Novel CO2 Utilization Catalyst Recovery and Recycling

Econic的创新催化剂技术可以用成本显著降低的捕获CO2替代10-43wt%的高成本化石基原料，以更低的成本生产多元醇，聚氨酯的结构单元，具有更高的性能和更可持续性。使用这种受专利保护的催化剂技术生产多元醇的工艺在示范装置规模（65 L）上运行，验证了该工艺在低压下有效运行，独特地实现了对现有聚醚多元醇生产资产的改造，并生产出具有匹配或更好性能特征的稳定材料。该提案建立在基础催化剂技术（TRL 6）的基础上;开发额外的催化剂回收、再循环和再生创新，这将提高催化剂生产的经济性，并在价值链中提供额外的循环回收回路。捕获和再生废催化剂以实现多种用途，显著减少所制造的原始材料的体积，原料使用，制造复杂性和减少来自聚合过程的危险废物。这将大大降低催化剂的制造成本，并进一步节省客户的废物处理成本。通过提高工艺的可持续性，我们减少了采用的障碍，并为Econic和多元醇生产商建立了一个运行循环经济模式的平台。迄今为止，我们已经证明了实验室规模（TRL 2）的多个概念路线的可行性，用于催化剂回收和再生，实现“全新”的催化性能。向前发展需要示范（TRL 6）规模的过程，以解决关键的技术挑战，有效的规模扩大和优化的性能。这将使催化剂回收TRL与核心工艺保持一致。Econic依靠全球合作伙伴关系推动商业化。由于新型冠状病毒疫情对其业务的直接影响，一家领先的欧洲客户合作伙伴暂停了研发活动，并暂停了原定于进行的半商业规模试验，以大规模验证Econic技术（包括催化剂回收工艺）。延迟与收费制造商的平行活动，以开发催化剂回收供应链并验证经济性。Econic必须在内部开展这项工作，以确保完成该计划，以验证回收和再循环过程，并满足其他管道客户的许可时间表。这项工作对于保持技术商业化的步伐至关重要，这是Econic商业计划的交付和对其增长途径的持续投资的基础。

Econic's innovative catalyst technology allows 10-43wt% of high cost fossil-based feedstock to be replaced with significantly lower cost captured CO2 to produce polyols, the building blocks for polyurethane, at lower cost, with enhanced properties and more sustainably. The process to produce polyols using this patent protected catalyst technology is operated on demonstration unit scale (65L) validating that the process operates efficiently at low pressure, uniquely enabling retrofit to existing polyether polyol production assets and producing stable materials with matching or better performance characteristics. This proposal builds upon that foundational catalyst technology(TRL6); developing additional catalyst recovery, recycling and regeneration innovations which will enhance the economics of catalyst production and provide an additional circular recovery loop in the value chain.This project validates a catalyst recycling process: capturing and regenerating spent catalyst to enable multiple uses, significantly reducing volumes of virgin material manufactured, feedstock usage, manufacturing complexity and reducing hazardous waste from the polymerisation process. This will significantly reduce catalyst manufacturing costs and further savings will be realised in our customer's waste treatment costs. By increasing sustainability of the process we reduce barriers to adoption and establish a platform for Econic and polyol producers to operate a circular economy model.To date, we have demonstrated lab-scale (TRL2) feasibility of multiple conceptual routes for catalyst recovery and regeneration achieving 'as-new' catalytic performance. Forward development requires demonstrator (TRL6) scale processes to address key technical challenges for efficient scale-up and optimised performance. This will bring catalyst recycling TRL in line with the core process.Econic relies on global partnerships to drive commercialisation. Suspension of a leading European customer partner's R&D activities, as a direct result of Covid-19 impact on their business, has suspended scheduled to semi-commercial scale trials to validate the Econic technology (including catalyst recovery process) at scale. Delaying parallel activities with toll manufacturers to develop catalyst recovery supply chain and validate economics. Econic must bring this work inhouse to ensure completion of the programme to validate the recovery and recycle process and meet license timelines of other pipeline customers. The work is essential to maintain the pace of commercialisation of the technology which underpins the delivery of Econic's business plan and continued investment on its growth pathway.