Christoph BachofenExpertise
As an urban plant ecophysiologist I'm interested in how the vegetation in urban systems interacts with the local microclimate. In particular, I study the mechanisms by which trees cope with extreme urban heat, and how their presence modulates the urban climate through transpiration cooling, shading and more.For my research, I combine mostly tree-level measurements, such as gas exchange and heat tolerance, with process-based modelling to scale to the urban canyon and beyond. I'm interested in compa
Julia SchmaleExpertise
atmospheric science, aerosol-cloud interactions, climate change in polar regions
Mission
Extreme environments are particularly sensitive to climate change and are transforming at accelerated rates. This can have important global repercussions. EERL aims to create integrated process understanding by investigating interactions between the atmosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, ocean, land and anthroposphere. The goal is to characterize climate-change relevant and vertically-resolved processes that are d
François MaréchalPh D. in engineering Chemical process engineer
Researcher and lecturer in the field of computer aided process and energy systems engineering.
Lecturer in the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and environmental sciences engineering in EPFL.
I'm responsible for the Minor in Energy of EPFL and I'm involved in 3 projects of the Competence Center in Energy and Mobility (2nd generation biofuel, Wood SOFC, and gas turbine development with CO2 mitigation) in which i'm contributing to the energy conversion system design and optimisation.
Short summary of my scientific carrer
After a graduation in chemical engineering from the University of Liège, I have obtained a Ph. D. from the University of Liège in the LASSC laboratory of Prof. Kalitventzeff (former president of the European working party on computer aided process engineering). This laboratory was one of the pioneering laboratory in the field of Computer Aided Process Engineering.
In the group of Professor Kalitventzeff, I have worked on the development and the applications of data reconciliation, process modelling and optimisation techniques in the chemical process industry, my experience ranges from nuclear power stations to chemical plants. In the LASSC, I have been responsible from the developments in the field of rational use of energy in the industry. My first research topic has been the methodological development of process integration techniques, combining the use of pinch based methods and of mathematical programming: e.g. for the design of multiperiod heat exchanger networks or Mixed integer non linear programming techniques for the optimal management of utility systems. Fronted with applications in the industry, my work then mainly concentrated on the optimal integration of utility systems considering not only the energy requirements but the cost of the energy requirements and the energy conversion systems. I developed methods for analysing and integrating the utility system, the steam networks, combustion (including waste fuel), gas turbines or other advanced energy conversion systems (cogeneration, refrigeration and heat). The techniques applied uses operation research tools like mixed integer linear programming and exergy analysis. In order to evaluate the results of the utility integration, a new graphical method for representing the integration of the utility systems has been developed. By the use of MILP techniques, the method developed for the utility integration has been extended to handled site scale problems, to incorporate environmental constraints and reduce the water usage. This method (the Effect Modelling and Optimisation method) has been successfully applied to the chemical plants industry, the pulp and paper industry and the power plant. Instead of focusing on academic problems, I mainly developed my research based on industrial applications that lead to valuable and applicable patented results. Recently the methods developed have been extended to realise the thermoeconomic optimisation of integrated systems like fuel cells. My present R&D work concerns the application of multi-objective optimisation strategies in the design of processes and integrated energy conversion systems.
Since 2001, Im working in the Industrial Energy Systems Laboratory (LENI) of Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) where Im leading the R&D activities in the field of Computer Aided Analysis and Design of Industrial Energy Systems with a major focus on sustainable energy conversion system development using thermo-economic optimisation methodologies. A part from the application and the development of process integration techniques, that remains my major field of expertise, the applications concern :
Rational use of water and energy in Industrial processes and industrial production sites : projects with NESTLE, EDF, VEOLIA and Borregaard (pulp and paper).Energy conversion and process design : biofuels from waste biomass (with GASNAT, EGO and PSI), water dessalination and waste water treatment plant (VEOLIA), power plant design (ALSTOM), Energy conversion from geothermal sources (BFE). Integrated energy systems in urban areas : together with SCANE and SIG (GE) and IEA annexe 42 for micro-cogeneration systems.
I as well contributed to the definition of the 2000 Watt society and to studies concerning the emergence of green technologies on the market in the frame of the Alliance for Global Sustainability.
Paolo PeronaExpertise
River mechanics and morphoydnamics, Erosion processes, Ecohydraulics, Plant roots biomechanics, Watershed and catchment hydrology, Water Resources Management, General hydraulics, Time Series Analysis, Dynamical Systems Theory, Stochastic Processes
Expertise
River mechanics and morphoydnamics, Erosion processes, Ecohydraulics, Plant roots biomechanics, Watershed and catchment hydrology, Water Resources Management, General hydraulics, Time Series Analysis, Dynamical Systems Theory, Stochastic Proces
Marc VielleMarc Vielle has obtained a PhD degree in economics from the University Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris). He worked as an economic researcher at the Laboratoire ERASME of Ecole Centrale de Paris and Université de Paris I (1987-1992), where he developed and managed the macroeconomic model HERMES-France. In 1991 he joined the Commissariat à lEnergie Atomique (CEA) as senior economist where he participated to the development of two models (GEM-E3 and PRIMES) funded by the European Commission. In 1996 he joined the Institut dEconomie Industrielle of Toulouse directed by Jean-Jacques Laffont. In 2003 he joined the Laboratoire dEconomie des Ressources Naturelles directed by Michel Moreaux. Since 2007, Marc works at EPFL.
He is member of the GEMINI-E3 team and participates to the development of the world general equilibrium model GEMINI-E3. Marc has a strong experience in economic modeling (especially CGE modeling), quantitative analysis, energy and climate change policies. He has contributed to several research projects funded by national governments, European Commission and private companies.
Skype 'Skype Me!' buttonhttp://www.skype.com/go/skypebuttons Olivier SauterTeaching & PhD PhD Students Cassandre Ekta Contré, Antonia Frank, Peizheng Zhang, Jean-Pierre Thomas Svantner, Cristina Venturini, Cosmas Quirin Lorenz Heiss, Daniel Perales Rios, Viacheslav Bochkarev, Jan Jakub Frybes, Paul Véronique Guillaume Devianne Past EPFL PhD Students Clemente Angioni, Petri Nikkola, Alberto Bottino, Andrei Martynov, Emiliano Fable, Costanza Zucca, Federico Felici, Dávid Wágner, Doohyun Kim, Anna Teplukhina, Mengdi Kong, Francesco Carpanese, Simon Van Mulders, Stefano Marchioni, F
Meret AeppliExpertise
soil chemistry, redox reactions, biogeochemistry
Meret Aeppli joined EPFL as a tenure track assistant professor and head of the soil biogeochemistry laboratory (SOIL) in September 2022. Her group aims to elucidate the fundamental principles and mechanisms of electron transfer reactions and their role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and metals in soil. Meret was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in the department of Earth System Science from 2019 to 2022 where she studied biogeoc
Bence DienesBence Dienes joined EPFL as a doctoral assistant of the soil biogeochemistry laboratory (SOIL) in February 2023. He aims to understand the fundamental principles and processes that govern the biogeochemical cycling of key elements in alpine soils. Bence holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in environmental sciences and biogesciences from the University of Lausanne. Passionate in mountains, he expanded his understanding in alpine habitats during his Master thesis and he was part of the GLORIA research te
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