e-CODUCT RESEARCH PROGRESS

9. August 2024

e-CODUCT RESEARCH PROGRESS

The e-CODUCT project is developing a pilot plant to demonstrate the conversion of common industrial waste streams, CO₂ and H₂S, into value-added products, using renewable power. This technology aligns with the European Green Deal and will improve environmental performance in various industrial sectors. The technology’s ability to efficiently process mixed gas streams and its integration potential into current industrial processes emphasize its economic and environmental benefits, which have been confirmed by a comprehensive techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis.

The CO₂ emissions should be decreased thanks to the specificity of the reactions. This will be a first-of-a-kind electrified process for CO₂ conversion into platform molecules with demonstrated techno-economic, environmental feasibility and scalability studies.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL ELECTROTHERMAL FLUIDISED BED REACTOR

The consortium has finalised the reactor design and demonstrated the feasibility of the electrothermal fluidised bed (ETFB) reactor prototype. Challenges in construction, raised by highly corrosive atmosphere and high operating temperatures (>1000 °C), have been successfully overcome by selecting special high-performance materials for ETFB reactor manufacturing. To progress on the integrated pilot, a first version of P&ID has been consolidated. Then, a preliminary HAZOP has been performed. A mass and energy balance sheet of core e-CODUCT technology, with a black box diagram model, TEA and LCA models and an industrial planning tool are under development.

CONVERSION OF CO₂ AND H₂S INTO VALUABLE CHEMICALS USING RENEWABLE ENERGY

Catalytic tests have demonstrated the conversion of acid gas (H₂S and CO₂ mixture) into COS under mild conditions, leading to the selection of high performing catalysts able to generate a pure stream of products. The catalysts are shaped into extrudates with optimized formulation to be used in industrial reactors. Then, COS is decomposed to CO and S using newly developed ETFB reactor technology. CO is furthermore valorised continuously into platform molecules, such as methanol (CH₃OH) in a high-pressure fixed-bed catalytic reactor, while S is directly recovered as marketable product.

e-CODUCT ATTENDING EVENTS

The e-CODUCT project team has took part in several events that provide perfect opportunities to engage with our cutting-edge research and innovative solutions and to network with leading experts in the field.