Innovative pilot reactor for decarbonisation of industry comes to life in Slovenia
With the commissioning of an innovative pilot floating bed electrothermal catalytic reactor, the European e-CODUCT consortium has reached an important milestone in the development of sustainable solutions to reduce greenhouse gases. This technological achievement represents an important contribution to European efforts to decarbonise industry in line with the European Green Deal.
The pilot reactor at Technology Development Level (TRL) 6, located at the Podgorica Reactor Centre (Jožef Stefan Institute), is a central element of the innovative e-CODUCT technology. The project partners are developing it to find technological solutions to reduce emissions of greenhouse (CO₂) and acid gases (H₂S), which are the main pollutants from industrial processes. The reactor not only reduces emissions of these by-products, but also converts them into valuable industrial chemicals such as sulphur (S) and carbon monoxide (CO), which is then converted into methanol (CH₃OH) in the reactor in the presence of hydrogen (H₂) at a pressure of 50 bar. The pilot reactor was developed and built under the guidance of the Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon Technology (CO NOT) and the Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering of the National Institute of Chemistry, partners in the e-CODUCT consortium.
The pilot line includes the world's first electrified liquid bed reactor unit of its kind. The e-CODUCT technology, using electrothermal catalysis, allows the rapid and efficient local delivery of concentrated heat in the pilot reactor, which reaches a temperature of 1200 °C in the reaction zone. This makes it possible to carry out highly endothermic reactions, which only run efficiently at extreme temperatures. In addition to reducing emissions and energy efficiency in industrial processes, this also brings significant economic benefits to various industrial sectors, including petrochemicals, biogas production and energy, enabling cross-sectoral collaboration and sustainable business opportunities.
Joris W. Thybaut, Ghent University, e-CODUCT coordinator: "With the new e-CODUCT technology, we can create useful chemicals from greenhouse gases, such as elemental sulphur and carbon monoxide, which are used in pharmaceuticals, paint and tyre production. Compared to existing gas treatment processes, e-CODUCT technology is better integrated and therefore more efficient. Our new reactor runs on renewable electricity and can adapt quickly to fluctuations in its availability. The technology has a triple benefit - we are harnessing renewable resources, reducing emissions and extracting valuable raw materials."
Photo: Pilot floating bed electrothermal catalytic reactor installed at the Podgorica Reactor Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF AN INNOVATIVE FLOATING BED ELECTROTHERMAL CATALYTIC REACTOR
The commissioning of the pilot reactor is an example of the successful deployment of an innovative technology and of European cross-sectoral cooperation to find solutions to key environmental challenges. Following the agreement of the project partners on a concept based on innovative research on e-CODUCT technology, subcontractors have taken on key roles in the detailed design and construction of the pilot line. These include Thermal and Material Engineering Centre sp z. o. o. (Poland), which oversaw the reactor engineering, CPPE, d. o. o. (Celje, Slovenia), which managed the engineering of the entire pilot line and its fabrication, and Colbyco, d. o. o. (Ljubljana, Slovenia), which was responsible, among other things, for process control and data acquisition. All system integration activities were coordinated and supervised by researchers from the Low Carbon Technology Centre of Excellence and the National Institute of Chemistry.
FUTURE PROJECT ACTIVITIES
One of the key objectives of the e-CODUCT project is to demonstrate the technology on a larger scale. The experimental data collected in the pilot unit will be integrated into a comprehensive techno-economic model that will support wider industrial implementation. The technology has great potential to transform industry towards a sustainable and circular economy.
The e-CODUCT project was launched in September 2022 and brings together a consortium of nine leading European research institutions and industrial partners from five European countries (Belgium, Slovenia, the Netherlands, France and Germany) to develop a sustainable solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in industrial processes.
Photo: e-CODUCT partners at the inauguration of the pilot reactor, 8 April 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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For more information, please visit the e-CODUCT project page or follow the e-CODUCT online profiles (LinkedIn @ecoduct and X @eCODUCT2022).
The e-CODUCT project is coordinated by Ghent University and funded by the European Union (GA n°101058100).
The project leader at the National Institute of Chemistry is Dr Blaž Likozar (blaz.likozar(at)ki.si) and at the Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon Technology - CO NOT is Dr Miha Grilc (miha.grilc(at)conot.si).