The project aims to develop a compact and durable Electron Beam Flue Gas Treatment (EBFGT) technology for the maritime industry to remove pollutants (particularly NOx) by converting and subsequently filtering harmful by-products before the exhaust gas is released. While solutions for on-land utilisation for coal-fired power plants exist, the technology needs to be adapted to the needs of the maritime industry, which include high durability and low maintenance, mechanical robustness, adherence to high safety standards, energy efficiency, price-competitiveness and compactness. The project focuses on the design, characterisation and simulation of membrane prototypes for use as beam windows, with emphasis on identifying suitable materials, mountability in vacuum conditions, stacking configurations and micro-structuring options.

CERNs contribution consists of the provision of electron beam facilities (electron sources, beam characterisation and beam instrumentation), the study and configuration of electron transmission as well as membrane configuration and characterisation. The goal is to integrate the Flue Gas Treatment technology into a carbon capture system to minimise the amount of pollutants emitted by a maritime vessel.

UTMOST CLEEN (first phase) was funded by KT and covered two years of work to characterise and optimise the beam windows required for the separation between the gas and the electron gun. It ended in February 2025.

Discussions about a second phase (UTMOST CLEER) are currently ongoing and will increase the industrialisation maturity of this technology.

CERN expertise

CERN contributes the following key technologies to the project and provides corresponding facilities and expertise:

1.  Electron beams: Electron sources, beam characterization and beam instrumentation
2. Beam machine interactions : FLUKA, GEANT, SRIM, etc.
3. Vacuum, Surfaces and Coatings: Thin film coatings, membrane design, membrane fabrication and characterization, thermal management, etc.

Industries this type of project can also apply to:

Gas abatement, reducing SOx and NOx emission in:

• Semiconductor manufacturing
• Maritime transportation