Acronym
SUSVEX (SUstainable Volatile Fatty acid EXtraction)
Code
F2023/IOF-StarTT/017
Duration
01 September 2023 → 31 August 2025
Funding
Regional and community funding: Industrial Research Fund
Promotor
Research disciplines
-
Engineering and technology
- Heat transfer
- Thermodynamic processes
- Intensification
- Separation technologies
- Sustainable and environmental engineering not elsewhere classified
- Other computer engineering, information technology and mathematical engineering not elsewhere classified
Keywords
process design
energy management
volatile fatty acids
Downstream Processing
fermentation
coupled heat plant
technological validation
mechanical vapor recompression
process modeling
pilot units
drying
Project description
Volatile fatty acids are important building blocks for the process industry and are mainly obtained from fossil fuels. However, they can also be produced by fermentation of waste streams. However, the main problem of the currently available technology remains post-fermentation purification, which accounts for about 50% of the total cost. The proposed new circular process uses a unique combination of proven technology, can be integrated into existing biogas plants and has the potential to compete with traditional linear processes.