
Teléfono: +34 876 762 550
Email: efrances@unizar.es
Dirección: Office C3-2-18, c/Maria de Luna 3, Edificio Torres Quevedo, Campus Río Ebro, 50018, Zaragoza (Spain)
Sideral: Ver el perfil (CV)
SOBRE MÍ
Eva Francés es licenciada en Ciencias Químicas (1989) y Doctora en Ciencias (1993).
Profesora de la Universidad de Zaragoza desde 1992, en primer lugar, como profesora asociada, posteriormente como profesora titular de escuela universitaria (1998) y finalmente titular de universidad (2008-actualidad), perteneciente al área de Ingeniería Química en la Escuela de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (EINA) de la Universidad de Zaragoza (UZ).
Ha sido Profesora-Secretaria de la Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica Industrial (1997-2000) y Coordinadora del grado en Ingeniería Química en la UZ (2010-2015). En la actualidad es miembro de la Comisión de Garantía de Calidad de Grados.
Ha desarrollado su actividad investigadora en varios campos, comenzando por el estudio cinético y modelado del proceso FCC, para continuar con el proceso de la gasificación de biomasa, la oxidación catalítica selectiva, el reformado seco de biogás y finalmente hidrogenación de CO2. También ha realizado estudios puntuales sobre depuración y potabilización de aguas, como adsorción de metales o hidrogenación catalítica de nitratos.
Es miembro del Grupo de Investigación de Excelencia (reconocido por la DGA en 2005): “Catálisis e Ingeniería de Reactores (CREG)” y miembro del Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A) desde 29 junio 2012 hasta la actualidad.
Ha participado en 13 Proyectos I+D financiados en convocatorias públicas y en 4 Proyectos con empresas/administraciones.
Ha dirigido más de 120 proyectos fin de carrera y 30 trabajos fin de grado, muchos de ellos relacionados con sus tareas de investigación.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3181-195X
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6602320593
PUBLICACIONES
2025
Aragüés-Aldea, P.; Mercader, V. D.; Durán, P.; Francés, E.; Peña, J. Á.; Herguido, J.
Biogas upgrading through CO2 methanation in a multiple-inlet fixed bed reactor: Simulated parametric analysis Artículo de revista
En: Journal of CO2 Utilization, vol. 93, pp. 103038, 2025, ISSN: 2212-9820.
@article{ARAGUESALDEA2025103038,
title = {Biogas upgrading through CO2 methanation in a multiple-inlet fixed bed reactor: Simulated parametric analysis},
author = {P. Aragüés-Aldea and V. D. Mercader and P. Durán and E. Francés and J. Á. Peña and J. Herguido},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025000228},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2025.103038},
issn = {2212-9820},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Journal of CO2 Utilization},
volume = {93},
pages = {103038},
abstract = {A simulation of the catalytic CO2 methanation reaction was carried out, evaluating the effect of reactants distributed feeding throughout the bed. The main operational parameters were studied in a multiple-inlet reactor to test their effect on conversions and, most importantly, on selectivities towards both CO and CH4 as reaction products. The analyzed parameters were, firstly, the number of feeding points (N) and the dosage degree of reactants, followed by temperature (T), partial pressures of reactants (H2:CO2 ratios), and the composition of a sweetened biogas as feeding stream (CH4:CO2 ratios). It is confirmed that a distribution of biogas through several side inlets improves selectivities to the desired CH4 product, over other feeding configurations. The effect of distributing reactants becomes intensified when the number of lateral feedings increases. This observation supports the experimental trends already proven in previous works. Regarding main operation parameters such as temperature and H2:CO2 molar ratio, the analysis confirmed that their influence on selectivities acts just as predicted at low conversions. However, when these conversions become higher the space velocity (WHSV) is the most important factor for selectivities. Finally, no significant changes in reaction performance were obtained when modifying the biogas CH4:CO2 ratio in the broad range of methane concentrations from 55 v% to 70 v%.},
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pubstate = {published},
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}
Mercader, V. D.; Aragüés-Aldea, P.; Durán, P.; Francés, E.; Herguido, J.; Peña, J. A.
Optimizing Sorption Enhanced Methanation (SEM) of CO2 with Ni3Fe + LTA 5 A mixtures Artículo de revista
En: Catalysis Today, vol. 453, pp. 115262, 2025, ISSN: 0920-5861.
@article{MERCADER2025115262,
title = {Optimizing Sorption Enhanced Methanation (SEM) of CO2 with Ni3Fe + LTA 5 A mixtures},
author = {V. D. Mercader and P. Aragüés-Aldea and P. Durán and E. Francés and J. Herguido and J. A. Peña},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092058612500080X},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2025.115262},
issn = {0920-5861},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Catalysis Today},
volume = {453},
pages = {115262},
abstract = {This study investigates the integration of catalytic CO2 methanation and water adsorption using a Ni-Fe-based catalyst and LTA 5 A zeolite to enhance methane production via the Sabatier reaction. By mitigating thermodynamic limitations through in situ water removal, the research explores key operational parameters, including temperature, space velocity, and H₂:CO₂ feed ratios, to optimize process performance. The findings highlight that a temperature of 300 °C, a WHSV of 1.50 × 104 (STP) mL·gcat−1·h−1 (4.86 gCO2·gcat⁻¹·h⁻¹), and a H₂:CO₂ molar ratio equal to 5:1, result in enhanced methane yields, shifting thermodynamic equilibrium due to water sorption during initial stages. The presence of methane in the feed, representative of a biogas, demonstrated negligible effects on methane yields under optimal conditions, underscoring the method’s feasibility for direct biogas upgrading. While the process achieved significant intensification, challenges such as loss of activity of the bed of solids (catalyst plus water adsorbent) were identified, necessitating further advancements in both catalyst and adsorbent stability, as well as a deeper study on their interaction. The study provides a pathway for scaling up adsorption-enhanced methanation technologies to achieve renewable methane production, addressing the dual goals of carbon management and energy storage.},
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pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Sanz-Monreal, P.; Mercader, V. D.; Aragüés-Aldea, P.; Durán, P.; Francés, E.; Herguido, J.; Peña, J. A.
Techno-economic assessment of a plant for the upgrading of MSW biogas to synthetic natural gas by thermocatalytic methanation Artículo de revista
En: Biomass and Bioenergy, vol. 198, pp. 107871, 2025, ISSN: 0961-9534.
@article{SANZMONREAL2025107871,
title = {Techno-economic assessment of a plant for the upgrading of MSW biogas to synthetic natural gas by thermocatalytic methanation},
author = {P. Sanz-Monreal and V. D. Mercader and P. Aragüés-Aldea and P. Durán and E. Francés and J. Herguido and J. A. Peña},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096195342500282X},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2025.107871},
issn = {0961-9534},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-01-01},
journal = {Biomass and Bioenergy},
volume = {198},
pages = {107871},
abstract = {This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of a plant designed to produce synthetic natural gas (SNG) from biogas through direct catalytic methanation. The proposed facility is simulated with Aspen Plus® v14, using a comprehensive approach that covers the entire process, from biogas pretreatment to the production of the final product. The installation aims to contribute to the development of Power-to-Gas (Power-to-Methane) strategy for decarbonization. The plant, to be located in northeastern Spain, operates at an industrial scale with a production capacity of approximately 1100 Nm3/h of SNG, obtained from a 1425 Nm3/h biogas plant. The process includes five main stages to meet Spanish gas quality standards for grid injection: desulfurization, using amines for sulfur removal; electrolysis, for the generation of renewable hydrogen; thermocatalytic methanation, which combines CO2 from the biogas with hydrogen to enrich the methane content; dehydration, to meet SNG moisture specifications; and cogeneration, intended for the joint production of electricity and steam to meet the plant's energy demands. A detailed analysis of investment costs (CAPEX) and operational expenses (OPEX) is conducted, identifying the key factors influencing the project's profitability. The economic assessment indicates a total capital investment of 21.83 M€ and operational expenses nearly 8 M€ annually. The profitability threshold for the base scenario is estimated at 91.75 €/MWh, exceeding the 2023 natural gas market average in the Iberic peninsula (39.11 €/MWh), highlighting the current economic challenges of SNG production.},
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pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2024
González Pizarro, Rodrigo; Durán Sánchez, Paúl; Aragüés Aldea, Pablo; Mercader Plou, Victor; Francés, Eva; Peña Llorente, José Ángel; Herguido Huerta, Javier
Enriquecimiento de biogás por metanación de CO2 sobre Ni-MnxOy en reactor de lecho fijo con alimentación distribuida Actas de congresos
vol. 12, 2024.
@proceedings{GonzálezPizarro_DuránSánchez_AragüésAldea_MercaderPlou_Francés_PeñaLlorente_HerguidoHuerta_2024,
title = {Enriquecimiento de biogás por metanación de CO2 sobre Ni-MnxOy en reactor de lecho fijo con alimentación distribuida},
author = {González Pizarro, Rodrigo and Durán Sánchez, Paúl and Aragüés Aldea, Pablo and Mercader Plou, Victor and Francés, Eva and Peña Llorente, José Ángel and Herguido Huerta, Javier},
url = {https://papiro.unizar.es/ojs/index.php/jji3a/article/view/10682},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-01},
urldate = {2024-07-01},
journal = {Jornada de Jóvenes Investigadores del I3A},
volume = {12},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel; Ruiz-Alejos, David; de Jong, Wiebren; Durán, Paul; Aragüés Aldea, Pablo; Sanz Monreal, Pablo; Becerril, Miguel Ángel; Francés, Eva; Herguido, Javier; Peña, José Ángel
Influence of Ni-Fe load in a bimetallic catalyst supported on Zeolite 13X for CO2 methanation in a fixed bed reactor Actas de congresos
vol. 12, 2024.
@proceedings{MercaderPlou_Ruiz-Alejos_deJong_Durán_AragüésAldea_SanzMonreal_Becerril_Francés_Herguido_Peña_2024,
title = {Influence of Ni-Fe load in a bimetallic catalyst supported on Zeolite 13X for CO2 methanation in a fixed bed reactor},
author = {Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel and Ruiz-Alejos, David and de Jong, Wiebren and Durán, Paul and Aragüés Aldea, Pablo and Sanz Monreal, Pablo and Becerril, Miguel Ángel and Francés, Eva and Herguido, Javier and Peña, José Ángel},
url = {https://papiro.unizar.es/ojs/index.php/jji3a/article/view/10689},
year = {2024},
date = {2024-07-01},
urldate = {2024-07-01},
journal = {Jornada de Jóvenes Investigadores del I3A},
volume = {12},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}