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Electro- and photochemical microreactors intensified by acoustics

Project description

Electro- and photochemical reactors for sustainable chemistry

Small-scale flow reactors for electro- and photochemistry enable green and sustainable processes in the chemical industry. However, the throughput and productivity of these reactors prevent their industrial application. The EU-funded MicroDisco project will exploit the synergistic effect of ultrasound on intensified electro- and photochemical reactors. The project will achieve a fundamental understanding of the underlying ultrasound physics and their interplay with reactor geometry, material and fluid properties, and ultrasound resonance modes. MicroDisco will provide a theoretical tool for the prediction of ultrasound resonance modes. This tool can be exploited to design microchemical devices which will eliminate the diffusion limitation of electrochemical reactors, and increase light utilisation and mass transfer in two-phase photochemical reactors.

Objective

Small-scale flow reactors for electro- and photochemistry support the shift in chemical manufacture towards green and sustainable processes based on renewable energy sources. However, the industrial application of these small-scale flow reactors is significantly limited by their currently achieved throughput and productivity.
The MICRODISCO project aims to overcome these productivity limitations by exploiting the synergistic effect of ultrasound on intensified electro- and photochemical reactors. Specifically, we will gain a fundamental understanding of the underlying ultrasound physics and their interplay with reactor geometry, material and fluid properties, based on beyond state-of-the-art modeling and experiments (Objective 1). Subsequently, we will exploit this fundamental understanding to controllably excite ultrasound resonance modes to overcome species and electron/photon transport limitations in rationally designed intensified reactors. We will eliminate the diffusion limitation of electrochemical reactors for high-throughput self-supported organic synthesis by inducing active mixing via ultrasound resonance (Objective 2). Furthermore, we will increase light utilization and mass transfer in two-phase photochemical reactors by inducing the gas-liquid atomization phenomenon (i.e. to nebulize liquid droplets from the liquid slug into the illuminated gas bubble) via ultrasound resonance (Objective 3).
The MICRODISCO project will provide fundamental understanding of ultrasound resonance modes and a theoretical tool for their prediction, leading to innovative and intensified electro- and photochemical reactors promoting green and sustainable chemistry.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2020-COG

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Host institution

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 994 500,00
Address
OUDE MARKT 13
3000 LEUVEN
Belgium

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Region
Vlaams Gewest Prov. Vlaams-Brabant Arr. Leuven
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 994 500,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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