Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for preparing maleic acid or a derivative thereof, the process comprising a step b) of oxidizing 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid to maleic acid or a derivative thereof by contacting the 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid with molecular oxygen (O2) in the presence of a catalyst. In a particular embodiment, the step b) is preceded by a step a) of oxidizing a furanic compound according to formula I into the 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid, wherein R1 is H, CH2OH, CO2H or CHO and R2 is H, OH, C1-C6 alkyl or O(C1-C6 alkyl), or esters, ethers, amides, acid halides, anhydrides, carboximidates, nitriles, and salts of formula I.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a membrane reactor for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, said membrane reactor comprising a reaction compartment (2) comprising a catalyst bed, a permeate compartment (4) and a membrane separating the reaction compartment and the permeate compartment, wherein said permeate compartment comprises a condensing surface.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of preparing NH3, and to a method of regenerating a metal M from MOR1, wherein O is oxygen and R1 is —CH3 and/or —C2H5. The method for preparing NH3 comprises the steps of a) reacting a metal with nitrogen gas to produce a metal nitride, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Li, Be, Mg, Na, Mo, Al, Zn, Ca, Sr, and Ba, b) reacting the metal nitride obtained in step a) with R1OH to produce NH3 and MOR1, wherein R1 represents —CH3 and/or —C2H5, and c) regenerating the metal by electrolysing said MOR1 under formation of HCHO and/or CH3CHO. The method of regenerating a metal M from MOR1, comprises electrolysing of MOR1 under formation of HCHO and/or CH3CHO, wherein R1 represents —CH3 and/or —C2H5.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for electrochemically converting a reactant gas, to an electrolyser, to a gas diffusion electrode, to a method for producing a gas diffusion electrode, to a gas diffusion layer, and to the use of said gas diffusion layer and/or gas diffusion electrode. The process comprises reacting a reactant gas at a gas diffusion electrode to form a product gas and/or a liquid product, wherein the gas diffusion electrode comprises a gas diffusion layer comprising a non-porous layer that is permeable to carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide gas, and a porous layer, and the reactant gas comprises carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for molten metal pyrolysis of a feed comprising hydrocarbons and nitrogen and/or hydrogen sulphide to produce solid carbon and one or more of liquid sulfur, hydrogen gas and ammonia gas. The molten salt layer contains two reaction zones of different temperatures, a high temperature zone for pyrolysing the hydrocarbon and a low temperature zone for pyrolysing the hydrogen sulphide and/or forming the ammonia. Liquid salt is used to separate produced solid carbon and optionally the produced liquid sulphur from the molten metal and to facilitate isolation of produced carbon. The invention further relates to a reactor for performing the method according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electrochemical production of a product in an electrochemical cell comprising an extraction compartment. The extraction compartment comprises a liquid comprising a dissolved polyelectrolyte. The method comprises producing cations at an anode, producing anions at a cathode and transporting the ions through ion- selective membranes into the extraction compartment where the product is formed. The invention further relates to an electrochemical cell for use in the method.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of formaldehyde, said process comprising electrochemically reducing CO to form formaldehyde. The process is carried out in a supporting electrolyte that comprises less than 50% water and a non-aqueous solvent such as an alcohol.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a process for producing formic acid, having (a) a carbon capture step in which a source of carbon dioxide is contacted with an amine solution in a closed-top scrubber, to obtain an ammonium bicarbonate solution; (b) inducing crystallization in the ammonium bicarbonate solution to obtain a concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution; (c) subjecting the concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution to a hydrogenation step to obtain an ammonium formate; and (d) heating the ammonium formate to a temperature in the range of 50-150° C., to obtain a gaseous product containing the amine and a liquid product stream containing formic acid. The source of carbon dioxide has a carbon dioxide content of at least 95 vol % and the amine used in step (a) and reformed in step (d) has a partial vapour pressure above a 40 wt % solution of the amine in water at 20° C. of at least 40 kPa. The disclosure further concerns a system for performing the process.

Abstract: The concerns a process for producing formic acid, (a) a carbon capture step in which a source of carbon dioxide is contacted with an amine solution in an amine scrubber, to obtain an ammonium bicarbonate solution, where the carbon capture uses a chilled amine solution having a temperature in the range of 0-20 ° C.; (b) inducing crystallization in the ammonium bicarbonate solution to obtain a concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution; (c) subjecting the concentrated ammonium bicarbonate solution to a hydrogenation step to obtain an ammonium formate; and (d) heating the ammonium formate to a temperature in the range of 50-150 ° C., to obtain a gaseous product containing the amine and a liquid product stream containing formic acid. The application further concerns a system for performing the process.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for mixing a fluid (F) comprises a mixing container (10) with a container wall (11) for holding the fluid (F). One or more acoustic transducers (21, 22) are arranged on the container wall (11) and configured to generate respective acoustic waves (W1, W2) directed into the fluid (F) for causing a respective flow pattern (F1, F2) in the fluid (F) by acoustic streaming. A controller (15) is configured to control the acoustic transducers (21, 22) to automatically switch between generation of different acoustic waves (W1, W2) for causing switching between different flow patterns (F1, F2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for molten metal pyrolysis of hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen gas and carbon. Liquid salt is used to separate produced carbon from the molten metal and to facilitate isolation of produced carbon.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for preparing maleic acid or a derivative thereof, said process comprising a step b) of oxidizing 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid to maleic acid or a derivative thereof by contacting 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid with molecular oxygen (O2) in the presence of a catalyst. In a particular embodiment, step b) is preceded by a step a) of oxidizing a furanic compound according to formula I into 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone and/or cis-?-formylacrylic acid, wherein R1 is H, CH2OH, CO2H or CHO and R2 is H, OH, C1-C6 alkyl or O(C1-C6 alkyl), or esters, ethers, amides, acid halides, anhydrides, carboximidates, nitriles, and salts thereof.

Abstract: The invention is directed to the to the electrochemical preparation of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) by electrochemical oxidation, comprising a first oxidation step of oxidizing HMF to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furan-carboxylic acid (HMFCA) in an electrochemical cell, subsequently a first isolation step of isolating HMFCA, followed by a second oxidation step of HMFCA to FDCA.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the preparation of maleic acid or a derivative thereof. Said process comprising an electrochemical oxidation of a furoic acid compound into maleic acid in an electrolyte solution; and optionally further comprising a step of reacting the maleic acid to the derivative thereof. In an alternative embodiment, said process comprising a first step comprising an electrochemical oxidation in an electrolyte solution of a furanic compound into one or more intermediates; followed by a second step comprising a chemo-catalytic oxidation of said intermediates to provide maleic acid or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of electrochemically producing valeric acid. The method of the invention comprises contacting a solution of levulinic acid with an anode and a cathode in an electrochemical cell; and electrochemically reducing levulinic acid at the cathode to form valeric acid, wherein the cathode comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of cadmium, zinc, and indium.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a membrane reactor for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, said membrane reactor comprising a reaction compartment (2) comprising a catalyst bed, a permeate compartment (4) and a membrane separating the reaction compartment and the permeate compartment, wherein said permeate compartment comprises a condensing surface.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method for in-situ extracting a reduced carbon dioxide product or product mixture in an electrochemical cell, and the use of a three-compartment electrochemical cell for in-situ extraction of organic carboxylic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, glycolic acid, tartaric acid, malonic acid, propionic acid, glyoxylic acid, and/or salts thereof for commercial use. The method of the invention comprises introducing carbon dioxide-rich absorbent into a cathode compartment of an electrochemical cell, applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode in the electrochemical cell sufficient for the cathode to reduce carbon dioxide into a reduced carbon dioxide product of product mixture in the carbon dioxide-rich absorbent, thereby providing a carbon dioxide-poor absorbent, collecting reduced carbon dioxide product or product mixture via in-situ extraction into an acidic environment, and wherein the anode is separated from the cathode by more than one separator.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for electrochemically reducing carbon dioxide, and an apparatus for performing the method.