plant, Equipment & Operations (sole contributor)

EG4013/14 Thesis supervisor, MEng/BEng in Chemical Engineering

Past

EG5597 Advanced Chemical Engineering (contributor)

EG5565 Meng Group Design (Chemical Engineering contributor)

EG5085 Supervisor, Advanced Topics

External Responsibilities

Reviewer for: Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, Biomass and Bioenergy, Catalysis Science & Technology, Chemical Communications, Chemical Engineering Journal, Chemical Engineering & Technology, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, Chemical Papers, Energy & Fuels, Fuel, Fuel Processing Technology, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management

Admin Responsibilities

Erasmus coordinator in School of Engineering and Course coordinator for projects associated with Erasmus students (ES4071-8) and project abroad (EG4513, EG4011)

Publications