In ADREM, leading industries and university groups in process intensification, catalytic reactor engineering and process control team up to address the domain of resource- and energy-efficient valorisation of variable methane feedstocks to C2+ hydrocarbons. The development of new and intensified adaptable catalytic reactor systems for flexible and decentralized production at high process performance is in focus, able to operate with changing feedstock composition and deliver “on-demand” the required product distribution by switching selected operational/control parameters and/or changing modular catalyst cartridges. In the long term, we expect the reactors to operate energy- and emission-lean using green electricity as the direct, primary energy source. In order to converge to the optimal design, the project will utilize the unique integral, four-domain process intensification (PI) methodology, pioneered by the consortium. This is the only approach able to deliver a fully intensified equipment/process. The key feature is the systematic, simultaneous addressing of the four domains: spatial, thermodynamic, functional and temporal. ADREM will provide: • highly innovative, economic and environmentally friendly processes and equipment for efficient transformation of methane into useful chemicals and liquid fuels, for which monetary savings of more than 10% are expected. • process technologies applying flexible modular one-step process with high selectivity for valorisation of methane from various sources. • modular (and containerized and mobile) reactors permitting flexible adaptation of the plant size to demand and also utilizing smaller or temporary sources of methane or other feeds. The project will employ emerging reactor technologies coupled to especially designed catalytic systems to address a variety of scenarios embodying methane valorisation. The concepts developed can be later readily extrapolated on other types of catalytic processes of similar sizes.
D.01 Chairing over/coordinating (international and national) projects
Acta Chimica Slovenica (ACSi) provides a forum for the publication of original and significant work in the chemical and closely related areas of research. Reviews, scientific and technical articles, and short communications are published.
C.06 Editorial board membership
Nanostructured inorganic fluorides are a relatively new class of nanomaterials, i.e. broader research of these fluorides commenced approximately 15 years ago. Since then, research in this field resulted in the preparation of a variety of fluoride-based nanostructured materials with unprecedented characteristics. These achievements are closely connected with the development of novel synthetic approaches that allow a better control of the key nanoscopic features of the fluorides formed. Earlier, our contribution to this field was the development of an alternative and completely inorganic route to fluorides with unconventionally high surface areas (HS-fluorides). More recently, we developed a modified solvothermal methodology in non-aqueous media for the preparation of very porous AlF3-based materials. This approach allowed, for the first time, a direct preparation of extremely voluminous AlF3-based aerogels. For both types of fluoride materials, the uncommon characteristics of the underlying fluorides can be associated with their distinctive nanostructure. Invited presentation gave a brief overview of the related preparation methodologies. Focus was on the solvothermal approach that proved to be highly versatile and allows the preparation of fluorides with variable porosity, i.e. in the form of compact xerogels, weakly agglomerated powders or voluminous aerogels. As determined, bulk structure of the AlF3-based products strongly depends on the shape, size and spatial arrangement of the primary nanoparticles. These characteristics of fluoride nanoparticles can be effectively controlled by a proper combination of solvent(s) and temperature regimes applied throughout the preparation. Under optimal conditions, this procedure allows the preparation of regularly shaped and uniformly sized fluoride nanoparticles. Some key preparation features that determine the acidity of these nanomaterials, i.e. strength and type of the surface acidic sites, were also outlined.
B.04 Guest lecture
COBISS.SI-ID: 29673255