Lab Research units and equipment

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Adsorption / Regeneration Unit

This unit, assembled by EgiChem, was conceived to obtain breakthrough curves and equilibrium isotherms of different gases (contaminants), as well as test the regeneration capacity of different adsorbents.

In order to characterize que adsorption and regeneration capacities of different adsorbents to remove air contaminants, this unit comprises a gas mixture module (mass flow controller (ALicat), pressure transducer (ALicat), a back pressure regulator (ALicat), 16 electric solenoid valves (Mega Control) ), an adsorption column, a tubular furnace and a GC-BID. The GC-BID, by Tracera, has a gr great detection sensitivity to quantify the residual amounts of contaminants studied (in order of ppb).

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Supercritical Fluid Extraction Unit 2

Conceived and assembled by EgiChem, this unit provides supercritical fluid extraction experiments with more versatility regarding extractor capacity and greater pressure and flow stability.

The CO2 withdrawn from a container is primarily liquefied in a refrigerated bath and then pressurized by an air driven liquid pump to a high-pressure vessel. The solvent is brought to the extraction temperature by means of a long tubing coil placed inside the oven and the pressure is fixed in a forward pressure regulator. After percolating the seed bed, the extract stream passes through micrometering valves. The valves and the adjoining line are heated to prevent blocking up due to oil and CO2 freezing, enabling the safe collection of extract in a separator.

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Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) Unit

Designed and currently under construction by EgiChem, the SMB unit allows the continuous chromatographic separation of compounds with low selectivities like isomers and enantiomers.

The main components of this unit include eight chromatographic columns arranged in a 2-2-2-2 configuration, four HPLC type pumps (two inlet and two outlet pumps), and 8 multi-position rotary valves that direct the fluid flow and simulate the countercurrent movement of the solid by switching the positions of the inlet and outlet ports. A dedicated computer is responsible for the data acquisition and control system.

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Diffusion Coefficients Unit

Conceived and assembled by EgiChem, this unit provides measurements of diffusion coefficients of liquid or supercritical mixtures.

This unit comprises a thermostatic bath (F12, Julabo), two syringe pumps (260D and 100DM, Teledyne ISCO) coupled with a controller unit , an oven (LSIS-B2V/IC 22, Venticell, MMM Group), a preheating column, an injector with an internal loop of 0.1 microliter, two diffusion columns of PEEK (polyetheretherketone), an UV Detector 2500 (A4061, Knauer), a back pressure regulator (BPR) (BP-2080 Plus, Jasco) and a soap bubble flow meter.

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Membranes Unit

Membranes characterization through gas permeance measurements.

Conceived and assembled by EgiChem, this unit comprises a membrane module, mass flow controller (ALicat), pressure transducer (ALicat), a back pressure regulator (ALicat), 16 electric solenoid valves (Mega Control) and a gas chromatograph (Dani 1000 DPC).

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Supercritical Fluid Extraction Unit 1

Supercritical fluid extraction of vegetable matrices such as eucalypt, spent coffee ground residues and grape seed.

Purchased from Applied Separations (model Spe-de SFE), this unit also comprises a Coriolis mass flow meter and a cosolvent system (HPLC pump, model Series 1200). In general, it allows working up to 300 bar and a CO₂ flow of 15 gmin⁻¹ and is currently equipped with a 0.5L extractor.

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Oligomerization Unit

Conceived and assembled by EgiChem, this unit is devoted to performing catalytic reaction experiments between atmospheric pressure till a maximum pressure of 55 bar and temperatures of reaction from 25 ºC till 500 ºC

Syringe pump, mass flow controller, stainless steel tubular reactor with 80.4 cm3 capacity, tempeature PID controller, tubular furnace. Pressure is regulated by a back pressure regulator operated manually. The gas and liquid products are analyzed in a Fast GC equipped with a FID detector, and a VB-1 (ValcoBond, VICI) capillary non-polar column. Unit is controlled using built-in interface with on-line data acquisition.

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Oxypropylation Unit

Oxypropylation reaction of vegetable residues such as spent coffee grounds, for the production of polyols.

600 ml PARR reactor (maximum working pressure of 200 bar) with mechanical stirring, two heating jackets (900W each), water cooling, and temperature control. An HPLC pump feds the propylene oxide to the reactor.