The increased demand for chemicals is setting a global trend of reconfiguring refineries from pure fuels output to the delivery of more base-chemical components. As a result, there is a raising demand for testing catalyst solutions for these applications with remarkable accuracy and precision.

The biggest testing challenge in the field of crude-to-chemicals (e.g.naphtha-selective hydrocracking) is the high conversion of liquid streams (e.g. VGO, SRGO) into valuable gaseous components. Avantium is constantly developing and optimizing accurate high-throughput testing methodologies that broadens our applicability beyond the research stage.

For early-stage high-throughput research or lead identification, the accuracy achieved with conventional technology (e.g. passive restrictors) is sufficient. However, distinguishing high-performing catalysts in a commercial environment is only possible with achieving mass balance closures of less than 1% RSD between reactors. Our Flowrence Technology can overcome this accuracy gap despite chemistries with high-gas make production and analytical complexities of the process.

Powered by active liquid distribution (ALD) and microfluidics, the feed variation in our equipment is less than 0.5% RSD between reactors. This, combined with the individual reactor pressure control guarantees a precise and long-term operation. Nonetheless, the high gas make is a challenge for all separation solution and this is why we recently focused on optimizing the Flowrence to handle such conditions. As shown in the Figures below, we succeed in delivering mass balance closures below 1% between reactors, at naphtha selective hydrocracking conditions up to 80% conversion.

This offers you completely new testing capabilities where differences between catalysts are precisely and accurately determined, so that you can make a decision with confidence.

Summary

Avantium’s core proprietary technologies on feed distribution, post-reactor dilution, and effluent handling, enables the most precise and accurate mass balances closures for the most challenging applications. From now on, our high-throughput capabilities can successfully be deployed within all Catalyst R&D stages in today’s areas of interest: Crude-To-Chemicals. Finally, we are happy to announce the extension of our high-throughput catalyst testing capacity and the subsequent ability to serve more customers who are active in commercially validating their (refinery) catalyst formulations with the highest accuracy.