SUPSI has significantly contributed to the definition of the MW resonator and reactive chamber through the detailed simulations of the electromagnetic behaviour of different typologies of the DEMETO reactor. The original design concept developed has been analysed to allow subsequent comparison with new reactor proposals. The thermodynamic behaviour of the actual reactor has been modelled to predict and control the temperature evolution of the PET-based mixture along the depolymerisation process. At the end of this task, the various EM models of reactors analysed have been compared to choose the best version according to different criteria and strategic rules to guarantee a homogeneous electrical field distribution into the mixture, avoid thermal hot spots into the mixture, find a cheaper reaction design and increment the mixture material processing ratio.
Afterwards an optimisation procedure is sustained in these task to improve the overall design of the MW-based reaction chamber with the objective to increase the value of the most relevant key performance indicators, such as velocity of the reaction, energy consumption, energy recovery, etc.
The implementation of the thermal model of the DEMETO reactor has been validated and the model has been simplified to be usable to control the process along the reactor. SUPSI is currently working on the development of a new type of evaporator.