"The digital model will be key to scaling up WASTE2H2 technology and assessing its commercial viability"

In this interview, Pablo Bernal Rodríguez (SENER) explains how a digital model can drive the scale-up and commercialization of WASTE2H2 technology. By integrating experimental data, operational maps, and predictive simulations, the model supports real-time monitoring, process optimization, and techno-economic assessment. It will play a key role in designing viable business cases for hydrogen and decarbonized chemical production from plastic waste.

1. What is the main objective in developing a digital model?

The main objective of developing a digital model is to enhance the process by achieving greater flexibility and precision when dealing with new, unexplored parameter values. It will help to develop and scale-up the technology to the commercial stages. Additionally, this digital model will be crucial for defining business cases and the exploitation plan within the project, as well as for assessing the techno-economic feasibility of establishing at a specific location a plant for hydrogen and valuable decarbonized chemicals production from plastic waste with catalytic systems based on ionic liquids combined with microwave irradiation.

 2. What data sources will be used to build the digital model?

The data sources used to build the digital model include:

Experimental Data: Generated during the project and filtered according to the functional and operational requirements of the process.

Additional Data: Proposed through additional experiments if necessary.

Operational Case Maps: Including corresponding models, limits, and normal values of operational parameters.

3. How does the digital model contribute to achieving higher flexibility and accuracy?

The digital model contributes to flexibility and accuracy by:

• Process Design and Optimization: Allows evaluating different designs and optimizing process key parameters to obtain the best results of performance, yield and purity of final products.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Control: Provides a digital replica of the physical process, allowing immediate adjustments to optimize performance.
• Predictive Maintenance: Analyzes equipment behavior and predicts potential failures before they occur, facilitating proactive maintenance.
• Quality Control: Helps maintain consistent product quality by monitoring and adjusting process parameters.

4. What is the expected timeline for market penetration of the developed technology?

The timeline for market penetration of the developed technology can vary, but generally depends on factors such as the maturity of the technology, industry adoption rates, and regulatory approvals. On average, it can take a few years for new technologies to achieve significant market penetration.

In WASTE2H2 project´s case, we are expected to have a commercially ready technology within 10 years after a progressive scale-up to a TRL 9. However, a newly developed and reliable digital model will be ready for commercial applications even earlier, once process data on a larger industrial scale is obtained.