CARBONCYCLE
Innovative biochemical processes for the industrial utilization of CO2
To halt the rapidly progressing climate change, efficient and industrially relevant strategies for the recycling and utilization of CO₂ must be developed. Within the ESF Plus Young Researchers Group CARBONCYCLE, research is being conducted to explore how captured CO₂ can be upgraded into a platform chemical using electrolytic hydrogen in a chemical-biological process. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated through the synthesis of methanol and ethylene glycol into 2,4-dihydroxybutyrate (DHB), a basic chemical used in the production of animal feed and bioplastics.
The Chair of Chemical Process Engineering is working within the project on optimizing the chemical synthesis (hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate to ethylene glycol). The heat release of the reaction can lead to sintering of the active phases if heat dissipation is insufficient, negatively affecting catalyst activity and selectivity. To improve temperature control in the reactor, structured catalyst supports are used instead of the conventional fixed-bed packings.
Figure: Carbon cycle in the CarbonCycle project and use of different fixed-bed reactors for the hydrogenation of dimetyhl oxalate
Contact Person: Dipl.-Ing. Paul Naumann
Project Partners: Chair of Bioprocess Engineering (project management), Chair of Transport Processes at Interfaces, Chair of Chemical Process Engineering, Chair of Energy Process Engineering
Project Duration: 01/2023 – 12/2026
Funding: European Union and the Free State of Saxony
