Pablo Aragüés Aldea

@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}

}

@article{ARAGUESALDEA2026115899,

title = {Packed-bed membrane reactors as a strategy for selective CO2 methanation},

author = {P. Aragüés-Aldea and P. Durán and V. D. Mercader and S. Renda and E. Francés and J. A. Peña and J. Herguido},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920586126002233},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2026.115899},

issn = {0920-5861},

year  = {2026},

date = {2026-01-01},

journal = {Catalysis Today},

volume = {476},

pages = {115899},

abstract = {CO2 methanation represents a key route within Power-to-X strategies for converting captured carbon into synthetic natural gas. However, its efficiency is limited by thermodynamic constraints, heat management issues, and undesired CO formation due to the reverse water–gas shift reaction. In this work, a novel packed-bed membrane reactor (PBMR), conceived as an evolution of the polytropic packed-bed reactor (PPBR), is proposed and experimentally validated for selective CO2 methanation. The reactor enables distributed reactant feeding through a porous membrane wall, allowing enhanced control over local reaction environments along the catalytic bed. A Ni–Fe/Al2O3 catalyst was employed and tested under various operating conditions, including different weight hourly space velocities (WHSV) and feeding configurations (conventional, co-current, and counter-current). The influence of distributing either H2 or CO2 was systematically investigated in terms of CO2 conversion, temperature profiles, and CO selectivity. While distributed configurations did not improve overall CO2 conversion compared to conventional operation, they significantly affected selectivity. In particular, CO2-distributed feeding consistently reduced CO selectivity under iso-conversion conditions, achieving up to a 40% decrease in the most favorable case. This significant reduction highlights the effectiveness of spatial reactant management in driving the reaction pathway toward methane. Overall, these results underline the critical role of reactor design in overcoming selectivity limitations and demonstrate the potential of membrane-assisted distributed feeding as a process intensification strategy for CO2 methanation.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@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%.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}