Overview

Microwaves can support the move to net zero by providing process heating with renewable energy sources. The unique volumetric and selective heating mechanisms also offer a range of processing advantages in circular economy applications; volumetric heating can provide orders of magnitude shorter residence times, while selective heating can enhance mass transfer, enabling processing of recalcitrant materials under mild processing conditions.

First, an overview of the technology benefits were presented. Then through some engaging case studies, Eleanor Binner shares some examples of research work of food and biomass valorisation to novel products such as prebiotics and clean lignin.

Speaker 

Dr Eleanor Binner, Associate Professor, University of Nottingham

Eleanor is a Chartered Chemical Engineer and scientist with 18 years’ experience in the management and delivery of heterogeneous material processing projects in both industry and academia. She graduated from Imperial College, London, with an MEng in Chemical Engineering with a Year Abroad (at the University of Melbourne) in 1999. After completing her PhD in microwave plasma processing at Swinburne University of Technology, she spent time working as a contaminated land consultant for Coffey Environments and a postdoctoral research fellow at Monash University. In 2011, she returned to the UK to pursue an academic career at the University of Nottingham.

Eleanor specialises in microwave technologies for the circular economy, converting wastes to novel products for the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Microwaves are increasingly being recognised for their potential to contribute to the net zero revolution, being the only viable technology to replace fossil heating with renewable power in the chemical industry. Eleanor has made major contributions to the fundamental understanding of the role of microwave heating during processing and how this can be applied to scale up. She is currently working with Mitsubishi Chemical UK to develop a microwave process to recycle acrylic plastics.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter’s own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Food and Drink Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Webinar recording