The state-of-the-art DME synthesis pilot is soon to be added to the ECCSEL ERIC research infrastructure list of TNO. This pilot will then contribute greatly to the enlargement of carbon capture and conversion facilities in ECCSEL ERIC.
Installed on the TNO site in Petten, TNO built the containerised pilot reactor for adsorption-enhanced DME synthesis (SEDMES) technologies from dilute and concentrated CO2. The pilot was established as part of E2C project – Electrons to High-Value Chemical Products, where technologies are being developed and scaled-up to convert CO2 into valuable commercial products, chemicals and fuels (Power-to-X, PtX).
The goal of the pilot is to scale up SEDMES technology where CO2 and hydrogen are combined to produce DME. This can replace diesel or LPG and play a part in the transition towards a more circular carbon economy. The SEDMES technology is scaled up because of TNO’s far-reaching knowledge and expertise in adsorption-based processes.
The DME synthesis containerised pilot contains three parallel reactors (150 L each), is thermally integrated (adsorption-regeneration), and is equipped with feed section, analysis, and a flare. SEDMES is a strong tool for converting syngas or CO2, either from concentrated steams (captured industrial CO2, biobased feedstock) or from dilute streams (i.e., the combined capture and conversion of CO2), to DME directly. Combining green H2 with advanced sorption-enhanced DME synthesis offers a versatile and strong route from CO2 to high value chemical products. It is an industrially relevant demonstration pilot at TRL5.
Jurriaan Boon (Senior scientist, TNO Energy Transition): “Adsorption-enhanced reactions are rapidly advancing towards commercialisation, because they offer a distinct advantages over conventional unit operations in terms of improving the conversion per pass, and energy efficiency. In the energy transition, we have already seen this for CO2 capture by sorption-enhanced water-gas shift (SEWGS) and are now seeing this for CO2 conversion to for example DME (SEDMES). Our drive is to make impact by taking these technologies out of the lab and into industrial environment and commercial implementation.”
Watch the TNO video of the how the SEDMES CO2 conversion technology is installed
