Benjamin Hupfauf

Benjamin Hupfauf is a Researcher at the Management Center Innsbruck, specializing in thermal process engineering, environmental engineering, and renewable energy systems. He has held this position since February 2010 and concurrently pursued doctoral studies in Technical Sciences at Leopold Franzens University (University of Innsbruck) since 2012. His research focuses on biochar production, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), and sustainable waste-to-resource technologies.

Education:

• Dr. techn. (Doctorate in Technical Sciences), Leopold Franzens University (2012–present)
• DI (FH) in Process and Environmental Engineering, Management Center Innsbruck (2004–2008)
• Higher Technical Training in Mechanical Engineering, Technical Institute (1998–2003)

Research Interests:

Dr. Hupfauf’s work addresses energy-efficient thermal processes, biochar applications in wastewater treatment, and microalgae-based nutrient recovery. His innovations include:

• Developing charcoal-based adsorbents for micropollutant removal
• Optimizing hydrothermal carbonization for agricultural and environmental applications
• Pioneering decentralized biomass gasification systems for cost-effective electricity generation

His projects often integrate industrial collaboration, such as the Josef Ressel Center for powdered activated carbon production from municipal waste.

Awards:

• Best Scientific Poster Award (2013) for work on biomass energy compression via HTC

Grants & Projects:

He leads over 20 research initiatives funded by entities like the Tyrolean Government, FFG (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), and industry partners. Notable projects include:

• TiHoB: Sustainable charcoal briquette production using novel binders
• ReCoal: Phosphorus recovery from wastewater using microalgae
• AFB: Functionalization of biochar as activated carbon by-product

Labs & Teams:

His work is conducted within the Management Center Innsbruck’s process engineering labs and collaborative frameworks like the Josef Ressel Center. He actively engages in international conferences (e.g., ACHEMA, Biochar Conferences) and supervises student research on topics ranging from biochar toxicity to HTC process optimization.