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This thesis proposes as an attractive alternative to the classical separation of gaseous propylene/propane mixtures, the reactive absorption process integrating in a suitable gas-liquid contactor the absorption step with the selective formation of reversible complexes olefin-silver in room temperature ionic liquid media. Firstly, a brief, outlook overview of the currently light olefin industry and their importance in the modern society is presented, emphasizing the problematic in the propylene/propane gas mixture separations. With the potential use of the room temperature ionic liquids as sustainable reactive media, a suitable gas-liquid contactor and the reactive absorption process perspective, the framework of this thesis in which this novel research is conducted can be established as the process intensification strategy to reach an efficient propylene/propane mixture separation.

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In 2005 Alfredo Ortiz Sainz de Aja graduated in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cantabria.Besides, he received in 2006 his B.Sc. Degree in Technical Industrial Engineering specialty in Industrial Chemistry and in 2008 his Master in Chemical Engineering: Sustainable Production and Consumption. Currently, Alfredo is assistant professor

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