# The CONVERGE concept

The CONVERGE project will demonstrate 5 unit operations in 3 grouped processing steps:

• CCT: Catalytic Cracking of Tars
The CCT takes in the gasified biomass (syngas), converts all molecules with long carbon chains (C₉₊) into easier-to-process smaller molecules.
• BITS, also known as BTX-scrubber
The BITS removes from the syngas undesired organic sulphur components but also valuable aromatics (cyclical molecules of 6 to 8 carbons the mixture of which is called BTX) that are very useful to the chemical industry. This also creates an extra source of revenue for the biofuel producer.
• SER: Sorption-Enhanced Reforming
The SER further breaks down the carbon chains (C₁-C₆) and creates two streams, one containing pure CO₂, the other one containing a mixture of H₂, H₂O, CH₄, N₂ with traces of CO₂ and CO. The CO₂ stream will be partially used for the methanol production (see EMM below) and the rest will be valorised through BECCS to produce Negative CO₂ Emissions. The second stream will proceed to the EHC.
• EHC: Electrochemical Hydrogen Compression
The EHC separates and compresses the H₂ from the SER-stream. The remaining gas is used as a fuel for the other units.
• EMM: Enhanced Methanol Membrane
This last unit takes in the pressurised H₂ from the EHC and some pressurized CO₂ from the SER and produces methanol (CH₃OH or MeOH) ready to be transformed into green biodiesel.

Each unit can be implemented independently at an existing biodiesel facility, providing immediate performance and energy efficiency improvements. Moreover, the units when used together have synergies that allow further efficiency gains.

During the CONVERGE project, the technology will be validated for more than 2000 cumulated hours.