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Washington State University
The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Faculty & Staff

Manuel Garcia-Perez, PhD

Manuel Garcia-Perez

Manuel Garcia-Perez, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor

Biomass thermochemical conversion (torrefaction, pyrolysis, gasification and combustion); development and testing of new bio-oil refineries to produce advanced bio-fuels and bio-chemicals; environmental impact of thermochemical processes

Dr. Garcia-Perez’s Webpage at WSU Biological Systems Engineering

Office: 205 LJ Smith đź“ž509-335-7758

Lab: Biomass thermochemical conversion

Biological Systems Engineering
Washington State University
L. J. Smith 205, P.O. Box 64120
Pullman, WA 99164-6120

Graduate Students

Brennan Pecha

Syllabi

Dr. Manuel Garcia-Perez’s research addresses the environmental burden associated with the world’s declining petroleum resources. He is currently working on new Thermochemical conversion concepts—a process that converts biomass waste, such as forest residues, sugar cane bagasse, triglycerides, sugars, and starch, into transportation fuels and chemicals. Garcia-Perez and his research partners have worked for more than ten years in novel approaches to characterize bio-oils produced from diverse agricultural and forest feedstock’s and to develop refineries to convert these oils into transportation fuels and chemicals.

Research Interests

  • Biomass Thermochemical Reactions
  • Modeling Development and Testing of Thermochemical Reactors
  • Chemical and Physico-chemical characteristics of Bio-oils
  • Development of advanced bio-fuels
  • Bio-oil refineries

Degrees Earned

  • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 2005 – UniversitĂ© Laval, QuĂ©bec, Canada
  • M.Sc., Chemical Engineering, 2001 – UniversitĂ© Laval, QuĂ©bec, Canada
  • M.E., Process Engineering, 1998 – Universidad de Oriente, Cuba
  • B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1995 – Universidad de Oriente, Cuba

Professional Experience

  • 2008 – Adjunct Professor at the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering (Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA)
  • 2007 – Assistant Professor at the Biological Systems Engineering Department (Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA)
  • 2006–07 – Post-doctoral fellow at the Chemical Engineering Department (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia)
  • 2005–06 – Post-doctoral fellow at the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department (University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA)

Specific Research Projects

  1. Understanding Cellulose Primary Thermo-chemical Reactions to Enhance the Yields of Anhydrosaccharides from Fast Pyrolysis, PIs: Manuel Garcia-Perez; Armando McDonald. Total award: 297,239 USD, Funding Agency: National Science Foundation, Period: January 2010–January 2013.
  2. Torrefaction of Arundo. PI: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Total Award: 15,000 USD, Portland General Electric Company, Period: Januray 2010–April 2011
  3. Feasible Pyrolytic Methods for Producing Bio-char and Advanced Bio-fuels in the State of Washington, PI: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Total award : 110,000 USD, Funding Agency : Washington State Department of Ecology, Period: January 2010–July 2011
  4. Pyrolysis of Agricultural and Forest Wastes Generated in the State of Washington to Produce Bio-fuels and Engineered Bio-chars. PIs: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Total award: 60,000 USD, Funding Agency: Washington State Department of Agriculture, Period: July 2009–July 2011
  5. New Concept to Obtain High Yields of Pyrolytic Sugars for Ethanol Production, PIs: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Shulin Chen, Total award: 120,000 USD, Funding Agency: Sun Grant, US Department of Transportation, Period: September 2009–August 2011
  6. A Forest Residue-Based Pyrolysis Bio-refinery, PIs: Karl R Englund, Marie-Pierre Laborie, Manuel Garcia-Perez Total award: 180,000 USD, Funding Agency: Sun Grant, US Department of Transportation, Period: September 2009–August 2011
  7. High quality transportation bio-fuels from Australian and American biomasses via pyrolysis and bio-oil refinery. PIs: Chun-Zhu Li, Manuel Garcia-Perez. Total Award: 237,772 USD, Funding Agency: International Science Linkages. Australian Government, Period: January 2009–January 2011 (Funds to be used in joint projects in Australia)
  8. Use of bio-char from the pyrolysis of waste organic material as a soil amendment. PIs: David Granatstein, Harold Collins, Manuel Garcia-Perez, Jonathan Yoder, Total Award: 116,078 USD, Funding agency: Washington State Department of Ecology, Period: January 2008–June 2009
  9. Bio-refinery concept to convert softwood bark to transportation fuels. PIs: Manuel Garcia-Perez, Shulin Chen. Total Award: 149,881 USD, Funding agency: Washington State Department of Ecology, Period: January 2008–June 2009

Board Memberships

  • Member of the technical advisory committee of CENIPALMA (Center of Research of the Palm Oil Industry) (Colombia)

Membership in Professional Organizations

  1. Member of the American Chemical Society
  2. Reviewer for the following peer reviewed Journals: Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Energy and Fuels, Fuel, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Applied Energy, Fuel Processing Technology, Environmental Science and Technology, Green Chemistry, Bio-molecules, Bio-resource Technology, Fuel Safety and Environmental Protection

Selected Publications

  1. Garcia-Perez M, Adams TT, Goodrum JW, Das KC, Geller D: DSC Studies to Evaluate the Impact of Bio-oil on Some Cold Flow Properties and Oxidation Stability of Bio-diesel. Bioresources Technology (In Press).
  2. Garcia-Perez M, Shen J, Wang X-S, Li C-Z: Production and Fuel Properties of Fast Pyrolysis Oil/Bio-diesel Blends. Fuel Processing Technology, Volume 91, Issue 3, March 2010, 296–305.
  3. Johnson R L, Liaw S-S, Garcia–Perez M, Ha S, Lin S-S, McDonald A, Chen S, Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Studies to Evaluate High-Temperature Aqueous Pretreatment as a Way to Modify the Composition of Bio-oil from Fast Pyrolysis of Wheat Straw. Energy & Fuels, 2009, 23, 6242–6252.
  4. Shen J, Wang X-S, Garcia-Perez M, Mourant D, Rhodes M, Li C-Z: Effect of Particle Size on the Fast Pyrolysis of Oil Mallee Woody Biomass. Fuel 88, 2009, 1810–1817.
  5. Smith J, Das KC, Garcia-Perez M: Producing Fuel and Speciality Chemicals from the Slow Pyrolysis of Poultry DAF Skimmings. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 86, 2009, 115–121.
  6. Garcia-Perez M, Wang S, Shen J, Rhodes MJ, Lee W-J, Li C-Z: Effects of Temperature on the Formation of Lignin Derived Oligomers during the Fast Pyrolysis of Mallee Woody Biomass. Energy and Fuels 2008, 22, 2022–2032.
  7. Garcia-Perez M, Wang S X, Shen J, Rhodes M J, Tian F-J, Lee W-J, Wu H, Li C-Z: Fast Pyrolysis of Oil Mallee Biomass: Effect of Temperature on the Yield and Quality of Products. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2008, 47, 1846–1854.
  8. Das KC, Garcia-Perez M, Bibens B, Melear N: Slow Pyrolysis of Poultry Litter and pine Woody Biomass: Impact of Char and Bio-oils on Microbial growth. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A Toxic/Hazardours substances & Environmental Engineering, 2008, Vol. 43, 7, 714–724.
  9. Peláez-Samaniego MR, Garcia-Perez M, Cortez L.B., Rosillo-Calle F., Mesa J.: Improvements of Brazilian Carbonization Industry as Part of the Creation of a Global Biomass Economy. Renew Sust Energ Rev. V 12, n 4, May, 2008, 1063–1086.
  10. Garcia-Nunez J.A., Garcia-Perez M, K.C. Das: Determination of kinetic parameters of thermal degradation of Palm Oil Mill by Products using Thermogravimetric Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Transactions of the ASABE. , v 51, n2, 2008, 547–557.
  11. Pelaez-Samaniego M.R., Garcia-Perez M, Cortez L.A.B., Olmedo G., Oscuello J: Energy Situation of Ecuador: Current Status. In Press Energy Policy, v 35, n 8, August, 2007, 4177–4189.
  12. Garcia-Perez M, Adams T.T., Goodrum J.W., Geller D.P., Das K.C.: Production and Fuel Properties of Pine Chip Bio-oil/Biodiesel Blends. Energy and Fuels, 2007, 21 (4) 2363.
  13. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Pakdel H, Kretschmer D, Roy C: Vacuum Pyrolysis of Softwood and Hardwood Residues. Comparison between Product Yields and Bio-oil Properties. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. 2007. Volume 78, Issue 1, 104–116.
  14. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Pakdel H, Kretschmer D, Roy C: Characterization of Bio-oils in Chemical Families. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2007, Volume 31, 4, 222–242
  15. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Pakdel H, Kretschmer D, Rodrigue D, Roy C: Multiphase Structure of Bio-Oils. Energy and Fuels, 2006, 20, 364–375.
  16. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Pakdel H, Kretschmer D, Rodrigue D, Roy C: Evaluation of the influence of stainless steel and copper on the aging process of bio-oil. Energy and Fuels, 2006, 20, 786–795.
  17. Garcia–Perez M, Lappas P, Hughes P, Dell L, Chaala A, Kretschmer D, Roy C: Evaporation and Combustion Characteristics of Biomass Vacuum Pyrolysis Oils. IFRF Electronic Journal, May 2006 http://www.journal.ifrf.net/, Article number: 200601, ISSN 1562-479X.
  18. Darmstadt H, Garcia-Perez M, Adnot A, Chaala A, Kretschmer D, Roy C: Corrosion of Metals by Bio-oils Obtained by Vacuum Pyrolysis of Softwood Bark Residues. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger Electron Spectroscopy Study. Energy & Fuel, 2004, 18, 1291–1301.
  19. Chaala A, Ba T, Garcia-Perez M, Roy C : Colloidal Properties of Bio-oils obtained by vacuum pyrolysis of softwood bark. Ageing and Thermal Stability. Energy & Fuel, 2004, 18, n 5, 1535–1542.
  20. Ba T, Chaala A, Garcia-Perez M, Roy C: Colloidal properties of bio-oils obtained by vacuum pyrolysis of Softwood bark. Storage Stability. Energy & Fuel, 2004, 18, 188–201.
  21. Ba T, Chaala A, Garcia-Perez M, Rodrigue D, Roy C : Colloidal Properties of Bio-oils Obtained by Vacuum Pyrolysis of Softwood Bark. Characterization of Water-soluble and Water-insoluble Fractions. Energy and Fuels, 2004, 18, 704–712.
  22. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Pakdel H, Roy C: Vacuum Pyrolysis of Sugar Cane bagasse. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 65, 2002, 111–136.
  23. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Roy C: Co-pyrolysis of Sugarcane Bagasse with Petroleum Residue. Part II. Product Yields and Properties. Fuel, 81, 2002, 893–907.
  24. Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Yang J, Roy C: Co-pyrolysis of Sugarcane Bagasse with Petroleum Residue. Part I: Thermogravimetric Analysis. Fuel 80, 2001, 1245–1258.
  25. Darmstadt H, Garcia-Perez M, Chaala A, Cao N, Roy C: Co-pyrolysis under Vacuum of Sugarcane Bagasse and Petroleum Residue. Properties of Charcoal and Activated Char Products. Carbon 39, 2001, 815–825.

Research Team

Prof. Manuel Garcia-Perez with his students in the lab
Prof. Manuel Garcia-Perez with his students in the lab.
Dr. Garcia-Perez works with a student in the lab
Dr. Garcia-Perez works with a student in the lab