Orla Williams

Contact

• workRoom Co2a ITRC
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• Orla.Williams@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

I am an Assistant Professor in the Advanced Materials Research Group at the University of Nottingham. I am an expert in biomass processing and also Chartered Mechanical Engineer with over 8 years of industrial experience in the rail (Snowdon Mountain Railway), defence aerospace (Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace), construction (Buro Happold Consulting Engineers) and power sectors (EDF) in the UK and USA.

I completed a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bath, and worked as a Chartered Building Services Engineer for Buro Happold Consulting Engineers in Bath and Los Angeles for several years prior to starting my EngD. I have also worked as an engineering drawing archivist for the Snowdon Mountain Railway, and as an environmental engineer at Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace.

I was awarded an Engineering Doctorate from the Efficient Fossil Energy Technology Centre at the University of Nottingham in 2016. During my Engineering Doctorate in conjunction with EDF Energy and the Biomass & Fossil Fuel Research Alliance at the University of Nottingham, I focused on the milling of biomass for power generation. This research formed part of a highly commended 4* REF2021 Impact Case study on renewable fuels.

Between 2018 and 2024 I undertook a prestigious Anne McLaren Research Fellowship investigating sustainable biomass-based processing techniques to produce critical raw materials for the circular economy and the net zero transition.

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Research Summary

My current research focuses on three key themes:

1. Biomass Processing for Bioenergy

I am a recognised world-leading expert in biomass milling. My novel research on biomass milling, started during my Engineering Doctorate (EngD, 2011-2015) at the University of Nottingham, has been developed from an academic technique into a fuel milling performance ranking tool.

The tool is now used by power generators such as Drax to make strategic decisions on fuel selection. This includes multi-million-pound contracts and has resulted in measurable reductions in carbon emissions on a national scale, whilst allowing for wider range of securer and more sustainable biofuels for power generation. This work formed a central part of a highly commended 4* REF2021 Impact Case study on renewable fuels.

I currently have 2 EngDs with Net Zero Research and Drax Power exploring the impact of moisture on biomass pellet production and mitigation strategies for dust formation in biomass pellet transportation systems.

2. Machanochemical Extraction of Critical Raw Materials

I am developing novel methods of recovering critical raw materials from waste streams using mechanochemical processing. This method combines milling and material extraction, taking advantage of the synergistic effect of combining milling and material extraction into one process, reducing energy, processing time and the need for harmful chemicals often found in conventional extraction techniques. I am currently working on projects to recover metals from phytomining wastes using mechanochemical extraction

3. Life Cycle Analysis for Process Optimisation

I have conducted several LCAs in industry and now supervise LCAs for research projects. I am proficient in several LCA software packages including TEAM, Gabi, and Simapro, which I currently use for LCA. I am currently supervising LCA projects on biomass pelleting plants, production of Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for carbon capture, and hydrogen production in Nigeria.

Recent Publications

• JIMENEZ-PAZ, J., LOZADA-CASTRO, J. J., LESTER, E., WILLIAMS, O., STEVENS, L. and BARRAZA-BURGOS, J., 2023. Solutions to hazardous wastes issues in the leather industry: adsorption of Chromium iii and vi from leather industry wastewaters using activated carbons produced from leather industry solid wastes: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 11(3),
• GÜLEÇ, F., PEKASLAN, D., WILLIAMS, O. and LESTER, E., 2022. Predictability of higher heating value of biomass feedstocks via proximate and ultimate analyses – A comprehensive study of artificial neural network applications: Fuel Fuel. 320,
• ORLA WILLIAMS, PATRICK DALEY, JOSEPH PERKINS, SHOAIB SHAH, EDWARD ANDRES GARCIA SAAVEDRA, MARIA TRUJILLO, JUAN BARRAZA-BURGOS, CARLOS JULIO ESPITIA, MARIBEL BARAJAS, JUAN SEBASTIAN SALTAREN, NICOLÁS JAVIER GIL and EDWARD HENRY LESTER, 2022. Novel Thermal and Microscopic Techniques To Determine the Causes of Suboptimal Combustion Performance at Colombian Stoker Furnaces ACS Omega. 7(14), 11618-11630
• GÜLEÇ, F., WILLIAMS, O., KOSTAS, E. T., SAMSON, A., STEVENS, L. A. and LESTER, E., 2022. A comprehensive comparative study on methylene blue removal from aqueous solution using biochars produced from rapeseed, whitewood, and seaweed via different thermal conversion technologies: Fuel Fuel. 330,

• View all publications

• JIMENEZ-PAZ, J., LOZADA-CASTRO, J. J., LESTER, E., WILLIAMS, O., STEVENS, L. and BARRAZA-BURGOS, J., 2023. Solutions to hazardous wastes issues in the leather industry: adsorption of Chromium iii and vi from leather industry wastewaters using activated carbons produced from leather industry solid wastes: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 11(3),
• GÜLEÇ, F., PEKASLAN, D., WILLIAMS, O. and LESTER, E., 2022. Predictability of higher heating value of biomass feedstocks via proximate and ultimate analyses – A comprehensive study of artificial neural network applications: Fuel Fuel. 320,
• ORLA WILLIAMS, PATRICK DALEY, JOSEPH PERKINS, SHOAIB SHAH, EDWARD ANDRES GARCIA SAAVEDRA, MARIA TRUJILLO, JUAN BARRAZA-BURGOS, CARLOS JULIO ESPITIA, MARIBEL BARAJAS, JUAN SEBASTIAN SALTAREN, NICOLÁS JAVIER GIL and EDWARD HENRY LESTER, 2022. Novel Thermal and Microscopic Techniques To Determine the Causes of Suboptimal Combustion Performance at Colombian Stoker Furnaces ACS Omega. 7(14), 11618-11630
• GÜLEÇ, F., WILLIAMS, O., KOSTAS, E. T., SAMSON, A., STEVENS, L. A. and LESTER, E., 2022. A comprehensive comparative study on methylene blue removal from aqueous solution using biochars produced from rapeseed, whitewood, and seaweed via different thermal conversion technologies: Fuel Fuel. 330,
• GÜLEÇ, F., SAMSON, A., WILLIAMS, O., KOSTAS, E. T. and LESTER, E., 2022. Biofuel characteristics of chars produced from rapeseed, whitewood, and seaweed via thermal conversion technologies – Impacts of feedstocks and process conditions: Fuel Processing Technology Fuel Processing Technology. 238,
• GÜLEÇ, F., WILLIAMS, O., KOSTAS, E. T., SAMSON, A. and LESTER, E., 2022. A comprehensive comparative study on the energy application of chars produced from different biomass feedstocks via hydrothermal conversion, pyrolysis, and torrefaction: Energy Conversion and Management Energy Conversion and Management. 270,
• PATRICK DALEY, MARKUS REINMÖLLER, ORLA WILLIAMS, CHENG HENG PANG and EDWARD LESTER, 2022. The influence of mineral addition on the Optimised Advanced Ash Fusion Test (OAAFT) and its thermochemical modelling and prediction Journal of the Energy Institute. 105, 121-132
• GÜLEÇ, F., RIESCO, L. M. G., WILLIAMS, O., KOSTAS, E. T., SAMSON, A. and LESTER, E., 2021. Hydrothermal conversion of different lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks – Effect of the process conditions on hydrochar structures: Fuel Fuel. 302,
• JOHNSTON, A. L., LESTER, E., WILLIAMS, O. and GOMES, R. L., 2021. Understanding Layered Double Hydroxide properties as sorbent materials for removing organic pollutants from environmental waters: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 9(4),
• WILLIAMS, O. S. A., DALEY, P., PERKINS, J., MARTINEZ-MENDOZA, K. L., GUERRERO-PERREZ, J., MAZABUEL, L. M. S., SAAVEDRA, E. A. G., TRUJILLO, M., BARRAZA-BURGOS, J., BARAJAS, M., ROMERO, M. H. and LESTER, E. H., 2021. Upgrading of Low-Grade Colombian Coals via Low-Cost and Sustainable Calcium Nitrate Dense Media Separation: ACS Omega ACS Omega.
• PERKINS, J., WILLIAMS, O., WU, T. and LESTER, E., 2020. Automated image analysis techniques to characterise pulverised coal particles and predict combustion char morphology: Fuel Fuel. 259,
• GARCIA, E., BARRAZA-BURGOS, J., GUERRERO, J., TRUJILLO, M., LESTER, E. and WILLIAMS, O., 2020. Experimental data on morphological characterization of chars from coal and bagasse blends: Data in Brief Data in Brief. 29,
• ALI, A., MACKENZIE, R., LESTER, E., WILLIAMS, O., GREEDY, S. and IEEE,, 2020. A PASSIVE, RFID TAG FOR BIOMASS TRACKING. In: 2020 14th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation Ieee.
• WILLIAMS, O., CLARK, I., GOMES, R. L., PEREHINEC, T., HOBMAN, J. L., STEKEL, D. J., HYDE, R., DODDS, C. and LESTER, E., 2019. Removal of copper from cattle footbath wastewater with layered double hydroxide adsorbents as a route to antimicrobial resistance mitigation on dairy farms: Science of the Total Environment Science of the Total Environment. 655, 1139-1149
• KOSTAS, E. T., WILLIAMS, O. S. A., DURAN-JIMENEZ, G., TAPPER, A. J., COOPER, M., MEEHAN, R. and ROBINSON, J. P., 2019. Microwave pyrolysis of Laminaria digitata to produce unique seaweed-derived bio-oils: Biomass and Bioenergy Biomass and Bioenergy. 125, 41-49
• WILLIAMS, O., URE, A., STEVENS, L., BINNER, E., DODDS, C., KINGMAN, S., DAS, B., DASH, P. S. and LESTER, E., 2019. Formation of metallurgical coke within minutes through coal densification and microwave energy: Energy and Fuels Energy and Fuels. 33(7), 6817-6828
• DALEY, PATRICK JAMES, WILLIAMS, ORLA, PANG, CHENG HENG, WU, TAO and LESTER, EDWARD, 2019. The impact of ash pellet characteristics and pellet processing parameters on ash fusion behaviour FUEL. 251, 779-788
• KOSTAS, E. T., DURÁN-JIMÉNEZ, G., SHEPHERD, B. J., MEREDITH, W., STEVENS, L. A., WILLIAMS, O. S. A., LYE, G. J. and ROBINSON, J. P., 2019. Microwave pyrolysis of olive pomace for bio-oil and bio-char production: Chemical Engineering Journal Chemical Engineering Journal.
• LESTER, E., AVILA, C., PANG, C. H., WILLIAMS, O., PERKINS, J., GADDIPATTI, S., TUCKER, G., BARRAZA, J. M., TRUJILLO-URIBE, M. P. and WU, T., 2018. A proposed biomass char classification system: Fuel Fuel. 232, 845-854
• WILLIAMS, O., TAYLOR, S., LESTER, E., KINGMAN, S., GIDDINGS, D. and EASTWICK, C., 2018. Applicability of mechanical tests for biomass pellet characterisation for bioenergy applications: Materials Materials. 11(8),
• WILLIAMS, O., EASTWICK, C., KINGMAN, S., GIDDINGS, D., LORMOR, S. and LESTER, E., 2017. Overcoming the caking phenomenon in olive mill wastes: Industrial Crops and Products Industrial Crops and Products. 101, 92-102
• WILLIAMS, O., LESTER, E., KINGMAN, S., GIDDINGS, D., LORMOR, S. and EASTWICK, C., 2017. Benefits of dry comminution of biomass pellets in a knife mill: Biosystems Engineering Biosystems Engineering. 160, 42-54
• ROLLINSON A N and WILLIAMS O, 2016. Experiments on torrefied wood pellet: study by gasification and characterization for waste biomass to energy applications Royal Society Open Science. 3, 150578
• ORLA WILLIAMS, GARY NEWBOLT, CAROL EASTWICK, SAM KINGMAN, DONALD GIDDINGS, STEPHEN LORMOR and EDWARD LESTER, 2016. Influence of mill type on densified biomass comminution Applied Energy. 182, 219-231
• ORLA WILLIAMS, CAROL EASTWICK, SAM KINGMAN, DONALD GIDDINGS, STEPHEN LORMOR and EDWARD LESTER, 2015. Investigation into the applicability of Bond Work Index (BWI) and Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) tests for several biomasses compared to Colombian La Loma coal Fuel. 158, 379–387
• O WILLIAMS, C EASTWICK, E LESTER, D GIDDINGS and S LORMOR, 2015. Impact of Mill Type on Biomass Milling Behaviour In: 2015 ASABE Annual International Meeting.
• ROBERT DAWSON, LEE A. STEVENS, ORLA S. A. WILLIAMS, WEIXING WANG, BENJAMIN O. CARTER, SAM SUTTON, TREVOR C. DRAGE, FRÉDÉRIC BLANC, DAVE J. ADAMS and ANDREW I. COOPER, 2014. ‘Dry bases’: carbon dioxide capture using alkaline dry water Energy & Environmental Science. 7, 1786-1791
• O WILLIAMS, C EASTWICK, E LESTER, D GIDDINGS and N BYRNE, 2014. The impact of moisture on the milling behaviour of different biomasses In: 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition.
• O WILLIAMS, C EASTWICK, E LESTER, D GIDDINGS and N BYRNE, 2013. Optimisation of Biomass Milling for Conveyance and Combustion In: 21st European Biomass Conference and Exhibition.
• O WILLIAMS, C EASTWICK, S GRAHAM and A COOPER, 2013. The Impact of Storage on the Optimisation of Milling of Biomasses used in Power Generation In: 3rd IEA CCC Workshop on Cofiring Biomass with Coal.