Scale Up

Pilot Plants

Early-stage technologies are advanced from proof-of-concept through to full-scale industrial demonstration in an integrated engineering environment.

Dedicated infrastructure exists at our BC Research facility for conducting extensive pilot campaigns, including staffing, utilities, chemical analysis, and evaluation.

Our Strengths

Laboratory

Well-equipped wet chemistry and analytical facilities support our R&D operations.

Pilot Plants

A pilot plant is typically scaled to the minimum size necessary to demonstrate each unit operation on a realistic industrial scale. 3-D drawing and modelling tools enable optimum process design and layout. Pilot plants can be configured for high process integration, or engineered into separate unit operations. We have a rigorous approach to ensuring that pilot plants have the appropriate instrumentation to extract the necessary design data, and are designed in conformance with end-user standards/codification.

Contract Research

Services include:

• Lab scale experiments and proof of concept.
• Optimization of synthesis routes : maximizing yield, minimizing waste-streams, reagent/solvent looping, improving reaction kinetics
• Scale up of chemical production from gram to kilogram to tonnage scales
• Feedstock analysis and selection.
• Evaluation and development of IP position
• Alignment of synthesis routes with engineering requirements for pilot scale reaction and pilot plant design.
• Development of analytical techniques and QA/QC protocols for process and product monitoring.

Our Projects

Lignin from kraft black liquour offers one of the most attractive precursors for green chemicals, and is used in a variety of applications like coatings and adhesives. The proprietary LignoForce™ process, co-developed with FPInnovations of Canada, was piloted ahead of the world’s first commercial LignoForce™ production facility at Hinton Pulp, Alberta.

The NORSCAND^® Electrolyser provides an adaptable platform for electrochemical processes like salt-splitting. The five-compartment pilot plant provides a test bed for processes ranging from minerals beneficiation to wastewater treatment