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Agustin Valera Medina  BEng(Hons), MSc, PhD, FHEA IMechE FLSW

Professor Agustin Valera Medina

BEng(Hons), MSc, PhD, FHEA IMechE FLSW

Co-Director of the Net Zero Innovation Institute
Professor - Teaching and Research

School of Engineering

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Available for postgraduate supervision

Overview

2006-09 PhD Mechanical Engineering. Thesis Title: Coherent structures and their effects on processes occurring in swirl combustors for turbines. Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. Studies in flashback, flame stability, structural analysis of swirl burners and combustion of alternative fuels in gas turbines for emissions reduction.  Reg. No. 576982 (CEng).

2005-06 MSc in Geoenvironmental Engineering. Modules included: Geochemistry, advanced management, environmental laws, renewable energy, NOx mitigation using swirl burners. Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. Distinction, First Class Student.

1998-02 BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering in Thermo-energy and Environmental Improvement. Modules included: Applied thermodynamics (10/10), selected themes on energy production (10/10), material mechanics (9/10), Structural design (10/10), fluid dynamics (9/10). Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico. Distinction, First Class Student. Reg. No. 3832876.

EXPERIENCE

2012-Curr. Professor at Cardiff University. Combustion Dynamics and Thermofluids. 2009-2012 Project Leader and Research Associate (level 7). CIATEQ A.C., National Council of Science and Technology. 2007-09 Research Assistant, Gas Turbine Research Centre (GTRC) and the Centre for Research in Energy, Waste and Environment (CREWE) at Cardiff University. 2006-09 Lecturer Assistant and Invigilator, Cardiff University. 2003-05 Project Leader and Project Engineer. Assa Abloy, Locks Manufacturing Industry. 2002-03 Research Assistant. Materials Science Institute, UNAM.

Mechanical, Manufacturing and Medical Engineering
Energy and Environment


HONORS AND ACTIVITIES

* Awarded by Dr. Barnés de Castro (UNAM University Rector) for obtaining the best grades of the generation 1994-1997. * Member of the High Academic Achievement Program, UNAM (1998 to 2002). * Member of the TELMEX Foundation (1998 to 2002). Recipient of scholarship. * Awarded a scholarship by the Materials Science Institute (2001 to 2002) to participate in a materials-related research project. * Awarded a scholarship by CONACYT (2002) to participate in a thermoelectric materials-related research project. *First Prize in the Young Researchers Forum, Energy Institute, Cardiff University (2006). * First Prize in the Conference on Heat and mass transfer and hydrodynamics in swirling flows, Moscow, Russia, 2008. * Second Prize in the Young Researcher in Combustion Forum, Institute of Physics, U.K., 2009. *Recipient of the Award for the AIAA Best Terrestrial Energy System Paper, 2010 and 2013. * Award for best paper in the SEE SDEWES 2018 conference.* Member of the National System of Researchers (SNI-1), Mexico, 2010. *Recipient of Award for International Engagement with Mexico through the Seedcorn Fund, Cardiff University (2015). *Recipient of Award for Research on Fundamental Fluid Mechanics with KU Leuven, Cardiff University (2016). *Recipient of the Innovation Award and Sustainable Awards, Southwales Energy Institute, Cardiff University (2017 and 2019).*Visiting Professor, Jiangsu University (2021). *Recipient of the Award for the Best ASME paper in the session “Combustion, Fuel and Emissions” (2024).  

MEMBERSHIPS (Career Oriented) * Combustion Institute, British Section. * Energy Institute, London. * American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA. * Chartered Engineer, IMechE (Corporate Member, CEng). Memb. Num. 80096373 * National System of Researchers, SNI * Mexican Society of Mechanical Engineers, SOMIM, active member.* Committee Member Combustion Institute British Section (2018 - 2022). *Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). *Institute of Physics, Affiliate Member. *EPSRC College Member, 2016. *Member of the European Turbine Network, Ammonia Gas Turbine subgroup. *Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales. 

INTERNATIONAL PEER-REVIEWS 

*National Council of Science and Technology, Mexico (PROINNOVA, INNOVATEC, International Scholarships, National Young Awards); *EPSRC, UK: Research projects, Energy topics; *Flanders Research Foundations (FWO): External reviewer, 8combustion and energy; *Research and Higher Education Monitoring and Analysis Centre, Lithuania: Energy and Sustainability; *The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, USA; *Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); *National Centre of Science and Technology evaluation Kazakhstan (NCSTE); *Academy of Finland; Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS (Belgium); Nordic Maritime Transport and Energy Programme (Scandinavia); Loire Valley Institute for Advanced Studies (France); Deanship of Research Oversight and Coordination (Saudi Arabia); CNRS, Europe of Research and International Cooperation Office (France); European Commission (ERC program); TTW Perspectives (the Netherlands); COST Action (European Union).

Journals: Energy Conversion and Management; Journal of SAGE, Advances in Mechanical Engineering; Energies; Ingenieria, Investigacion y Tecnologia; Int Journal of Energy Research; Energy and Fuels; Applied Thermal Engineering; J Natural Gas Science and Engineering; ITECKNE; Mexican Society of Mechanical Engineers; Int J Heat Transfer; Int J Hydrogen Energy; Energy (Elsevier); ASME Turbo Expo; J of Combustion; Numerical Combustion Science; Combustion Symposium; Combustion Symposium; IONICS (Springer); Polish Maritime Research; Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects (T&F); International Journal of Multiphase Flow.

Session Chair: International Conference of Applied Energy (2016-2018); SDEWES (2018, 2019); NH3 Conference (2018); Ammonia Workshop, KAUST (2022); Symposium of the Combustion Institute, Low Carbon Session (2024). 

Guest Editor: J of Cleaner Production; Ammonia as an Energy Vector (MDPI).

Editorial Board: Journal of Thermal Sciences (Springer); Royal Society, Ammonia Perspectives in the UK (Ammonia to Power); Energies (MDPI); Low Carbon Technology and Management (Springer).

Scientific Committee Member: Int Conference on Energy, Ecology and Environment, Australia, 2018; Electrofuels, TBMCE Slovenia, 2018; SDEWES 2019, 2020; Latinamerican SDEWES, Argentina, 2020; Joint British-French Combustion Meeting 2020; Ammonia Workshop ASPACC 2021; 1st Symposium on Ammonia Energy, 2022; STFC Horizons Programme Reviewing Panel member; Ammonia Combustion Workshop ASPPC.

Keynote Speaker: Latin-American Congress of Turbomachinery, Queretaro, Mexico. 2014; Energy Institute, University of Leicester, England, UK. 2015; Research Excellence Conference, Institute of Engineering, UNAM, Mexico, 2015; Gas Turbine Combustion Seminar Series (10 Institutes), Mexico, 2015; UK-Mexico Year Seminar, Mexican Academy of Engineering, Mexico, 2015; Decarbonising the Yucatan Peninsula, Newton Fund, Mexico, 2017; New Energies Forum, Synnergy, London, 2017; COST-ACTION SMARTCATS (Smart Carriers and Technologies), Naples, 2019; 14th International Conference on Energy for a Clean Environment, Madeira, 2019; 3rd International Summer School, Combustion Institute, Shanghai, China, 2020; 7th International Conference on Fluid Dynamics, Sendai, Japan, 2020; 2nd CIDER Conference, Orizaba, Mexico, 2021; 21st Century Alternative Fuels, IMechE, London, UK, 2021; Clean Combustion Symposium, KAUST, Saudi Arabia, 2021; 2021 Mexican Hydrogen Society Conference, Merida, Yucatan; Propulsion Futures, Nottingham, 2021; Mario Molina Centre, Ammonia/Hydrogen collaboration BEIS-PACT, 2022; British-French Joint Meeting, Low Carbon Fuels, 2022; Hydrogen and Ammonia Workshop, INEEL, Mexico, 2022; International Workshop on Explosions and Reactive Flows, Beijing Inst Tech, 2022; Invited Lecture, IMechE Welsh Brand, Cardiff, UK, 2022; 19th International Conference on Fluid Dynamics, Tohoku, Japan, 2022; European Combustion Meeting, Rouen, France, 2023; Mediterranean Combustion Meeting, Luxor, Egypt, 2023; 2nd Symposium on Ammonia Energy, Orleans, France, 2023; 1st Joint China/UK Ammonia Combustion Workshop, Cardiff, 2023; IGTC 2023, 50th Anniversary Keynote Speech, Kyoto, Japan, 2023; 14th World Conference on Hydrogen Energy, Tulum, Mexico, 2024; 3rd Symposium on Ammonia Energy, Shanghai, China, 2024.   

Publication

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

Articles

Book sections

Books

Conferences

Thesis

Research

Contracts

Title

People

Sponsor

Value

Duration

Selective exhaust gas recirculation for carbon capture with gas turbines

Marsh R, Bowen P, Valera-Medina A

EPSRC

£1,099,891

01/10/2014 - 30/09/2017

BRISK- The European Research Infrastructure for Thermochemical Biomass Conversion

Bowen P J, Valera-Medina A

EC (FP7)

£264,930

01/10/2011 - 30/09/2015

Advanced gas turbine cycles for high efficiency and sustainable future conventional generation

Bowen P, Marsh R, Crayford A, Valera-Medina A

EPSRC via Imperial College London

£443,494

01/04/2015 - 31/03/2018

Flexible and Efficient Power Plant: Flex-E-Plant

Bowen P, Marsh R, Morris S, Valera-Medena A

EPSRC via Loughborough

£350,597

01/03/2013 - 30/09/2017

Injection mass measurement

Valera Medina A, Giles A, Morris S

Ricardo UK Ltd

£16,000

06/01/2014 - 28/02/2014

Visualisation of Honda 125 125cc Carburettor

Valera Medina A, Giles A, Morris S

Ricardo

£12,500

08/05/2013 - 07/07/2013

Decoupled Green Energy Supply

Valera-Media A, Bowen PJ, Marsh R, Crayford A

TSB (Innovate UK)

£285,000

01/01/2015 - 30/06/2018

Combustion characteristics of ammomia-based mixtures for power-generation applications

Valera-Medina A, Crayford A, Bowen P, Marsh R

Siemens AG

£161,000

01/04/2014 - 30/09/2014

COGENT – Development of flat burners

Valera-Medina A

COGENT, TATA

£10,000

01/09/2015 –

30/09/2018

FLEXIS - Flexible Integrated Energy Systems

Thomas H, Bowen P, Marsh R…, Valera-Medina A

WEFO

£1,747,115

02/02/2017-30/01/2020

Decoupled Green Energy Supply

Valera-Medina A, Bowen P, Marsh R

InnovateUK

£350,000

01/01/2015-30/06/2018

Design of Novel Combustors H2/NH3

Bigot S, Valera-Medina A

EPSRC/Renishaw

£37,208

01/09/2018-30/03/2019

Ammonia for Propulsion, Phase 1

Valera-Medina A (PI)

Endeavr

£50,000

01/10/2019-30/05/2020

SAFE-PILOT (GT)Valera-Medina A (PI), Bowen P, Marsh REPSRC£1,951,98203/02/2020-31/01/2024

Flex&Confu

Valera-Medina A (PI WP2), Bowen P, Marsh RH2020£347,25001/04/2020-31/03/2024

Optimal Fuel Blends (U. Hertfordshire - Lead)

Valera-Medina A (Co-I)EPSRC£20,77301/08/2020--31/07/2022
Green Ammonia Demonstrator (STFC - Lead)Valera-Medina A (Co-I)EPSRC£249,90001/01/2021-31/12/2023
Dock-2-Dock (Neoptera - Lead)Valera-Medina A (Co-I)InnovateUK£16,59401/11/2020-31/04/2022
LeStudium Collaboration Program

Rousselle C (PI), Valera-Medina A (Co-I) Epinondas M (Co-I), Mauss F (Co-I), DeJoannon M (Co-I)

Loire Valley, France£18,55031/08/2021-01/09/2023
Alternative zero-carbon vectors for aerospace

Valera-Medina A (PI)

Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)£12,80501/08/2021 - 01/10/2021
OcearREFuel

Brennan F (PI), Valera-Medina A (Co-I), et al.

EPSRC£1,294,20101/12/2021-30/11/2025
IDRIC - Ammonia/hydrogen use in the power sector

Bowen P (PI), Valera-Medina A (Co-I), Taylor A (Co-I), Hardalupas (Y)

EPSRC/IDRIC£167,00001/10/2021-31/09/2023
Policy, Opportunities and Challenge with H2 Vectors

Bowen P (PI), Valera-Medina A, Pugh D

Advanced Propulsion Centre UK£20,00001/01/2021-31/03/2022

Supervised Students

TitleStudentStatusDegree
Chemical Engineering and Reactor Design of a fluidised bed gasifier AL FARRAJI Abbas Abdulkareem MahmoodGraduatePhD
Heat transfer studies on gasification with nanoparticles for the production of Steam for power incrase in gas turbines. ALAKAISHI Ahmed Salih ShakerGraduatePhD
Design of a condensate recovery system for humidified advanced turbine cycles. AL DOBOON Ali Ibraheem MohammedGraduatePhD
Flame stability limits with different fuels for gas turbine combustors. (Mechanical Engineering/thermal power).ALSAEGH Ali Safa NouriGraduatePhD
Computer control of a combustion process on suppressing fluctuationOKON Aniekan AkpanCurrentPhD
Simulation and validation of use of alternative fuels in gas turbines. HATEM Fares A HatemGraduatePhD
Fuel flexibility and plant efficiency for future gas turbine engines. KURJI Hayder JabbarGraduatePhD
Effects Of Geometry and Gas Composition on Swirling FlowsBAEJ HeshamGraduatePhD
Thermosacoustic studies on alternative fuels for aeroderivative engines.XIAO HuaGraduatePhD
An experimental and modelling study of gas turbine fuel injection optimisation. ALFAHHAM Mohammed Abdulridha HusseinGraduatePhD
Heat transfer analysis towards the boundary layer and its impacts on flashback for highly enriched hydrogen blends. (Mechanical Engineering/thermal power).ALBOSHMINA Najlaa Ali HusseinGraduatePhD
Convective Heat Transfer using Nano-Particles (Specialisation - Mechanical Engineering/ Thermal Power Mechanics)FATLA Oula Muhammed HadawiGraduatePhD
Development of Rapid Annealing Without Induction.CASTANEDA GUTIERREZ OTERO Victor EduardoGraduatePhD
Alternative and Micro Propulsion Systems DULAIMI Zaid Maan HasanGraduatePhD
Fundamental studies of the Central Recirculation Zone on blowoff propagationBAEJ HeshamGraduate PhD
High Peak, Perishable Energy recovery via microsurfacesHERNANDEZ HaydeeCurrentPhD
Ammonia use for co-firing application in steelmaking processHEWLETT SallyCurrentPhD
Multiphase injection of biodiesel/syngas for cleaner combustionAWG OgbonnayaGraduatePhD
Use of hydrogen waste stream for improvement of heat distribution in steelworks SCHONIA LydiaCurrentPhD
Public Perception of Ammonia as Energy VectorMERCADO AndreaCurrentPhD
Data Mining in Steel-Making Process Under Industry 4.0CHEN ZheyuanCurrent PhD
Development of ammonia/hydrogen low NOx combustorsKOVALEVA MarinaCurrentPhD
Design of advanced modelling techniques for ammonia/hydrogen combustion systemsALNASI, AliCurrentPhD
Instabilities in NH3/H2 Gas Turbine CombustorsDAVIES, JordanCurrentPhD
Hydrogen vectors for power applicationsVIVOLI, RobinCurrentPhD
Machine Learning for the manufacture of microstructures for fluid controlESCUDERO, AlandCurrentPhD

Supervised MSc Dissertations

Name

Title

Year completion

Martin Salas

Annealing Improvement Line for Mabe Forges

2012

Alonso Jabalquinto

Manufacturing of Gas Turbine Combustors

2013

Jacob Davies

Shale Gas Analysis for the UK

2013

Steffan Davies

Shale Gas Risk Assessment in the UK

2014

Taylor Volpe

Analysis of Biodiesel in Energy

2014

Yao Sun

Risk Assessment Modelling at the GTRC

2014

Alfredo Miranda

Shale Gas in Mexico

2014

Philemon Ng’asike

Ammonia Pipeline Distribution in the UK

2015

Praveen Cardoso

Magnetic Steel Annealing Line Improvement

2015

Edith Rojo

Tidal Lagoons in the Golf of California, Mexico

2016

Rija Rakatoson

Characterisation of Burners, TATA COGENT

2016

Andrea Mercado

Ammonia for Decarbonising Yucatan, Mexico

2017

Karla Alvarez

Energy study for new burners in Steel process.

2017

David Warwick-Brown

Sustainable Business Model for Production of NH3 from renewable sources

2017

Bean Smeaton

Energy Improvement in Liquified Gas Facilities

2017

Hilde Berge

Suistainable production of ammonia using Tidal-Wind energy.

2018

Ianos Psomoglu

Design of new ammonia/methane injector

2018

Jorge Garzon

Sankey Diagram of HTCA line for COGENT

2018

Maryam Al-Abdullatif

Green Ammonia via hybrid systems and frequency int.

2019

Hamid Reza Sha

Green Ammonia via Wind and Tidal in Scotland

2019

Mohamed Zabanot

Transport of Alternative Gases using existing Pipelines

2019

Juan Payan

Use of novel designs for solar energy integration

2019

Susana Martinez

Biofuels using multiphase injection

2019

Elena Boulet

Ammonia for Propulsion

2020

Yetunde Fadeyi

Sustainable Ammonia for Developing Communities

2020

Ilayda Nemlioglu

Replacement of LPG by Ammonia in Power systems

2020

Olivia Ellson

Study of novel materials for ammonia recovery in wastewater

2021

Rayan Humaid

Ammonia for propulsion systems at Bristol Airport

2021

Teaching

Module

Number

Level

Students (average)

Lecturing  Hours/Year

Thermofluids 1

(Module Leader)

EN1103

1st Year

200-230

18

Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics

EN2041

2nd Year

160-180

18

Fluid Mechanics

EN3034

3rd Year

80-95

12

Last Year Project

EN3100

3rd Year

5

Supervision

Integrated Building Design

EN4102

MEng

35-43

12

Fuels and Energy Systems

ENT765

MSc

10-14

9

Energy Studies

ENT763

MSc

120-145

18

Case Study (Autumn)

ENT766

MSc

10-26

12

Case Study (Spring) and Dissertation

(Year Tutor)

ENT766/ ENT676

MSc

2-3/45

Supervision/ Module Leader

Combustion Science

---

CPD

10-15

24

Supervisions

  • Swirling flows and hydrodynamics, Experimental and CFD
  • Thermoacoustic Instabilities in Gas Turbines
  • Biomimetic Engineering for Boundary Layer Control
  • Multi-phase Injection with Alternative Fuels (Bios/H2/NH3)
  • Flashback Stabilization Studies for Highly Hydrogenated Blends
  • Hydrogen and Ammonia for Energy Storage and Power Production
  • Heat Transfer Improvement for Steelmaking, glass and cement Processes
  • Biomass Gasification Enhancement using Microwaves
  • Development of NH3 Cracking Techniques through Cooling Devices
  • Advanced Humidified Cycles using inert atmospheres

Current supervision

Lydia Schoina

Lydia Schoina

Research student

Aland Escudero Ornelas

Aland Escudero Ornelas

Graduate Demonstrator

Marina Kovaleva

Marina Kovaleva

Research student

Contact Details

Email ValeraMedinaA1@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone +44 29208 75948
Campuses Queen's Buildings - Central Building, Room C4.05, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA

Research themes

Specialisms

  • Ammonia
  • Hydrogen
  • Alternative Fuels
  • Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer