Nikola Čajová Kantová

VC 3.16

+421 41 513 7637

nikola.cajovakantova@uniza.sk

0000-0002-7529-036X

AAE-3973-2021

Profile

Ing. Nikola Čajová Kantová, PhD. completed her doctoral studies under the supervision of prof. Ing. Jozefa Jandačku, PhD. at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Žilina in 2019. During her doctoral studies, she spent a research stay at Silesian University of Technology (Poland). After completing her doctorate, she worked as a project coordinator in a company dealing mainly with energy audits. From December 2020, she works at the Research centre UNIZA as a researcher. As a researcher, she completed Erasmus+ trainings at Gdansk University of Technology and University of Agriculture in Krakow (Poland), University of Limerick (Ireland) and at research institute LEAP s.c.a r.l. (Italy). In 2023, she received the scientific qualification grade “IIa” from the SAV Commission for Assessment of Scientific Qualification. Her scientific contributions were honoured with Award for technology transfer in Slovakia 2023 in the Innovator category awarded by the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information and Award of the Rector of the University of Žilina in 2022 in the category Scientist of the University of Žilina under 35 years of age. She received an honorable mention in the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Talent Programme Slovakia 2025. In addition, she also received the Seal of Excellence in the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions call. From September 2023, she also works as a pedagogue at the Department of Power Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Žilina.

Her current research activities focus on fuel analysis and reduction of emissions aimed at particulate matter during the combustion of solid fuels, in active collaboration with renowned universities and research institutes in Poland, Czech Republic and Italy. She is also actively involved in the scientific training of bachelor and master students in the field of Power Engineering. She is the principal investigator of two national VEGA projects and one project under the Recovery and Resilience Plan call Fellowships for excellent researchers R2-R4. She is a co-author of more than 30 scientific publications in impact-factor journals indexed in the Current Contents Connect database.

Research areas

Awards and memberships

  • Member of the state examination committee for the bachelor’s degree.
  • Rector’s Award of the University of Žilina (UNIZA) for 2022 in the category UNIZA Scientist under 35, udelená rektorom ŽU v Žiline.
  • Technology Transfer Award in Slovakia 2023 in the Innovator category, awarded by the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information.
  • Honorable mention in the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Talent Programme Slovakia 2025 for the project Detection of solid fuel inorganic substances reducing the particulate matter capture efficiency by means of an electrostatic precipitator for small heat sources.
  • Seal of Excellence in the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions call (MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025) for the project Particle Motion Simulation and Cleaning System Design for a Multi-Tube Electrostatic Precipitator.
  • UNIZA Research Centre Scientist of the Year Award for outstanding scientific results in 2023, 2024, and 2025, awarded by the Director of the UNIZA Research Centre.

International cooperation

Coordinated projects

  • 09I03-03-V04-00529. Detection of solid fuel inorganic substances reducing the particulate matter capture efficiency by means of an electrostatic precipitator for small heat sources. Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic - Fellowships for excellent researchers R2-R4, 2024-2026 – Principal Investigator.
  • VEGA 1/0150/22. Energy utilization of produced waste in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic through pellets as an alternative fuel. 2022-2025 - Principal Investigator.
  • VEGA 1/0311/26. Autonomous control of the combustion process in small heat sources using artificial intelligence. 2026-2029 - Principal Investigator.
  • UNIZA Grant Schemes - University grant for early-career researchers under 35, 2021, 2022, 2023 – Principal Investigator.

Top 10 publications

  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., BACKA, A., ČAJA, A., SŁADEK, S. Increasing Electrostatic Precipitator Efficiency by Implementing and Flow Straightener in the Flue Gas Pipe: CFD Simulations and Experimental Study. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering. 2025,73, art. no. 106737.
  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., BACKA, A., ČAJA, A., JANDAČKA, J. Effect of Fuel Feeding Cycle Adjustments on Emissions in Spruce Pellet Combustion with the Application of and Four-Tube Electrostatic Precipitator. Scientific Reports. 2025,15(1), art. no. 25988.
  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., HOLUBCIK, M., CIBULA, R., BENOVA, K., MUCK, J., NAJSER, J. Thermal Degradation of Face Mask Waste Through Pyrolysis andt Different Temperatures for Value-Added Products.  Scientific Data. 2025, 12(1), ART.NO. 894.
  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., BACKA, A., CIBULA, R., ČAJA, A., HOLUBCIK, M. Influence of Biomass Pellet Composition on Particulate Matter and Electrostatic Precipitator Efficiency. ACS Omega. 2025, 10(45), p. 55054-55062.
  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., NOSEK, R., BACKA, A., ČAJA, A., JEWIARZ, M., MUDRYK, K. Energy Usage of Spruce with Waste Face Masks andnd Spent Coffee Grounds ands Fuel in and Pellet Boiler. Heliyon. 2024,10(15), art. no. e34802.
  • ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., CIBULA, R., SZLEK, A., CAJA, A., NOSEK, R., BELANY, P. The energy assessment of COVID-19 medical waste as a potential fuel.  Energy Reports. 2023, 9, p. 4995-5003.
  • HOLUBCIK, M., NEMEC, P., KAPJOR, A., ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N. Investigation of and Multi-Tube ESP: CFD-Based Electric Field and Efficiency Decrease During Long-Term Operation. IEEE ACCESS. 2025, 13, p. 147397-147407.
  • BACKA, A., NOSEK, R., ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., MALCHO, M., NEMEC, P., Experimental and Numerical Study of Near-Wall Temperature Fields in and Pellet Boiler: Impact of Excess Air Ratio andnd Heat-Transfer Optimization with and Flow Deflector. Applied Thermal Engineering. 2026, 291, art. no. 130254.
  • BACKA, A., ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., NOSEK, R., PATSCH, M. Evaluating the Combustion of Various Biomass Pellets in and Small Heat Source with Underfeed Pellet Burner: Heat Output, Gas Emission andnd Ash Melting Behavior. Journal of the Energy Institute. 2025, 118, art. no. 101936.
  • BACKA, A., ČAJOVÁ KANTOVÁ, N., NOSEK, R., SŁADEK, S. Spatial Distribution of Emissions, Temperatures, and Particulate Matter in a Combustion Zone of a Pellet Boiler. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering. 2025,73, art. no. 106631.

Media appearances

TV MARKÍZA: A world-class idea by Slovak researchers: Face masks and respirators can be converted into heating pellets. link: https://tvnoviny.sk/koronavirus/clanok/141769-svetovy-napad-slovenskych-vyskumnikov-ruska-a-respiratory-dokazu-premenit-na-vykurovacie-pelety

STVR: Young researchers are developing a method for the energy recovery of waste from face masks. link: https://spravy.stvr.sk/2021/12/mladi-vyskumnici-vyvijaju-metodu-na-energeticke-zhodnotenie-odpadu-z-rusok/

Nový čas: At the University of Žilina, they are testing a revolutionary eco-solution: See how used face masks and respirators can be reused! link: https://www.cas.sk/spravy/domace-spravy/na-univerzite-v-ziline-testuju-revolucne-ekoriesenie-aha-ako-mozno-vyuzit-pouzite-ruska-a-respiratory

ŽILINAK: Researchers from Žilina want to utilize used face masks and respirators by adding them to wood pellets. link: https://www.zilinak.sk/clanky/18177/vyskumnici-zo-ziliny-chcu-zhodnocovat-pouzite-ruska-a-respiratory-pridavanim-do-drevnych-peliet

MY ŽILINA: A scientist from Žilina is utilizing waste: together with her colleagues, she produces pellets from face masks and respirators. link: https://my.sme.sk/zilina/c/zilinska-vedkyna-zhodnocuje-odpad-z-rusok-a-respiratorov-vyraba-s-kolegami-pelety

TransFer technológií bulletin: A young scientist is exploring options for the efficient utilization of waste from respirators. link: https://ttb.sk/clanky/mlada-vedkyna-hlada-moznosti-efektivneho-zhodnotenia-odpadu-z-respiratorov/

SP21 ŽILINA: A young scientist from the University of Žilina received a prestigious award. link: https://zilina.sp21.sk/a/b7d50abc-f788-4e71-8414-b790324c1950/mlada-vedkyna-zo-zilinskej-univerzity-v-ziline-ziskala-vynimocne-ocenenie