Maria Montanez-Morantes

* Project leader for research projects * Facilitator of brainstorming sessions and responsible for initial screening of proposed ideas

* Review and decide on the monthly manufacturing run plan * Make necessary arrangements for the transportation of aromatic products on vessels/barges through Europe/North Africa *Learnt how to work under time pressure, inventory management, teamwork, make flexible plans and make decisions in a short time, with only limited information available * Ensured optimal level of customer experience * Responsible for a project to optimise demurrage spending. Collected data, developed a dashboard and identified main causes of demurrage

* Model developer for several customers using supply optimization software * Successfully imparted customer training courses and provided customer support

* Assisted in the development of a pilot model using supply optimization software * Successfully delivered training courses, to classes of 10+ participants

* Developed analysis of minimum chemical inventory requirements * Performed general maintenance duties to the equipment

The main objective of the project was to develop a general framework for the optimisation of the operating conditions of cryogenic processes. I successfully managed to write computational models to estimate the part-load performance of centrifugal compressors and simulate plate-fin heat exchangers, and to integrate such models into the optimisation framework. I found savings of up to 3% in shaft work demand in the case studies. I presented advances of my research at the London ESCAPE 22 conference and at the 29th Process Integration Research Consortium.

Modules covered include: separation processes, thermodynamics, chemical reactors, transfer phenomena, design and evaluation of chemical projects, process control.

Dissertation – “Melting crystallisation of ionic liquids”