Periodic Reporting for period 1 - THREADING-CO2 (VALORISATION OF CO2 WASTE STREAMS INTO POLYESTER FOR A SUSTAINABLE CIRCULAR TEXTILE INDUSTRY)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31
The textile industry is the 4th largest industry in the world, with 110 Mmt fibres manufactured (2020), further accounting for 10% of the global GHG emissions annually. Among fibres produced, PET accounts for 52% of the global market (98 Mt sold annually, projected to increase up to 300 Mt by 2050), yet whose production is still tightly rooted on petrochemical sources. The lack of alternative technologies/materials and the urgent need to mitigate GHG emissions impact of the segment offer the opportunity-niche for Threading CO2, which aims at demonstrating at industrial scale (TRL 7) a unique technology for PET production using CO2 waste streams as feedstock. The circular manufacturing approach running on renewable energy sources (RES) adopted is foreseen to reduce PET-production GHG emissions by 70%, promoting creation of a sustainable EU value chain for textiles production for several end-using industries.
Threading-CO2 has the ambition to:
(1) Demonstrate a novel CO2 waste streams valorisation process running on RES for PET production;
(2) Produce high-quality and commercially viable CO2-based textiles with identical characteristics as conventional fuel-based PET;
(3) Reduce GHG emissions and environmental footprint of PET manufacturing process;
(4) Creating a EU-based value chain for sustainable PET production.
Threading-CO2 has the ambition to:
(1) Demonstrate a novel CO2 waste streams valorisation process running on RES for PET production;
(2) Produce high-quality and commercially viable CO2-based textiles with identical characteristics as conventional fuel-based PET;
(3) Reduce GHG emissions and environmental footprint of PET manufacturing process;
(4) Creating a EU-based value chain for sustainable PET production.
The focus of the work has been to set up the pilot line in Antwerp to increase the TRL from 5 to 6 by the end of 2024. The following actions have concluded according to the plan:
- Setting up of a small-scale (1 cm²) electrolyzer operating at 100 mA.cm² and with high CO efficiencies. Optimization of several operation conditions (torque, flow rate, and catalyst loading).
- Construction of a scale-up of the electrolyzer (200 cm²). (on going)
- Synthesizes of 100 g of catalyst for steps 2 and 3 with good catalytic results for each reaction.
- Preparation of a library of supports heterogenized catalysts for carbonylation
- Modeling operating scenarios to define the optimal condition and experimental verification.
- Creation of the block, process flow, and piping and instrumentation diagrams
- Technical-economic studies and selection of the reactor technology operating conditions and specifications
- Equipment specifications definition and bidding process.
- Functional and HAZOP analysis (ongoing)
The initial objectives have been achieved with a slight delay (3 weeks on the engineering and bidding process).
The main challenges that have been faced are:
- the increase in the lead time of the suppliers compared to when the project was drafted.
- Difficulties with salt deposition and anolyte starvation, which impede stable operation at the long time. Potential pathways currently under investigation include timely water injection for salt removal, restoring anolyte pH at regular timeframes, and investigating alternative Ag-based electrodes with a better hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance.
- Long characterization duration for the scale-up of the catalysts
The project is on track to meet the main objectives.
- Setting up of a small-scale (1 cm²) electrolyzer operating at 100 mA.cm² and with high CO efficiencies. Optimization of several operation conditions (torque, flow rate, and catalyst loading).
- Construction of a scale-up of the electrolyzer (200 cm²). (on going)
- Synthesizes of 100 g of catalyst for steps 2 and 3 with good catalytic results for each reaction.
- Preparation of a library of supports heterogenized catalysts for carbonylation
- Modeling operating scenarios to define the optimal condition and experimental verification.
- Creation of the block, process flow, and piping and instrumentation diagrams
- Technical-economic studies and selection of the reactor technology operating conditions and specifications
- Equipment specifications definition and bidding process.
- Functional and HAZOP analysis (ongoing)
The initial objectives have been achieved with a slight delay (3 weeks on the engineering and bidding process).
The main challenges that have been faced are:
- the increase in the lead time of the suppliers compared to when the project was drafted.
- Difficulties with salt deposition and anolyte starvation, which impede stable operation at the long time. Potential pathways currently under investigation include timely water injection for salt removal, restoring anolyte pH at regular timeframes, and investigating alternative Ag-based electrodes with a better hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance.
- Long characterization duration for the scale-up of the catalysts
The project is on track to meet the main objectives.
By promoting 70% carbon footprint reduction as well as providing competitive pricing (€2/Kg) and high quality for PET produced, Threading CO2 contributes to the following key impact objectives embedded in the call topic targeted:
1) Utilise CO/CO2 streams to produce added value products and/or intermediates of wide industrial interest e.g. polymers, resins, chemicals, food/feed ingredients, minerals, etc. Excluding fuels and/or energy carrier. In this regard, Threading will promote 70% carbon footprint reduction, competitive pricing (€2/Kg) and high quality for PET produced;
2) Enhance the market for CO/CO2 based products providing economically viable and sustainable alternatives to existing products with strong market interest in one or more applications (e.g. consumer products, feed/food ingredients, automotive, construction, etc.). In this regard, Threading CO2 will
3) Develop concepts enabling 100% utilisation of RES (e.g. electrified processes, concentrated solar, etc.) coping with potential fluctuations in the energy supply;
4) Achieve at least 60% GHG emissions mitigation in the overall lifecycle compared to existing processes for the same products (or relevant benchmark);
5) Develop mature technologies for separation/purification of CO/CO2 containing waste streams to allow the integration in the targeted industry sector/sectors.
1) Utilise CO/CO2 streams to produce added value products and/or intermediates of wide industrial interest e.g. polymers, resins, chemicals, food/feed ingredients, minerals, etc. Excluding fuels and/or energy carrier. In this regard, Threading will promote 70% carbon footprint reduction, competitive pricing (€2/Kg) and high quality for PET produced;
2) Enhance the market for CO/CO2 based products providing economically viable and sustainable alternatives to existing products with strong market interest in one or more applications (e.g. consumer products, feed/food ingredients, automotive, construction, etc.). In this regard, Threading CO2 will
3) Develop concepts enabling 100% utilisation of RES (e.g. electrified processes, concentrated solar, etc.) coping with potential fluctuations in the energy supply;
4) Achieve at least 60% GHG emissions mitigation in the overall lifecycle compared to existing processes for the same products (or relevant benchmark);
5) Develop mature technologies for separation/purification of CO/CO2 containing waste streams to allow the integration in the targeted industry sector/sectors.