CO2CirculAir is a Research, Development & Innovation start-up formed by a group of Dutch membrane technology experts in research, development, and implementation of new membrane processes. Together this group has more than 150 years of experience and success in the field of separation technology and applications.
We aim at developing a cost-effective process for capture of CO2 from air using natural wind, based on membrane gas absorption followed by electrochemical regeneration of the used absorbents. The main objective is to further research, develop and scale up this novel Direct Air Capture technology to a higher TRL, engage with end users and research partners to drive CCU developments.
The CO2CirculAir team: Jeffrey Felix MM RM BSc holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, a master's degree in Marketing and he is certified as Expert Marketing Professional (European Qualification Framework level 8). In the meantime, he has 30 years of experience in the field of pressure driven as well as affinity driven membrane technology. His professional experience was gained at Stork Friesland (NL), Carbone Lorraine (F), Koch (USA) and Sulzer (CH) and where he had a focus on Thermal separation, Crystallization, Liquid-liquid extraction and of course Membrane technology. He has board responsibilities at NMG (Dutch Membrane Society) and NLGUTS (Dutch Group of Separation Technology Users).
Berend ter Meulen MSc obtained master's Degrees in (Bio)Chemical Engineering at TU Delft and University of Pennsylvania, USA and joined Shell Research (KSLA) and worked at various separation processes until he made the switch to TNO. There he started as Group leader Process Technology and became Head of the Department Chemical Engineering. After 20 years Berend left TNO in 1997 to start MolaTech B.V., an independent consultancy firm with emphasis on application of separation processes.
Jan Henk Hanemaaijer MSc graduated as membrane technologist at the University of Twente and has been working his whole professional career in the field of membrane applications and materials. Jan Henk gained experience in dairy applications as project leader at NIZO (Netherlands Institute for Dairy research) and after which he for about 20 years at TNO, where he was the head developer of the Memstill membrane distillation project. In 2008 he founded the company i3 Innovative Technologies BV, focusing on supporting industries and RTD organizations with innovations in the field of membrane separation technology.
Ton Franken PhD has been working for four decades on membrane technology. He did his PhD on membrane distillation. Furthermore, Ton has been working in Research & Development since and is founder and director of the Membrane Application Centre Twente, in the Netherlands. Ton will focus on the development of membrane modules for the absorption process of CO2.
Jan Tholen MSc holds a master's degree in applied physics and a master's degree in economics. After 16 years’ experience in the steel industry and engineering and construction in environmental technology, Jan started his own consultancy and construction company (Tholen Ingenieursbureau Membraantechnologie - TIM) in 1991 and the engineering and construction company Elektrolyse Project b.v. in 1993. Jan is founding chairman of NMG (Dutch Membrane Society)
Marianne Niemantsverdriet MBA holds a master's degree in business administration (2000). Marianne has more than 30 years of experience in finance and office management. Marianne is the Financial Officer of CO2CirculAir.
Other activities
To avoid costs for storage and transportation of the produced CO2 it is envisaged to couple the DAC plant directly to plants for conversion to base chemicals (e.g., methanol, formic acid, or methane etc.) or to produce synthetic fuels for aviation or shipping. Another possible direct application of the produced CO2 (without costs for storage and/or transportation) could be in providing greenhouses with CO2 to stimulate the growth of their products to use the very pure CO2 for fizzy beverages. CO2CirculAir is also engaged in development of projects for the direct coupling of DAC with conversion of CO2 into syngas for production of methanol or synthetic fuels.