An article by a group of researchers from the Catalysis and Catalytic Processes Laboratory at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Milano has grabbed the cover of the journal ACS Engineering Au, published by the American Chemical Society.

Entitled “Joule-Heated Catalytic Reactors Towards Decarbonisation and Process Intensification: A Review”, the article signed by Lei Zheng, Matteo Ambrosetti and Enrico Tronconi offers an overview of the state of the art concerning the electrification of catalytic processes in the special edition dedicated to ‘Sustainable Energy and Decarbonisation’.

This work is part of the strategy to replace fossil fuel combustion with renewable electricity, enabling fast, selective and uniform heating.

Professor Tronconi, co-author of the study, said:

Our research shows that heating by the Joule effect, based on the use of electricity to provide heat to endothermic chemical processes, is a highly promising method for reducing CO2 emissions and efficiently harnessing electricity from renewable sources. In essence, we are talking about an innovative and sustainable way to decarbonise and intensify chemical industrial processes relevant to the energy transition.