In our laboratories in Amsterdam, we offer more than 800 reactors dedicated to catalyst testing. These reactors include a variety of high-throughput, multi-parallel catalyst testing platforms, in both fixed-bed and batch, ensuring high-quality, industrially scalable results with unparalleled accuracy. Our approach to collaboration is focused on understanding your needs and objectives, delivering results in a timely manner, ensuring consistent, reliable data that you can trust.

Our customers are looking for easy-to-access catalyst testing facilities to stay competitive. The majority of our in-house reactors is based on our unique Flowrence Technology platform. With this technology platform, we are able to perform parallel high-throughput catalyst testing tailored for the various R&D stages in line with our customer’s catalyst development objectives. No matter what R&D stage you are in – from early discovery to commercial evaluation – we generate outstandingly accurate and reproducible data for you. Hence, small changes in catalyst behavior can be readily detected and catalysts can be reliably differentiated.

What capabilities and expertise do we offer for our customers?

Customers ask us to conduct well-defined catalyst testing projects, often part of more extensive R&D programs. We help them devise the most appropriate catalyst testing solutions in line with their specific objectives. We take pride in our ability to deal with short lead times and turn out results quickly.

High-throughput testing systems, both fixed-bed flow and batch are available for all R&D stages of the catalyst development. Different operating conditions can be varied in line with the requirements needed. Project duration can vary from just a few weeks up to multi-year programs.

Type	Example applications	Reactors	Reactor configuration	Max Temperature in °C	Max Pressure in bar	Notes
Trickle-flow, heavy feed	Hydrotreating Hydrocracking Dewaxing Vegatable oil Pyoil	up to 16	4×4	500	180	Heated feed; Liquid product collection; Active Liquid Distribution (ALD)
Gas phase	Fischer Tropsch/ CO Ethane conversion H2/Ethanol Dehydration CO2 Hydrogenation CO2 (and CO) Valorization Methane Activation Selective hydrogenation Selective Oxidation Acetylene Hydrogenation Methylacetylene/propadiene Propane/isobutene dehydrogenation OCM Dry Reforming Acrolein	up to 64	1×16 4×16 8×4	875 500	100	High-temperature options
Trickle flow / Gas phase, light feed	Naphtha Reforming Isomerization Metathesis Transalkylation Disproportionation Aromatics Dealkylation	up to 16	1X16 2×16 4×4	550	100	Cooled feed; individual Reactor Temperature Control (iRTC); Active Liquid Distribution (ALD)
Batch Parallel Reactors	Hydrogenation Oligomerization	up to 72	1×12 6×12	200	160	Full batch or gas-on-demand; Identical gas feed per block; Temperature control per block of 12 Rx

Successful R&D requires collaboration, regular communication and flexibility

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INTAKE

Knowledge base
Expertise on catalyst and process design
Consulting on catalysts & chemistries

g

SETUP

Scalable catalyst preparation techniques
Extensive library of commercially available supports and catalysts
Advanced analytical method development

TEST PROGRAM

Batch/Flow
Catalyst screening
Deactivation studies
Process optimization
Reaction kinetics studies

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REPORTING

Pre-defined formats
Regular data reporting
Daily testing steering

Z

EVALUATION

Experts support for data interpretation
IP remains with client
Project-specific data access rights

Long-term research collaborations

We are accustomed to working in integrated teams with customers to formulate experimentation strategies around specific R&D objectives and, ultimately, to deliver on them. These collaborations benefit from having (high-throughput) catalyst testing equipment, catalyst preparation with an extensive in-house library, well-qualified experts and a top-class data analytical capability, all under the same roof.

Our experts have a reputation for unconventional thinking and boast an impressive track record of developing novel approaches to seemingly intractable R&D challenges.

Our testing services can be supported by:

Consulting on catalysts & chemistries
Design of experimentation
Catalyst preparation
Analytical method development
Workflow integration, data analysis and modeling

Obviously, catalyst and process IP stay with the customer with all services projects.

The Top 5 reasons why customers outsource their research to us

1. Long duration catalyst life testing

Customers face various testing needs to stay competitive. Especially stability tests occupying testing equipment for a very long time, are often hampered by the limited availability of dedicated equipment. Customers outsource this type of testing to us and value it as reliable and cost-effective.

2. Extend capacity

This can vary from accommodating temporary single testing constraint up to long-term, dedicated multi-year testing programs. Avantium guarantees consistent and reliable data customers can believe in.

3. Optimize design-of-experimentation or solve testing challenges

We have already found solutions to many R&D challenges. For our experts, nothing’s off limits. We are known as unconventional thinkers with a resourceful way of working. Read a practical example around handling sensitive chemistry here.

4. Industrially scalable results

Refineries and chemical plants make their catalyst selection based on our testing results. They value that we are the leading independent testing company. Our testing facilities are also used in the process development phase and demonstrate high reproducibility with bench-scale reactors. More relevant data can be obtained safely in a shorter time at lower costs.

5. Staff constraints

The access to state of the art technology and well-qualified experts offers peace of mind. Effective collaboration is safeguarded by our focus on customer needs and objectives. We are easy to work with, result oriented and we deliver timely.

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