Located on three floors in the Proess Technology Centre, the chemical pilot plant offers firms a test environment ranging from dosing to state-of-the-art separation processes.
In the chemical pilot plant, reactors are available to solve a variety of problems: a scale-down reactor for precise reaction modelling in the mixing tank; an explosion reactor for testing the thermal process safety of explosive reactions; and a loop reactor for heterogeneous catalysis on 3D printed structures.
Industrial filtration, drying and distillation processes can be integrated into the pilot plant. These separation processes can be run continuously and are equipped with their own solvent regeneration and wastewater neutralisation systems. The most important thermal separation simulation techniques are also available.
An in-line analytical system monitors process parameters in each area and provides the basis for energy balances, environmental impact studies and further optimisation simulations.
The latest process technologies prepare FHNW students for industry 4.0. Students learn the most important elements of process development safety: reaction calorimetry, thermal decomposition, explosion pressure measurement, pressure relief and associated process modelling.
The Miniplant 4.0 association implements novel reactors and processes developed at the FHNW School of Life Sciences, in cooperation with local companies, thus strengthening the school's role in translational research.
A look inside the facility
Infrastructure
- Scale-down reactor (reaction calorimeter) 1-5 L, -1 to 10 bar, 0-150 °C (Glass /Hastelloy C22)
- Loop reactor 1 L, 20-120 °C (316 l)
- Explosion reactor 10-150 mL, -1 to 300 bar, 20-200 °C (Hastelloy C22)
- Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) –80 to 600 °C
- Hydro autoclave 2 L, -1 to 40 bar, -20 to 200 °C (Hastelloy C22)
- Safety glove box for testing continuous reactor systems. Can be made inert with nitrogen, integrated safety scrubber, oxygen and LEL measurements.
- Glass reaction calorimeter 250 ml, 20-150°C
Contact
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zogg
- Phone
- +41 61 228 58 25
- andreas.zogg@fhnw.ch