
Teléfono: +34 876 555 485
Email: psanzm@unizar.es
Dirección: Lab 4.2.10 c/Mariano Esquillor SN Edificio I+D+i, I3A, 50018, Zaragoza (Spain)
Sideral: Ver el perfil (CV)
SOBRE MÍ
¡Hola! Me llamo Pablo Sanz y soy graduado en Ingeniería Química desde 2023 por la Universidad de Zaragoza. Mi etapa universitaria concluyó con un Trabajo Fin de Grado (TFG) titulado "Intensificación del proceso de metanación por captura de CO₂ sobre catalizadores multifuncionales en un reactor de lecho fijo". Posteriormente, en 2025, obtuve el Máster en Ingeniería Química con el Trabajo Fin de Máster (TFM) "Análisis tecno-económico de una planta para producción de gas natural sintético a partir de biogás, vía metanación catalítica".
Actualmente trabajo a tiempo completo como Investigador Novel (N4) en el Grupo de Investigación de Catálisis e Ingeniería de Reactores (CREG). Previamente, he adquirido experiencia como becario gracias a una Beca de Colaboración en la Universidad de Zaragoza, así como con las Ayudas de la SECAT para la Introducción a la Investigación en Catálisis (2023).
PUBLICACIONES
2026
Mercader, V. D.; Sanz-Monreal, P.; Durán, P.; Aragüés-Aldea, P.; Francés, E.; Herguido, J.; Peña, J. A.
Intensifying synthetic natural gas production by functionalization of a NiFe/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with alkaline and alkaline-earth materials Artículo de revista
En: Fuel, vol. 406, pp. 136698, 2026, ISSN: 0016-2361.
@article{MERCADER2026136698,
title = {Intensifying synthetic natural gas production by functionalization of a NiFe/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with alkaline and alkaline-earth materials},
author = {V. D. Mercader and P. Sanz-Monreal and P. Durán and P. Aragüés-Aldea and E. Francés and J. Herguido and J. A. Peña},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236125024238},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.136698},
issn = {0016-2361},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
journal = {Fuel},
volume = {406},
pages = {136698},
abstract = {This study demonstrates the influence of the functionalization method (Mechanical Mixture -MM- and Dual Function Materials -DFM-) of two CO2 adsorbent species (Na and Ca) in a catalytic fixed-bed reactor for CO2 methanation. The experiments consisted of cycles beginning with a CO2 adsorption stage followed by a methanation stage (with H2), interspersed with or without inert purge periods. The greatest enhancement in methane generation was observed in experiments with a mechanical mixture (MM) of NiFe/γ-Al2O3 catalyst and Na2O/γ-Al2O3. The methane production capacity was tested over a temperature range comprised between 200 and 400 °C, with values over 380 μmol/g obtained under moderate conditions (350 °C and pCO2 = 0.12 bar) and selectivity to methane close to 100 %. Since the ultimate goal is the methanation of the CO2 present in a biogas (without removing CH4), the potential effect of the presence of methane during the CO2 adsorption stages was also investigated. To achieve this task, a feed stream representative of a sweetened biogas coming from the anaerobic decomposition of municipal solid waste (MSW) (70 %v CH4 and 30 %v CO2) was used. The results showed no adverse effects along the successive cycles, paving the way to the use of these solids for biogas upgrading. On the other hand, the catalyst did not show a significant loss of activity after several hours of repetitive adsorption-methanation cycles.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
2025
Aragüés-Aldea, Pablo; Durán, Paúl; Mercader, Víctor Daniel; Sanz Monreal, Pablo; Francés, Eva; Peña, José Ángel; Herguido, Javier
Intensificación del proceso de metanación de CO2 utilizando un reactor de pared de membrana (PBMR) Actas de congresos
vol. 13, 2025.
@proceedings{Aragüés-Aldea_Durán_Mercader_SanzMonreal_Francés_Peña_Herguido_2025,
title = {Intensificación del proceso de metanación de CO2 utilizando un reactor de pared de membrana (PBMR)},
author = {Aragüés-Aldea, Pablo and Durán, Paúl and Mercader, Víctor Daniel and Sanz Monreal, Pablo and Francés, Eva and Peña, José Ángel and Herguido, Javier},
url = {https://papiro.unizar.es/ojs/index.php/jji3a/article/view/11987},
doi = {10.26754/jji-i3a.202511987},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-07-01},
urldate = {2025-07-01},
journal = {Jornada de Jóvenes Investigadores del I3A},
volume = {13},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel; Glaser, Jonas; Durán, Paúl; Sanz Monreal, Pablo; Aragüés Aldea, Pablo; Francés, Eva; Herguido, Javier; Peña Llorente, José Ángel
Mechanical Mixture (MM) Materials for Cyclic CO₂ Power-to- Methane: Filler Influence and Stability Actas de congresos
vol. 13, 2025.
@proceedings{MercaderPlou_Glaser_Durán_SanzMonreal_AragüésAldea_Francés_Herguido_PeñaLlorente_2025,
title = {Mechanical Mixture (MM) Materials for Cyclic CO₂ Power-to- Methane: Filler Influence and Stability},
author = {Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel and Glaser, Jonas and Durán, Paúl and Sanz Monreal, Pablo and Aragüés Aldea, Pablo and Francés, Eva and Herguido, Javier and Peña Llorente, José Ángel},
url = {https://papiro.unizar.es/ojs/index.php/jji3a/article/view/11999},
doi = {10.26754/jji-i3a.202511999},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-07-01},
urldate = {2025-07-01},
journal = {Jornada de Jóvenes Investigadores del I3A},
volume = {13},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
Sanz Monreal, Pablo; Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel; Durán Sánchez, Paul Esteban; Francés Pérez, Eva; Herguido Huerta, Javier; Peña Llorente, José Ángel
Modeling and simulation of CO2 methanation in a fixed-bed reactor: Evaluation of 1D pseudo-homogeneous approaches. Actas de congresos
vol. 13, 2025.
@proceedings{SanzMonreal_MercaderPlou_DuránSánchez_FrancésPérez_HerguidoHuerta_PeñaLlorente_2025,
title = {Modeling and simulation of CO2 methanation in a fixed-bed reactor: Evaluation of 1D pseudo-homogeneous approaches.},
author = {Sanz Monreal, Pablo and Mercader Plou, Víctor Daniel and Durán Sánchez, Paul Esteban and Francés Pérez, Eva and Herguido Huerta, Javier and Peña Llorente, José Ángel},
url = {https://papiro.unizar.es/ojs/index.php/jji3a/article/view/11997},
doi = {10.26754/jji-i3a.202511997},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-07-01},
urldate = {2025-07-01},
journal = {Jornada de Jóvenes Investigadores del I3A},
volume = {13},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
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}
}