Descrizione del progetto
Un approccio sostenibile e in un unico passaggio alla produzione di gas di sintesi
Il gas di sintesi è una miscela di idrogeno e monossido di carbonio, un prodotto intermedio fondamentale per l’industria chimica. Il progetto SOMMER, finanziato dall’UE, cercherà di sviluppare un percorso a zero emissioni di carbonio per la produzione di gas di sintesi integrando l’energia solare in un reattore catalitico a membrana per scindere acqua e CO2. Questo approccio innovativo eliminerà la necessità di energia di origine fossile nella produzione di gas di sintesi e utilizzerà la CO2 invece del gas naturale come materia prima. La tecnologia proposta combinerà un processo di conversione termochimica di CO2 e H2O in un unico passaggio con catalizzatori altamente selettivi, una membrana composita a doppia fase e un impianto solare termico a concentrazione. Il concetto proposto offrirà un funzionamento adattabile alternando due modalità: un approccio solare a 1 500 gradi Celsius e un approccio supportato dal biogas a 900 gradi Celsius.
Obiettivo
SOMMER will develop and demonstrate a novel carbon-neutral pathway for syngas production by integrating solar energy directly into a catalytic membrane reactor for the splitting of H2O and CO2 (e.g. captured from high carbon emitting industries or by direct air capture). This will allow SOMMER to overcome the fossil-based energy requirements for the production of syngas and to consume CO2 instead of natural gas as feedstock. Syngas, the mixture of H2 and CO, is a crucial intermediate product in the chemical industry. Thus, SOMMER will consider the entire value-chain from CO2 provision from a cement plant to syngas formation and further processing syngas to valuable and shippable products such as DME or methanol.
The core of the SOMMER technology lies in the optimized energy integration of an emerging single-step CO2 and H2O thermochemical conversion process supported by highly selective catalysts and a dual-phase composite membrane, and a concentrated solar-thermal plant to supply the thermal energy demand. The main outcomes of SOMMER involve the experimental demonstration and evaluation of the innovative solar-powered membrane technology, and the development of high performance and cost-effective membranes as key components, thereby bringing the technology to the next level. SOMMER will advance membrane manufacturing via slip-casting, as a more mature approach, and via additive manufacturing to optimize the effective membrane surface area in the reactor. The concept is expected to have the future advantage of prolonged and flexible operation by switching between two operational Cases: I) Purely solar approach at 1500 °C and II) a biogas-supported approach at 900 °C.
In addition, the identification of technological, ecological and economical potential for a flexible and highly efficient solar syngas production will contribute to the development of a detailed roadmap and provide the basis for the pre-commercialization through follow-up R&D development activities.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energynatural gas
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologies
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryalcohols
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringadditive manufacturing
Parole chiave
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinatore
51147 Koln
Germania