RAPID

The goal of this project is to scale-up current electromagnetic (EM) reactor technology from its current TRL 4 stage to a pre-commercially relevant TRL 5-6, and to demonstrate the production of light olefins from disadvantaged carbon feedstocks (waste plastics) using pre-commercial EM (microwave and RF induction) powered reactors at relevant scales (≥100 kg/day). Project goals include (1) demonstrate the decarbonized production of light olefins by utilizing renewable electricity, (2) improved energy efficiency by optimizing the heat input into the highly endothermic ethylene dehydrogenation reaction, and (3) improve selectivity and conversion efficiency. The EM process employed results in highly efficient, ultrafast heating at the catalyst surface (sub-microsecond), and high catalytic conversion and selectivity for dehydrogenation of hydrocarbon feedstocks. Ultimately, scaling up light olefin production via EM reactors will demonstrate the ability of these new technologies to radically reduce the carbon intensity for producing critical commodity chemicals at commercially relevant scales.