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Fakultät BCI
Studierende sitzt am Arbeitsplatz und schaut auf den Laptop. © Aliona Kardash​/​TU Dortmund

PAS Welcomes Prof. Ignacio E. Grossmann, Pioneer in Process Systems Engineering

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© Dalga Merve Özkan
From the left: Sebastian Engell, Ignacio E. Grossmann, Sergio Lucia
On July 10th, the Chair of Process Automation Systems welcomed Prof. Ignacio E. Grossmann from Carnegie Mellon University. His lecture on the optimal synthesis and planning of sustainable chemical process and energy systems drew a large audience of BCI students and inspired in-depth discussions with PAS PhD researchers.

The Chair of Process Automation Systems had the pleasure of hosting Prof. Ignacio E. Grossmann, Rudolph R. and Florence Dean University Professor of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and a leading figure in Process Systems Engineering, on 10th of July 2025.

Prof. Grossmann delivered a lecture entitled “Optimal Synthesis and Planning of Sustainable Chemical Processes and Energy Systems”, presenting recent advances in optimization models and algorithms. His talk covered a broad spectrum of applications, including:

  • Energy systems optimization, from hydrogen supply chain design to long-term expansion planning for electric power systems with high renewable penetration, using large-scale mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) models and decomposition methods.

  • Sustainable fuels and chemical processes such as refinery retrofits for biomass processing, lignocellulosic ethanol synthesis, and shale gas infrastructure optimization, employing mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) and generalized disjunctive programming (GDP) techniques.

  • Rigorous global optimization with applications in process water networks, maritime transport planning under carbon constraints, and biomass production facility design.

The lecture highlighted how advanced optimization methods can address large-scale, nonlinear, and nonconvex problems, delivering solutions with both theoretical rigor and practical relevance.

Following the talk, Prof. Grossmann engaged in stimulating discussions with PAS PhD students about their ongoing research projects. These exchanges provided valuable feedback and new perspectives, fostering future collaborations.

The event also attracted many students from the Faculty of Biochemical and Chemical Engineering, reflecting strong interest in the topic and its industrial and environmental implications.

The PAS team extends its thanks to Prof. Grossmann for his visit, insightful lecture, and inspiring conversations.