Project description
Reactor engineering for CO2 conversion to sustainable synthetic fuels
CO2 conversion technologies offer a promising solution for reducing or counteracting current CO2 emissions and waste gases. They can also convert these emissions into valuable products like sustainable synthetic fuels. The ERC-funded IntensifiedCO2 project will utilise two technologies, reverse water gas shift and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, to develop a novel CO2 conversion solution that reduces the number of unit operations without compromising the selectivity for synthetic fuels. By applying an innovative 'reactor zoning' concept, the project will eliminate two separation units for CO2 and H2O and combine the aforementioned technologies into a singular bifunctional reactor. In combination with further research, this reactor will allow for the study and demonstration of metallic cobalt catalysts in CO2 conversion to synthetic fuels.
Objective
Developing intensified catalytic processes for CO2 conversion may drive their implementation at CO2-producing sites, counteracting current practices of emitting CO2 and waste gases. Converting CO2 to synthetic fuels is a win-win scenario as they are used as sustainable aviation fuel. A leading technology to convert CO2 to synthetic fuels proceeds indirectly via Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) and Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS). CO2 is first reduced to CO via RWGS and then converted to hydrocarbons via FTS. Based on current chemical engineering practices, four unit operations (two reactors and two intermediate separations) are required. The ambition of the IntensifiedCO2 technology is to intensify the current practice through the reduction of unit operations, without compromising on selectivity towards synthetic fuels. The objectives are to eliminate two separation units for CO2 and H2O and to consolidate two reactors into a single bifunctional (RWGS and FTS) reactor. As such, the IntensifiedCO2 technology will be the first demonstration of metallic cobalt catalysts ‘converting’ CO2 to synthetic fuels in a single reactor. Metallic cobalt catalysts are industrial FTS catalysts, but produce mainly methane from CO2. Attempts thus far on tuning cobalt phases to attain synthetic fuels are unsuccessful, signalling the need for a radical strategy as proposed in IntensifiedCO2. My innovative approach involves coaxing a metallic cobalt FTS catalyst to disregard the presence of CO2 and H2O within the reactor, ensuring its catalytic performance mirrors that of synthesis gas (a mixture of CO and H2) conditions. Ideally, undesired species stay in the reactor's mass transfer zone, while desired species interact in the catalyst's adsorption/reaction/desorption zone. This concept of customising the catalyst’s environment in the reactor stands in stark contrast to the common approaches of tailoring catalyst material and active sites, signifying a paradigm shift in catalysis research.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry hydrocarbons
- natural sciences chemical sciences catalysis
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry aliphatic compounds
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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.
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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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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.
9712CP Groningen
Netherlands
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.