Bio-surfactant upgrading using continuous adsorption within a techno-economic framewor
Project ID: 2531bd1615
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Research Theme: Circular Economy
Research Area(s):
Process systemscomponents and integration
Engineering design
Artificial intelligence technologies
UCL Lead department: Biochemical Engineering
Lead Supervisor: Alex Conradie
Project Summary:
Currently, a significant proportion of surfactants in household consumer products derive from fossil-derived sources. Bio-surfactants present significant opportunities to green formulations, noting that techno-economic challenges limit their widespread deployment.The studentship will focus on bio-surfactant upgrading using continuous adsorption within a techno-economic framework. The project will combine large laboratory scale continuous adsorption, rigorous process modelling, and AI-enabled process optimisation within an encompassing techno-economic and life cycle assessment framework. This PhD project will impart a diverse range of transferable and highly sought skills, notably the process development interplay between representative experimental validation and in silico digitisation through modelling and optimisation.