The project has fully achieved most of its objectives and technical goals for the mid- term period. Due to the impact of COVID on international travels, the first reporting period of OPTIMAL covers August 2021 to December 2024. Due to change of personal circumstances and job move, 3 EU beneficiaries (CARBON CLEAN, SINTEF and AVGI) and 1 China partner (IMPROVE) left the consortium. There are currently 8 partners left in the consortium.
Qualitative indicators of progress and success in line with Work Plan and Milestones (description of progress towards milestones and deliverables):
(A) Exchange visits: Out of the 262 person months over 4 years, we have delivered about 122.97 person months during the first reporting period. Currently, 60 person months are ongoing.
(B) Publications: In the proposal, we promised to publish 25 journal papers and 25 conference papers. In the first reporting period, we have published (including those accepted) 28 journal papers and 26 conference papers.
(C) Milestones & Deliverables: Detailed project progress against project plan
Work Package 1
Based on work in WP1, the following scientific breakthroughs have been achieved: (i) new CFD model of combustion in thermal cracking furnace developed and validated by partner ECUST; (ii) New Reduced order models of combustion in thermal cracking furnace developed by partner ECUST; (iii) New hybrid model of the whole ethylene manufacturing process was developed and validated by partner USFD; (iv) Report on key findings of WP1 has been submitted by the project co-ordinator USFD; (v) 2 Journal papers have been published in several international leading journals and also 3 conference papers.
Work package 2
Based on work in WP2, the following scientific breakthroughs have been achieved: (i) Sensitivity analysis was carried out for thermal cracking furnace; (ii) Exergy analysis was carried out for thermal cracking furnace; (iii) 2 Journal papers and 4 conference papers published.
Work package 3
Based on work in WP3, (i) optimal design and operation of thermal cracking using steady state optimisation methods obtained. (ii) optimisation of design and operation of thermal cracking furnace was obtained via physical consistent machine learning (PCML) approach. USFD submitted a paper to an international leading journal Engineering (it is under review).
Work package 4
Based on work in WP4, the following are the scientific breakthrough: (i) experimental data on pilot scale test of solvent-based carbon capture using PB obtained by partner HNU; (ii) experimental data on pilot scale test of solvent-based carbon capture using RPB obtained by partner UNEW; (iii) Model development and validation and scale-up of solvent-based carbon capture using PB carried out by partner UNEW ; (iv) Model development, validation of intensified solvent-based carbon capture using RPB carried out by partner USFD; (v) New scale-up procedure developed for Intensified solvent-based carbon capture using RPB by partner USFD; (vi) 3 Journal papers and 6 conference papers published.
Work package 5
Based on work in WP5, the following are the scientific breakthrough: (i) Experimental data on the new super-dry reforming (SDR) of CO2 with at Lab and pilot scale has been carried out by partner UGENT; (ii) Model development and validation of the new super-dry reforming (SDR) of CO2 has been carried out by partner UGENT; (iii) Steady state modelling and validation for the modified Fischer-Tropsch process carried out by partner USFD; (iv) Results from process analysis of the modified- Fischer-Tropsch process revealed improved performance through ex-situ water removal with 71.5% CO2 conversion; (v) the following published papers -linked to WP5.
Work package 6
Based on work in WP6, integrated model of ethylene plant and carbon capture process was obtained.
(D) The 1st OPTIMAL Workshop was held at the University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK on Friday 14th Jun. 2024.
(E) 3 special OPTIMAL sessions were held in the 2nd Fuel and Energy Research and Its Applications (FERIA) Conference at the Edge conference centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK from Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th September 2023.
(F) First special issue published in Applied Energy Journal.
