Symbiose

Symbiose: Vlaamse bedrijven wisselen reststromen uit

Bij industriële symbiose wisselen bedrijven nevenstromen met elkaar uit. Op het Symbioseplatform ontmoeten vragers en aanbieders van materialen elkaar. Een ervaren symbioseteam helpt om de juiste contacten te leggen, samen met kennis- en onderzoekscentra.

De OVAM ondersteunt het symbioseplatform, omdat symbiose leidt tot gesloten materiaalkringlopen. Zo vermindert u de hoeveelheid bedrijfsafval en valoriseren we waardevolle reststromen.

Symbiose infographic Hoe werkt het?
Op het platform vindt u een databank aan vragen en aanbiedingen. U kan daarin materialen opzoeken. Denk aan reststromen, recyclaten of alternatieve grondstoffen die u in uw bedrijf kan inzetten. Of u kan nagaan welke bedrijven op zoek zijn naar een materiaal dat in uw bedrijf als reststroom vrijkomt.

Hebt u interesse in een bepaalde vraag of aanbod? Dan kan u op het platform contact opnemen met het bedrijf waarmee u een samenwerking wil starten. Zonder enige verplichting. De aanbieder of vrager van dat materiaal kiest zelf wanneer het zijn identiteit en detailinformatie deelt.

Ondernemingen bepalen de details van een symbiose-overeenkomst volledig autonoom. Ook de financiële component.

Doe een beroep op het symbioseteam wanneer u een vraag hebt. Zij bieden hulp en expertise over praktische, technologische, logistieke en juridische zaken. Het symbioseteam is een ervaren team, dat onafhankelijk van de OVAM werkt.

De OVAM ondersteunt deze hoogwaardige materiaalvalorisatie bij bedrijven zodat zij meer materiaalkringlopen kunnen sluiten en minder (primaire) materialen verspillen. De OVAM heeft evenwel geen zicht op de individuele bedrijfsdata binnen het online platform, deze zijn enkel zichtbaar voor het Symbioseteam. De OVAM gebruikt enkel de geaggregeerde symbiosedata in haar beleidsmonitoring van de circulaire economie.

Meer weten? Lees onze antwoorden op de veelgestelde vragen of contacteer info@smartsymbiose.com.

Onze garanties:
  • U ontvangt gratis hulp en expertise van een ervaren symbioseteam, zowel over technologische, logistieke als juridische zaken.
  • U bepaalt altijd zelf met wie u uw informatie deelt.
  • Uw samenwerkingen zijn een economische meerwaarde: u kunt uw afvalkost omzetten in een materiaalopbrengst.
  • De milieu-impact van uw bedrijf gaat omlaag.
  • U vergroot uw kennisnetwerk.

Het Symbiose-project startte in september 2012 en werd gesubsidieerd door het Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen tot en met december 2015. Catalisti maakte actief deel uit van de uitvoering van het project van september 2014 tot december 2015.


Lipametics

Lipase-Catalysed Solvent-Free Esterification of Fatty Acids with Lower Alcohols

The traditional process of ester manufacturing uses high temperatures (150-250°C) and chemical catalysts. This translates into extreme reaction conditions, unwanted side reactions, difficult catalyst recovery and poor product quality requiring energy intensive downstream processing. In contrast, solvent-free enzyme-catalysed esterification is carried out at milder temperatures and results in a highly selective product with no side reactions, minimal post processing as well as significant energy and cost savings. It shows clear advantages compared to traditional processes through process simplification, increased product quality and reduced carbon footprint.

Goal
The Lipametics project aimed to develop a solvent-free enzymatic esterification process for the production of fatty acid esters. The project set out to research the raw materials, pilot production, general product specifications and applications for cosmetics and animal feed.

From Innovation to Business
Lipametics investigated solvent-free enzymatic synthesis of 4 types of esters. A coupled enzymatic esterification and membrane assisted water removal (produced during esterification) was demonstrated successfully at VITO at 3 L scale. The process resulted in complete fatty acid conversion and very selective water removal by membrane. Moreover, a high enzyme productivity was achieved without any loss in enzyme activity. VITO provided more than 10kg of product to the companies for application testing in cosmetics (Gova) and animal feed (Nutrition Sciences). The final products met the benchmarked specifications. After validation in cosmetic applications of the enzymatically produced product, upscaling was successfully undertaken to replicate the coupled reactor-membrane setup at 200 L scale in an upgraded pilot installation at Oleon’s site.

The innovations achieved in the Lipametics project will help bridge the gap in available technology for the esterification of fatty acids with lower alcohols. This will result in improved commercial availability of lipase-catalysed esters.

Project Details
Project type: O&O COOPERATIVE PLUS
Approved on: 18/06/2015
Duration: 01/09/2015 – 31/08/2018
Total budget: €1.119.003
Subsidy: €741.574
Project Partners
Press Publications
Oleon catalyzing a greener future – by Oleon’s Pieter van der Weeën in NPT Magazine – 25 August 2020

Scientific Publications
Lipase-catalyzed solvent-free synthesis of monoacylglycerols in various reaction systems and coupling reaction with pervaporation for in-situ water removal – by Yamini Satyawali, Lieve Cauwenberghs, Miranda Maesen, and Winnie Dejonghe in Chemical Engineering and Processing – Process Intensification, Volume 166, September 2021, 108475 – DOI 10.1016/j.cep.2021.108475

FRoptiPLAST

Flame Retardants for Optimal Plastic Applications

Goal
A fire hazard occurs when the appropriate conditions are present; a combustible material, oxygen and an ignition source. Plastics have the property that they burn easily, reach high temperatures during combustion and toxic gases are released during combustion. It’s mainly these toxic products that cause fatalities. The most common cause of death by fire, is the release and inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO). Every year, more than 5,000 people die in fires in Europe and more than 4,000 in the United States.

 

So it is ‘vital’ that the Flemish plastics industry pays attention to this danger, the rules, the incorporation of flame retardants in plastics and the various new technologies that are available for this purpose. In the near future, it will be more and more important to tune the used flame retardant technology to the (plastics)application or product. And as it is with many critical applications, are the requirements, standards and testing becoming increasingly stringent.

Intrinsic flame retardant plastics, plastics in which flame retardant additives are incorporated or that have flame retardant coatings, have a wide range of applications in very different domains, such as electricity, transportation and automotive, foam systems and interior. They work in different ways and in this study we want to list the different possibilities, with emphasis on the latest technologies and features. The advantages and disadvantages of the technologies will be clearly stated and also the economic and regulatory aspects will be taken into account.

The objectives of this feasibility study are:

  • to make an inventory of the available flame retardants, synergistic effects and their usefulness for plastics (processing) companies
  • to make an inventory of the recent research landscape (patent search) to also take into account the latest techniques (the so-called state-of-the-art)
  • to make an inventory of and understand the regional and European regulations, environmental legislation and toxicology
  • to develop a methodology for Flemish companies to help them understand the latest regulations and to have their products comply with these requirements

The study will apply to different products (thermoplastics, thermosets, rubbers) and processing techniques (eg, compounding, injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming). The feasibility study can be followed by one or more follow-up projects to develop new flame-retarding materials or techniques or to implement new techniques within plastic processing companies.

 

Project Details
Project type: VIS
Approved on: 20/11/2014
Duration: 01/01/2015 – 30/10/2015
Total budget: €90.357
Subsidy: €72.287
Project Partners

LIGNIWASTE

Feasibility Study for Lignin Recovery Using Residual Heat

The LIGNIWASTE project is an R&D feasibility study that will examine whether lignin-rich wastewater from a paper producer can be purified so that the lignin can be used as feedstock for bio-based chemicals, and so that the purified water can be used for the production of boiler water. In this study both the technical and economic feasibility will be investigated.

Project Details
Project type: R&D Feasibility Study
Approved on: 04/06/2014
Duration: 01/04/2014 – 31/12/2014
Total budget: €108.723
Subsidy: €40.822
Project Partners

BEEHAPPY

Research on the Relationship between the Health of Bee Populations and Several Potential Explanatory Variables in a Spatially Explicit Way for Belgium

Goal
With this study we want to investigate the possible causal relationships between bee mortality and present explanatory variables of natural or anthropogenic character, and this in a spatially explicit way. The research will be conducted through a GIS analysis (Geographical Information System). The goal is to bring scientific clarity about the causes of the increased bee mortality in Belgium, so in the next step appropriate solutions can be sought. Several chemical companies, in the crop protection sector and the pharmaceutical industry, the machine industry and the biotechnology sector, are interested to contribute innovative developments to improve bee health. But first, there must be clarity about the contribution of various factors to the bee problem. Based on these results, an innovation plan will be developed for this broad audience.

 

Framework
Bees are producers of honey, but even more important, they play an essential role in maintaining good biodiversity because they are one of the most important pollinators of many plant species. For example, 80% of all pollination activity is due to bees (source: European Commission). However, all around the world, an increased mortality is found in the bee populations (both honeybees and wild bees in). Bee-experts, scientists and governments from around the world agree that several factors are responsible for the high mortality of bees. The problems with bees can be assigned to diseases and parasites (especially the Varroa mite), extraordinary environmental and climatic conditions such as air pollution and electromagnetic radiation, reduced food supply and reduced nesting, but also agriculture (the use of pesticides) and beekeeping practices. At present there is no scientific consensus on the extent to which the various factors described above contribute to bee mortality. Some researchers point especially to the Varroa mite as the main cause, while other researchers point directly to the plant protection. Still other researchers suggest synergistic and combination effects between the different aspects.

 

Project Details
Project type: VIS
Approved on: 18/12/2013
Duration: 31/12/2013 – 30/12/2014
Total budget: €149.506
Subsidy: €119.604
Project Partners

PURE

PU Insulation Recycling: Study of the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the recycling of construction, demolition and production waste

Polyurethane foam has been widely used as efficient insulation material in construction for many years. Yard waste and demolition waste end up in containers with mixed construction waste, and after sorting are incinerated with energy recovery. The amount of polyurethane foam scrap from construction yards is still relatively small, but the volume will grow strongly in the coming years.

The PURE project will research recycling techniques for a more high-quality recovery of polyurethane foam insulation in a ‘Closing the Closest Loop’ concept. The techniques should be technically and economically feasible, but also ecologically meaningful.

Project Details
Project type: HS
Approved on: 28/05/2014
Duration: 01/09/2014 – 31/08/2015
Total budget: €201.490
Subsidy: €80.596
Project Partners

CHITINSECT

Production and Application of Chitosan-Based on Insect Biomass at Lab and Pilot Scale

Chitinsect

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 19/12/2013
Duration: 31/12/2013 – 30/08/2016
Total budget: €1.260.658
Subsidy: €1.093.680
Project Partners

AMBER

Glutamic Acid-Based Building Blocks for Application in Paints and Inks

AmberENGliggend

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 18/12/2013
Duration: 28/02/2014 – 30/05/2016
Total budget: €940.229
Subsidy: €732.822
Project Partners

Contact
Questions about this project? Please contact catalyst Luc Van Ginneken (lvanginneken@catalisti.be).

Biovertol 1

Towards Sustainable Synthesis of Branched-Chain Higher Alcohols from Biobased Feedstock

BIOVERTOLliggendeng

Project Details
Project type: ICON
Approved on: 17/10/2013
Duration: 31/12/2013 – 30/12/2015
Total budget: €1.622.095
Subsidy: €1.102.083
Project Partners

DEMOSPIR

Demonstration Cultivation of Spirulina in the Greenhouse Sector

The DEMOSPIR project aims to grow the micro-algae Spirulina on demonstration scale (200 m²) in vacant greenhouses that were previously intended for azalea cultivation. The small-scale, artisanal way in which Spirulina is sometimes already grown in France will be optimized and professionalized using know-how from Flemish tomato cultivation. A number of non-technical and automation parameters will be optimized to annual yield, product quality and cost per kg of product. This concerns control, lighting, heating, harvest, recirculation, first processing and preservation. Besides optimizing the production demo scale, the market potential in the food sector will also be briefly examined.

Project Details
Project type: HS
Approved on: 19/12/2013
Duration 30/09/2013 – 29/09/2014
Total budget: €45.436
Subsidy: €22.719
Partners: AnKo Projects, De Romaanse Poort, Gekruid, and Plant Projects