Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FlowPhotoChem (Heterogenous Photo(electro)catalysis in Flow using Concentrated Light: modular integrated designs for the production of useful chemicals) Reporting period: 2020-06-01 to 2021-11-30 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project The European chemical industry provides huge economic and societal benefits with >€500 billion sales and >1 million direct jobs, yet it is also one of the most polluting sectors. Europe has set ambitious climate change targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40% by 2030 and to further increase the reduction to 80-95% carbon dioxide emission by 2050. These targets cannot be achieved by current technologies – the adoption of disruptive solutions is the only plausible approach. FlowPhotoChem is developing a disruptive technology using novel techniques and tools to produce industrially relevant chemicals from water and carbon dioxide using sunlight. The project will model, design, construct and demonstrate a modular, integrated system of flow reactors (called the FPC system) for the production of useful chemicals using concentrated solar light with negative carbon dioxide emissions and minimal operational costs. The FPC system combines three types of flow reactor modules, with an emphasis on efficiency, scalability and sustainability to minimise waste and meet the increasing demands for greener processes in the chemical industry. To deliver the FPC system, the team will advance the state-of-the-art in computational modelling, catalyst development, sunlight (photon) management and integrated flow reactors to deliver a scalable and sustainable system that is suitable for industrial use. The project will focus on manufacturing solar ethylene as a proof of concept chemical product, but it will be possible to easily tailor the FPC system for different chemical products by selecting and combining different reactor modules. FlowPhotoChem’s modular approach means that the technology can be rapidly and flexibly adapted to future advances in the field and easily incorporate more efficient catalysts, reactor components or optimised reactor designs as they become available. Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far In the first 18 months of the project, work has focused on each of the individual component reactors. For the photoelectrochemical (PEC) reactor, the existing thermal integration reactor design for hydrogen production was extended to carry out the photoelectrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. This reactor was then successfully tested in a campaign that achieved the solar-to-CO efficiency project target of 7%. A solar fuel plant operating at kW-scale was also designed and implemented, with multi-day/multi-week operation of the system successfully demonstrated. For the photochemical (PC reactor), different reactor designs to selectively convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide were developed and tested. Novel photocatalysts will now be developed to increase the yield of the reactor to meet the project target. Lastly, for the electrochemical (EC) reactor, a modular reactor was designed, fabricated and distributed to partners for extensive testing. Significant selectivity towards the target product ethylene was achieved, but the selectivity goal has not yet been reached. The team will next explore novel electrocatalysts, membranes and different operational parameters to advance towards the selectivity target. In the preparatory work for the integrated FPC reactor, a combination of the PEC, PC and EC reactors, has also commenced with the development of a versatile multi-physics flow reactor model. This model is currently being validated and will help the team design the first lab-scale demonstrator in the next phase of the project, as well as predict optimal operation parameters. Making chemical manufacturing more sustainable is about more than just the reactor operation – the full lifecycle of the process and components is important in determining sustainability. For this reason, the project includes a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA). The first steps in this analysis have been taken with an initial definition of the FPC system and the collection of initial data on the materials and components that are being used in each component reactor. Competitive technologies have also been explored and selected for comparison with the FPC system. The LCA will continue in the next phase of the project as the component and integrated reactors continue to develop and evolve. Another important part of the project is ensuring that the system developed is suitable for industrial use and future commercialisation. The team has started preparations for the development of a Roadmap, conduct of a market analysis and project workshop in Uganda. 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) FlowPhotoChem will develop and demonstrate technology that will help the European chemicals industry meet climate change targets. The project also aligns with the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy and the UNIDO Green Industry Initiative for a sustainable and viable future, as well as contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to the environment. At this early stage in the project, the planned advances to the state-of-the-art in computational modelling, catalyst development, sunlight (photon) management and integrated flow reactors are only just beginning. By the end of the project, a multi-component, photo-driven system will be achieved to meet the targets of >5% sunlight to chemical conversion efficiency with a performance loss of less than 5% in 1,000 hours. For ethylene as a proof-of-concept, the project will demonstrate a cost of production of chemicals comparable to actual route from fossil fuels, but with an improved energy efficiency and <50% carbon dioxide emissions (based on LCA). Communication and dissemination of the scientific and technological advances of the project are important for ensuring that the results generated lead to the expected impacts being realised in the real world. At this early phase of the project, the team has focused on communicating the aims and objectives of the project to key stakeholders and to forging strong links with related projects, in particular those funded under the same topic as FlowPhotoChem. The latter has been achieved through the creation of a project group within the frame of the Horizon Booster service, where a group of six EU-funded projects are working together to maximise the impact of the research undertaken in each project. fpc-a3-banner.png
