Project Portugal 2030

Summary

NETRefine aims to pioneer the application of NETmix in large-scale liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) processes, marking a significant advancement towards a more efficient transition to a biobased economy. This technology can be easily applied to value chains associated with endogenous resources that depend on liquid-liquid component refining. NETRefine will consider two study cases: 1. The recovery of phenolic compounds from wastewater generated by the olive oil industry, which presents a strategic opportunity for biorefineries. This project directly addresses the challenge of waste reduction while simultaneously unlocking the potential for creating new value. Portugal produces approximately 5% of the world's olive oil. This industry plays a significant role in the Portuguese economy. 2. Polylactic acid (PLA) extraction from fermentation broth, which aligns with the growing global demand for producing thermoplastics free of fossil sources, i.e., eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Portugal has the potential to capitalise on emerging market opportunities, positioning biorefineries. Research and development efforts for the NETRefine project will be directed towards achieving the following goals: (I) Conduct an in-depth study of the phase equilibrium for two case studies related to sectors that strongly depend on liquid-liquid refining of components. (ii) Establish a Design of Experiments (DoE) for liquid-liquid extraction using NETRefine technology at laboratory scale. (iii) Develop an enhanced NETmix technology for liquid-liquid extraction using CFD modelling and validate numerical results by comparing them with experimental data. (iv) Develop a pilot scale unit for LLE using NETmix technology (v) Demonstrate scalability LLE, moving from bench scale to pilot scale tests. (vi) Conduct a techno-economic analysis (TEA), estimating the capital investment required and the potential revenue from implementing this technology. Perform a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of key variables and identify critical factors. (vii) Perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of the NETmix technology throughout its life cycle.