nir-vana innovation network

A spin-off company from a technical university in North Germany focuses on modeling, designing and construction of chemical reactors for the spatially resolved investigation of catalytic processes.

Catalytic reactors are at the heart of countless industrial production processes and technical solutions, e.g. chemical production processes like Power-to-X, Waste-to-fuel or Carbon2Chem technologies.

These reactions depend on the structure and the reactivity of the catalyst which are influenced by temperature, concentration, flow velocity, and pressure inside of the reactor. Spatial and temporal gradients in these variables occur in catalytic reactors due to the interplay of chemical reactions and transport of species, heat, and momentum.
In most applications, the processes inside the catalytic reactor remain hidden. Reactors are normally non-transparent, operate at high temperature and pressure conditions and contain toxic, flammable or even explosive chemicals. Measurements are restricted to inlet and outlet flows, mathematical models are often too simplified and reactor optimization is based on trial and error.

The company has developed powerful technologies in the field of operando analysis and optimization of catalytic reactors. They provide reactor hardware, measurement services, and modeling capabilities to help customers optimize their catalytic reactors based on knowledge.

The company offers patented technologies and innovative methods to partners/customers for the operando characterization of catalytic reactions by knowledge-based optimization:
• measurements of concentration and temperature profiles
• spatially resolved spectroscopy and spectrometry in reactors
• data analysis
• kinetic studies
• reaction modeling
• reactor design
• catalyst and process consulting

The company is looking for partners from universities, research institutes and companies working in the field of catalysis or operating catalytic processes. Collaboration with universities and research institutes may take the form of research cooperation for further development and deeper understanding of catalytic processes inside reactors. The company can bring in e.g. the expertise on profile measurements for the optimization of research reactors. For companies, the company can provide commercial services or offers technical cooperation comprising measurements, the design and construction of reactors and modeling.

Advantages & innovations

The patented technologies provided make the reactor „transparent“ by measuring temperature and concentration profiles and additionally modeling the flow fields inside the reactor by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The spatially resolved spectroscopy enables to characterize the local state of the catalyst. Optimization of reactors will thus be based on knowledge and allow users to minimize their costs, reduce their environmental footprint and ensure sustainability. The innovative methodologies comprise simulations and operando measurements of concentration & temperature profiles in combination with spectroscopic catalyst characterization. These provide insight in catalytic reactors during time on stream required for knowledge-based optimization.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The company is interested in contacts with universities, research institutes and companies working in the field of catalysis or operating catalytic processes and aim to understand catalytic processes in detail by applying operando analysis and spectroscopic. This knowledge can be used for optimization of catalytic reactors. In a collaboration the company can carry out measurement on their specialized reactors, can contribute with its modelling capabilities or build reactors based on their patented technologies.