CO2 utilisation focused on market relevant dimethyl ether production, via 3D printed reactor- and solid oxide cell based technologies

Project Information

CO2Fokus

Grant agreement ID: 838061

DOI

10.3030/838061

Project closed

EC signature date 3 June 2019

Start date 1 July 2019

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 3 994 950,00

EU contribution

€ 3 994 950,00

Coordinated by

VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK N.V.
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - CO2Fokus (CO2 utilisation focused on market relevant dimethyl ether production, via 3D printed reactor- and solid oxide cell based technologies)

Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere is a key global goal to combat the impact of CO2 on climate. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels also increases energy security and stability. Dimethyl ether (DME) is a synthetically produced alternative to diesel for certain engines and also an aerosol propellant extensively used in the chemical industry. Better still, it can be produced by hydrogenation of CO2. CO2Fokus has been developing reactor prototypes that produce DME using CO2 emission from industrial point sources and green hydrogen as the primary reactants. CO2Fokus direct CO2 and H2 conversion technologies hold promise for energy- and cost-efficient adoption by CO2 emitters.

With CO2 utilisation at its heart, CO2Fokus has been exploiting the inherent advantages of both thermochemical and electrochemical systems to establish robust, industrially optimal proofs-of-concept, reaching TRL 6 by the end of the project. The project explored two separate, potentially seamlessly integrated systems, namely a 3D printed multichannel catalytic reactor and a solid oxide fuel cell (for co-electrolysis and electrolysis/reverse operation). Both systems have been evaluated for operational flexibility in an industrial environment with a CO2 emission point source and green H2 supplied via the solid oxide cells operating in electrolysis mode.

Scalable and modular units are intended for integration at carbon intensive industrial sites to give unwanted CO2 a value by converting it to added value products for chemistry and fuels for transport and energy sector. CO2Fokus can therefore significantly contribute towards the global shift to low-carbon economy and net zero technology innovation from locally recycled CO2 and H2/renewable energy sources.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The central focus of the project was to produce tangible improvements and optimise the most promising conventional and innovative deposited catalysts. To this end, the new (CuZnAl(Zr)/HZSM-5) formulations of the catalysts have been printed and assembled as multi-channel arrays into modular, prototype demonstration units.
A great amount of work has been done within the project to develop and test novel catalyst design and single and multi-channel reactors to proof the concept of “structured catalytic reactors”. Thanks to its design by 3D printing, structured catalysts as well as multi-channel reactors improve the mass and heat transfer of the processes. Selective Laser Melting (SLM), a 3D printing technique, was used to build a TRL4 prototype reactor in stainless steel. This technique allowed for the scale-up of 16 (TRL4) to 177 (TRL6) channels in a single piece with the designed dimensions. The TRL4 reactor's 16 channels were firstly manufactured for preliminary testing. To verify the yield of the reaction, tests were performed with different reactor loading of the catalytic material as well as printed catalyst structures.
The reactor characteristics that fulfil the reaction process are as follows:
• Optimisation of heat dissipation: The combination of the tube wall thickness and mechanical and chemical resistance is the key to ensure proper heat transfer within it.
• Dimensional uniformity of the tubes: the dimensions of all the tubes, especially in diameter, should present homogeneity.
• Thermal and mechanical stability: The channels must be free of tensions, which allow withstanding the conditions of temperature and pressure required for the reaction.
• Ease of handling: The loading and unloading of catalyst is made simple.
The multitubular reactor allows a high degree of flexibility for the target production capacity with the flexible number of channels, their lengths and their inner diameters as well as the size and activity of catalysts. The final result was the scaled up manufacturing of the TRL6 multi-tubular reactor, able to treat from 4 to 5 Nm3/h of gas under CO2 hydrogenation conditions (30 bar and 250 °C).
The newly designed CO2Fokus SOEC stack for H2 production has achieved constant 2000 hrs of operation under set (KPIs) conditions with Air flow of 180Nl/min and Current density 0.65 A/cm2.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The results obtained are promising and show CO2Fokus can develop scalable and commercial solutions for the emergence of a low carbon economy through the development of innovative reactors and routes for CO2 utilisation into valuable products and alternative fuels such as DME. CO2Fokus’ DME production unit will present a ground-breaking approach to the utilisation of CO2 for high value chemical and fuel production to provide cross-sectoral and economic low-carbon opportunities.

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