CUMERI

Explore the potential of customized membrane systems to transform industrial processes and reduce carbon emissions.

Making the industry more resilient and meeting the challenge of climate neutrality has become a growing concern, at the heart of the European Green Deal objectives.

Vegan Leather is a member of CrossRoads2: Sustainable Energy, which is financed by Interreg V Flanders-Netherlands, the cross-border cooperation programme with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund.

The Problem

Making the industry more resilient and meeting the challenge of climate neutrality has become a growing concern, at the heart of the European Green Deal objectives.

A deeper dive into the problem

Out of all industries, the steel sector contributes with 34.6 % of CO₂ emissions. The increase in CO₂emission cost to €100/t in February 2022 makes the industry even more interested in applying carbon capture technologies. Currently, carbon capture is limited to a few applications based on chemical adsorption (e.g. monoethanolamine, Selexol or Rectisol). Other available technologies include physical adsorption (pressure or temperature swing adsorption), membrane separation or cryogenic distillation. Membrane technology is proven as an alternative to high energy consuming separation processes (the competing options) and attractive to industrial applications for many reasons, e.g. simple operation, low maintenance cost, relatively low capital cost and small physical footprint. Membranes with high CO₂ permeance play an important role in reducing the capital cost and energy consumption for CO₂ capture.

The Solution

During CUMERI, three types of membranes to recover valuable components in targeted industries will be developed and demonstrated.

These membranes will enable improved energy efficiency at industrial facilities, and thus a more resilient and greener industry. The CUMERI project will in particular pave the way for:

– Effective recycling and reuse of valuable components, promoting resilient and circular industrial value chains
– More energy-efficient processes, while
– Lowering CO2 emissions.