Second place in the scientific competition of the French Institute in Prague was taken by Ondřej Cejpek, a doctoral student of FME. He was successful in the Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) category, which selects the best doctoral theses in the field of environmental and climate research. Ondřej Cejpek, who researches CO₂ capture at the Energy Institute, attracted attention with his work in the field of atomizer development.

"People probably know the Green Deal for Europe, the so-called Green Deal. Our work is directly related to it, we investigate CO₂ capture from industrial processes using spray columns. Specifically, we focus on atomizers and nozzles. These relatively small devices that we are developing, actually control the entire process and have a major impact on its efficiency and the amount of CO₂ captured," explains Ondřej Cejpek, who works at the Energy Institute in the Spray Laboratory.

Atomizers are well-researched in some areas, such as their use in internal combustion engines. "These are now on the decline, so we were looking for other areas where we could apply our knowledge. One of them is chemical absorption. We are talking about capturing CO₂, for example, from power plants, heating plants or cement plants, which produce large amounts of carbon dioxide. We know that this method of capturing CO₂ works on a laboratory scale, but the question is its industrial use. In Europe, the first large-scale testing technologies are already in place. It is also necessary to look at the technology as a whole. There are many different types of nozzles with different properties. And no one has yet taken the trouble to find the right one and also optimize it for this use," says Cejpek.

From a climate point of view, it is certainly best to avoid CO₂ production as much as possible. The spray column, using atomizers, has its place, especially in those areas of industry where decarbonization would not be easy. "Some processes, such as those in cement or steel plants, are also expected to use this technology in the long term because these processes cannot yet be replaced and CO₂ is produced there by the nature of production," adds Cejpek, adding that the Green Deal envisages the energy use of captured carbon dioxide for the production of so-called green fuels.

Ondřej Cejpek first came into the laboratory during his bachelor's studies. When the offer for a doctorate came, he was attracted by both the professional content of the topic and the fact that it was useful research. "I liked its social impact, and also the fact that the topic was interesting and new," she says. He adds: "The biggest challenge is that each atomizer has to be optimized for the process. And unfortunately, optimization cannot be done by simulation, the problem is too complex for that. That is why we focus on experimental development and research of atomizers using unique laboratory techniques."

When the opportunity came to check how good he was in the domestic competition, he did not hesitate to take part in the competition for the scientific prizes of the French Institute in Prague. These are divided into seven categories, each with its sponsor. The winners can look forward to a financial reward, and the two best will get the opportunity to go to France for a scientific stay in a laboratory of their choice. Ondřej Cejpek has already thought about this option and is clear: "I would like to go to a university that, like us, deals with the topic of CO₂ capture. I would like to better understand this issue from a chemical and process point of view, which is knowledge that we lack a bit in our laboratory. And I also hope for new contacts and maybe some further cooperation," concludes Cejpek.