Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés des Solides Divisés
Ecole des Mines d'Albi-Carmaux, Campus Universitaire de Jarlard
Route de Teillet, 81013 Albi CT Cedex 09 - France
Tel: +33 (0)5 63 49 31 27
Fax : +33 (0)5 63 49 32 43
Research > Research Center for Energy and Environmental Processes
The Energy and Environmental Processes Center has an impressive record of nearly 9 years of research work in the field of energy and environment processes. Research is focussed on three main orientations:
Expertise in the field of energy production from solid fuels, including degraded fuels, sludge, solid waste and biomass. This research includes energy consumption reduction in separation processes (like dehydration and drying), energy conversion efficiency increase in thermal processes (such as pyrolysis, gasification, gas reforming, and combustion), minimization of flue gas and liquid effluents, and transformation of solid residues into reusable materials. Expertise in pollution transfer techniques, both within industrial processes and upstream of them. This is achieved through separation (remediation) or stabilization, which isolates the polluting elements. It also implies a capacity for reliable and reproducible measurement methods as well as models of the coupled effects of heat and mass transfer and the physical chemistry of the pollutants. Expertise in measurement methods in processes working with solids: temperature or concentration fields measurement, measurement of process properties (reaction heat, thermal conductivity, diffusion properties, viscosity, etc.).
Research areas:
Clean energy from solid waste and biomass: pyrolysis, combustion, gasification and gas reforming. Heavy metals in solid waste and residues: leaching, separation and stabilization. Impact assessment of waste and residues. Sludge treatment: dewatering and drying. Radiation models in high temperature processes. Heat, mass, momentum transfer measurements in processes: heat flux, calorimetry, heat and mass diffusion, rheology. Inverse problems and parameter estimation in engineering (thermal, environmental, biological)
Director : Didier LECOMTE, Pr.
Academic faculty members: 14 Staff: 5,5 Post Docs and research engineers: 7 Doctoral candidates: 16
Thermal analysis (DSC, TGA, TMA, reaction calorimetry, cone calorimetry -see picture below) simultaneous with chemical analysis (FTIR, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry) Heat conductivity and heat flux probes Rheology, mass diffusion, moist air sorption, isotherm measurements Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy Small and large scale pilots: leaching test, soil remediation pilot, drying kilns, combustion and pyrolysis in fixed/fluidized bed, rotary furnace, batch reactors, hydrogen reformer.