Scarcity of resources (fossil fuels, water, minerals,…), rising energy prices, economical and ecological costs of waste streams (mineral and organic waste, CO2,…), increasing environmental awareness as well as social and political concern prompt modern society to produce and consume products in a sustainable manner.
Sustainable chemistry, also often referred to as green, clean or environmentally benign chemistry, is expected to play a key role in future manufacturing and processing of bulk and fine chemicals, obviating emissions and excessive consumption of resources like energy and raw materials.
It uses chemical principles which allow to produce environmentally-benign and high-quality consumables, preferably from renewable resources, ensuring not only efficiency but also human and environmental compatibility.
One way of applying these chemical principles is through process intensification (PI), which involves the development and implementation of novel and innovative, often highly integrated, processes and equipment based on higher conversion rates, lower consumption of resources and reduction of emissions. Promising routes to intensify chemical processes include novel catalytic reaction pathways, the use of green(er) solvents and new immobilized catalysts, and optimisation of downstream (separation) processes.
In this PI-approach, downstream processing is no longer regarded as a separate step, but is directly coupled to and integrated with the (bio-)chemical reaction so as to enhance atom efficiency and selectivity. Integration of different chemistry and chemical engineering disciplines will thus be inherent to and crucial for the success of this development.
New research efforts on cheap and renewable feedstock production as well as on fractionation, separation and modification of natural resources will lead to alternative building blocks for a new sustainable, bio-based (rather than fossil-based) chemistry, in accordance with the cradle-to-cradle concept.
New developments in the broad field of sustainable chemistry will undoubtedly be spurred by all-embracing, internationally standardized assessment models, which take into account most of the stakeholders’ concerns and which measure the environmental, economical, as well as societal impact.
Plenary lecture:
"F3 chemical production plant of the future"
Sigurd Buchholz: (Bayer Technology Services)
Theme 1, session 1:
Biorefineries and biorenewables (From biomass to product) |
Biorefineries focus on the production of energy and new chemicals or feed from biorenewables. In this process upstream processing (pre-treatment) of biomass is important as well as downstream processing, being separation, extraction, transformation etc.
leading to biorenewable basic molecules. Also the transformation of CO2 into new compounds either via physico-chemical way, either via biological way will be addressed.Invited lectures:
Jacco Van Haveren (Wageningen Univesity, The Netherlands)
"Biomass conversion into low-cost and sustainable chemicals"
Stephan Freyer (BASF, Germany)
Topics:
- Algae
- Energy crops
- Biofuels
- Bioplastics
- Biochemicals
- Biowaste
- Biomass Processing Pathways
- ….
|
Theme 2: Process intensification (Re-inventing chemical processes) |
This sub-theme will focus on the combination of membranes and catalysis, integration of reactions and separation, green solvents and advanced separation technologies.
Invited lecture:
"The Development and Application of Micro-Analytical Tools to Achieve Process Intensification"
Mel Koch (CPAC, University of Washington)
Topics:
- Membranes
- Microreactors
- In Line measurements (PAT)
- New separation processes
- Integration reaction/separation (ISPR)
- Green solvents
- Catalysis
- ….
|
Theme 1, session 2:
Biorefineries and biorenewables (From biomass to product) |
Biorefineries focus on the production of energy and new chemicals or feed from biorenewables. In this process upstream processing (pre-treatment) of biomass is important as well as downstream processing, being separation, extraction, transformation etc. leading to biorenewable basic molecules. Also the transformation of CO2 into new compounds either via physico-chemical way, either via biological way will be addressed.
Invited lecture
“Green Chemistry: Successes, Challenges and State of the Art”
Evan Beach (Yale University)
Topics: see Theme 1, session1
|
Joint session with Sustainable Production
Theme 3: Sustainability evaluation (Are we doing it really better?) |
A key process in sustainable production is the evaluation and comparison of different technologies and approaches based on their sustainability.
Issues like Design for Environment, exergy studies, Green Metrics, eco-efficiency will be addressed in collaboration with the Sustainable Production Theme.
Invited lecture:
"The thermodynamic bottom line of sustainable technology development"
Jo Dewulf (UGent)
Topics:
- LCA
- Exergy
- Eco-efficiency
- Green metrics
- …..
Scientific Advisory Board
Name |
Organization |
Christophe Rupp |
Dahlem, Roquette, France |
Matthias Bechtold |
ETH-Zurich, Switzerland |
Paul Watts |
University of Hull, UK |
Wim Soetaert |
University of Ghent, Belgium |
Jo De Wulf |
University of Ghent, Belgium |
Melvin Koch |
University of Washington, CPAC, USA |
Roger Sheldon |
TU Delft, The Netherlands |
Andrew Livingston |
Imperial College, UK |
Thomas Hirth |
Fraunhofer, IGB, Germany |
Joeri Denayer |
VUB, Belgium |
Gilbert De Vos |
Proviron, Belgium |
Bruno De Witte |
Johnson & Johnson, Belgium |
Bert Maes |
University Antwerp, Belgium |
Gerrald Bargeman |
Akzo Nobel, The Netherlands |
Luc Martens |
ExxonMobil Chemical Europe Inc., Belgium |
Bert Sels |
KULeuven, Belgium |
Jos Keurentjes |
TU Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
Tom Van Gerven |
KULeuven, Belgium |
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| Partnerships |
In association with:
Flanders Biotech Coordinators
BIOmWB White Biotechnology
essenscia
teri - Europe
EMCHIE
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