Politecnico di Milano is a partner of the HORIZON 2020 MACBETH (Membranes And Catalysts Beyond Economic and Technological Hurdles) project, which aims to demonstrate the functionality of the innovative membrane reactor technology on an industrial scale (TRL 7 level).
Catalytic Membrane Reactors, commonly abbreviated as "CMR", synthesize and separate chemicals in a single unit, reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
This innovative technology will be applied on three notable cases for the chemical and energy industry: production of hydrogen from biogas and natural gas, dehydrogenation of propane and hydroformylation. In the past, CMR technology had already been used in these processes in a relevant environment (level TRL 5) within the European projects BIONICO, CARENA and ROMEO. It will now be used on an industrial scale with tests of over 4,000 hours scheduled for each specific case. Furthermore, within the project of which the Politecnico di Milano is a partner, CRM technology will be used for the first time in biochemical applications, with the aim of demonstrating its potential in the selective enzymatic cleavage process of fatty acids.
The advantages of MACBETH technology
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from large-scale industrial processes by up to 35%, increase energy efficiency by up to 70%, make production plants safer and at the same time reduce investment costs (CAPEX) by 50% and those of operation (OPEX) by 80% are the main advantages of this technology.
The MACBETH Consortium
In addition to the partnership with the Politecnico di Milano, which has the task of coordinating and developing CRM simulation activities especially in biomedical and energy applications, this project is carried out by 23 other partners coordinated by the German group Evonik.
Finally, the spin-off Lighthouse Catalytic Membrane Reactors will be created within the project, mainly from the collaboration of the Politecnico di Milano and the University of Eindhoven, with the aim of developing a commercial platform for the design of membrane reactors and for the evaluation of their potential in multiple industrial sectors.
MACBETH has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under Grant Agreement No 869896