• Implementation of anaerobic photobioreactors operated for treating up to 350 m3/d of municipal wastewater for the production of enriched PPB biomass (Biomass Platform) as feedstock for production of slow-release fertilizers. Treated water complies with discharge limits for COD, TSS and BDO5.

• Implementation of a commercial filter solution for cellulose separation from wastewater with a cellulose production of 25 kg/d

Land conditioning works to host the second have been initiated.

Enriched PPB biomass will contain PHAs among others. In order to get a biopolymer that can be used for other industries, it must be extracted and purified. Activatec is developing new purification steps to be used in the demo plant with lower cost, higher performance, and lower environmental impact in comparison to conventional methods.

On the other hand, Ectoine must be purified to be used for cosmetic applications. Activatec is developing the downstream operations for large scale production to obtain high purity and quantity of commercial grade ectoine.

Activatec Ltd counts on a specialized team of engineers (chemical and biochemical engineers), researchers and lab technicians which develops the following unit operations and activities:

• Hydrolysis, fermentation, enzymatic catalysis, solvent extraction
• Liquid-solid / Liquid-liquid extraction, Supercritical fluid extraction
• Solid-liquid separations (centrifugation and filtration)
• Freeze drying, preparative chromatography, adsorption, crystallization
• Analytical methods development and validation
• Access to versatile facilities and experts in highly complex processes

Moreover, using the experimental results, Activatec is able to carry out:

• Process flowsheet design and simulation
• Technical and economic analysis
• Manage procurement and installation activities

An industrial pilot plant with a capacity of 5,000 T/y will be used. AII-RG can produce different batches (from 25kg to 3 tons) as scale-up. AII-RG can adjust production parameters (temperature, humidity, debit, etc) at different stages of the process (pre-granulation, granulation, and coating). Once the process is validated at
pilot scale, it will be upscaled at demo level, leveraging the fertilizer production plantfacility owned by AII-RG.

Located in Valencia (Spain), ITENE has 7,150 m2 of facilities, of which 3.000 m2 are distributed in 6 laboratories, 5 pilot plants and 1 simulation centre with a complete scientific-technological equipment.

LABORATORIES

• Chemical characterisation of materials
• Physical-mechanical characterisation of materials
• Microbiological analysis
• Nano-security
• Packaging assessment
• Approval of dangerous goods packaging

PILOT PLANTS

• Packaging
• New materials and processing
• Packaging production
• Modification and synthesis of additives
• Compostability assessment of packaging materials

CENTRES

• Transportation simulation

With these infrastructures ITENE carries out its research projects, technological development and innovation, acting globally throughout the whole distribution cycle:

• Development of the raw materials that will form part of the materials.
• Development of materials with improved properties that will form part of the packaging.
• Development of packaging that best adapt to the cycle of production, distribution and end-user requirements.
• Innovation in the logistics and distribution processes for its distribution, optimization and efficiency.
• Interaction with the consumer.
• Treatment of waste once the packaging comes to the end of its life.

In the DEEP PURPLE project framework, ITENE will employ their 5, 30 and 50 L fermentors to hydrolyse the cellulose recovered from wastewater to transform it into 2G sugars in WP2, as well as, the nanocellulose pilot plant, with a current production of 2 kg/day, to obtain the CNFs.

In WP4, ITENE will develop composites based on PHA and CNFs in its twin co-rotating Mini extruder (X-plore). The test probes will be chemical and mechanical characterised by means of different available techniques such as DSC, TGA or DRX.

Demo-scale thermal hydrolysis of the OFMSW is going to be optimized to maximize the release of the organic matter, minimizing the release of nutrients into the liquid fraction and minimizing energy consumption.

The biogas produced from anaerobic digestion will be converted in ectoine in 2 m³ fermenter using the design and operational guidelines optimized at pilot scale at University of Valladolid. The ectoine will be produced to manufacture cosmetics by RNB.

Novamont owns lab and pilot facilities both for sugars fermentation and polymerization+reactive extrusion. Once the overall value chain is validated, the process will be up-scaled at demo level leveraging Novamont larger-scale facilities.

The plant is currently equipped with a 27mm twin-screw extrusion and various compounds are produced on demand according to customer’s requests.

Current production rates: 6 tons/year (equipment bought in November 2017), production capacity 100 tons/year
Expected production rate: new equipment to be bought in 2 years, production capacity 2000 tons/year
Types of product manufactured: compounds based on bioplastics
Raw materials needed: PLA, PHA, other biopolyesters and biopolymers, additives, etc.

NaturePlast is involved in the formulation of PHA + NFC compounds, lab development and production of selected compounds.

The demo pilot will have the capacity to value up to 50 tons of PHA and cellulose.

PHA obtained from the PPB biodigestion will be combined with cellullose obtained from wastewater treatment to develop a cosmetic packaging for ectoine-based cosmetic. The packaging will remain biodegradable and will be a part of OFMSW used to produce new PHAs and NFC.

Novamont owns lab and pilot facilities both for sugars fermentation and polymerization+reactive extrusion. Once the overall value chain is validated, the process will be up-scaled at demo level leveraging Novamont larger-scale facilities.