Prof. Paola Lettieri has 25 years' experience in Particle Technology and Fluidization. Through research collaboration and consultancy, she has enabled the development of new fluid-bed processes, resolved significant operational problems in complex industrial plants, and supported the design of sustainable processes. Her work encompasses experimental measurements, x-ray imaging, and mathematical modelling. Her pioneering work on the effect of process conditions on gas fluidized beds contributed to understanding the role of interparticle forces and has been applied in industries in the chemical, petrochemical, nuclear and energy-from-waste sector, enabling: the development and scale up of fluid-bed processes at BP Chemicals; the development of the energy from waste fluid-bed gasification process at Advanced Plasma Power. Her work in Fluidization also supported the operation of the Magnox Thermal Denitration fluidized bed reactor operated at Sellafield.
She is also expert in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and her work in LCA has influenced waste management strategies for energy recovery from waste, plastic waste reduction and nuclear waste management. She currently leads research in LCA on several major EPSRC and EU funded projects, covering: plastic waste management (examples are: face coverings with IChemE and NHS; tree shelters with the Woodland Trust; remembrance poppies with Royal British Legion); bio-hydrogen production; nuclear waste management in collaboration with NNL; and the enviromental impact assessment of construction projects with MACE.