Collaborative Research & Development
In an age when innovation is the norm, research and development (R&D) becomes the battleground.
Most of the industry’s leading companies understand that collaborative R&D increases the quality of innovation and the ability to survive over time. At the same time, start-ups are looking for funds and partners to accelerate their technology to the next level. Process Design Center (PDC) actively participates in collaborative research and development projects with leading industries and technology partners from various sectors.
Why pdc?
With an unrivaled track record in accelerating technology development to the next level, PDC is a highly valued partner in collaborative R&D projects. We leverage our “Human + Artificial Intelligence” to reach common targets.
The value of PDC’s collaborative R&D projects amounts to 210 million euros.
CLIENT’S EXPERIENCES
R&D director at Arkema –
France
Arkema has been in relations with PDC for 15 years on several internal and collaborative projects, such as F3Factory, EuroBioref, Carena, and more recently MMAtwo. In these projects, PDC’s expertise has been used as a cement between all the different process steps to put place new value chains. The professionalism of PDC has been deeply appreciated to find solutions in processes under development, and for its capacity to step back and look at the whole value chain globally.”
Our
Lighthouse
Projects
PROSYN® Membranes:
Development of a public
membrane expert system
PDC is leading a project for the further development of the artificial intelligence knowledge-based system PROSYN® Membranes, involving leading R&D partners, membrane suppliers, and industrial end-users. This project is executed with a Top Sector Energy subsidy from the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate under No. TEEI117002.
When faced with the wide range of potential membrane solutions, selecting the right membrane for a specific application becomes complicated and time-consuming, especially during the conceptual design phase of a project. Consequently, the potential savings in energy and environmental impacts that membranes can offer may be overlooked, and thus, membrane technology remains under-utilized. To address this issue, a collaboration between PDC, the Eindhoven University of Technology, the University of Twente, research institutes, membrane suppliers, and end-users has been established to further develop the PROSYN® Membrane expert system for an easy selection of the most promising membrane solutions.
PROSYN® Membranes will be made publicly available after the project. To this end, the use of membranes is encouraged for the benefit of both the process design engineer and membrane suppliers in industry.
EU research & innovation projects
BBI • 2021 – 2024
The objective of FRACTION is the development and scale-up of a novel biorefinery scheme for the processing of lignocellulosic feedstocks based on an organosolv fractionation process using gamma valerolactone (GVL) as a green solvent. The consortium of 12 partners from 8 EU countries includes large-enterprise end-users. PDC focuses on the development and techno-economic evaluation of the integrated biorefining process.
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C123: Methane oxidative conversion and hydroformylation to propylene
The aim of the C123 project is to valorize biogas and stranded methane gas reserves by the production of propylene and other C3 derivatives, more specifically propanol and propanal. In the project, PDC will also apply its conceptual process design tools and expertise for the design, integration, and techno-economic validation of the process concepts and scenarios.
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High-quality polymers from residual biomass
In the BioCatPolymers project, the focus is on the production of biopolymers with equal or better performance than their fossil-based counterparts. Specifically, isoprene and 3MPD (3-methyl 1,5-pentanediol) are considered high-added-value monomers. PDC focuses on the conceptual process design and the full techno-economic assessment required toward pursuing the commercialization of the process.
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Water efficiency in three sectors: paper, steel, and dairy
The SpotView project aims to develop and demonstrate innovative, sustainable, and efficient processes for the recovery, re-use, and recycling of waste materials and energy heat in the dairy, pulp and paper, and steel industries. This is done by assessing 14 existing and new technologies for nine new water management practices. In the project, PDC works on the development of chemical heat pump technology together with Qpinch (Belgium) and focuses on the development and assessment of integrated water management systems.
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LC-SC3-RES • 2021 – 2025
The project aims to develop, optimize and improve the CO2 hydrogenation process towards production of methanol using disruptive multifunctional catalyst systems in combination with magnetic induction, non-thermal plasma induction and microwave technologies. The consortium includes 8 partners from 5 European countries, which collaborate with the Tokyo Institute of Technology and the University of Tokyo in Japan. In the project PDC leads the conceptual process design and life-cycle assessment and costing.
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SPIRE • 2019 – 2023
IMPRESS creates a new hybrid biorefining process by integration of efficient downstream processes with Avantium’s DAWN and RAY Technology™. Green products include bio-MEG (ethylene glycol), bio-MPG (propylene glycol), xylitol, sorbitol, isosorbide, lignin nanospheres, and fodder yeast. With a total project of almost 18 million Euro the technology is demonstrated at industrial pilot scale. In the project PDC has a central role in process development and integration as well as techno-economic assessment.
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Biogenic waste to road fuels
The aim of the Waste2Road project is to develop biofuels from low-cost and abundant biogenic waste residues. As one of the eleven partners working in this project, PDC focuses on value chain integration and optimization, life-cycle costing, and techno-economic assessments.
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Adsorbents and processes for CO2
CARMOF aims to offer pre-commercial technology validation of the VTSA (vacuum temperature swing adsorption) pilot plant and industrial demonstration plant designs. In addition to the process innovation, PDC is responsible for the conceptual design and techno-economic assessment of the demonstration plant scenarios.
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BBI • 2020 – 2023
CHAMPION aims to replace conventional polymers with novel bio-based polymers for their application in coatings, textiles, home care uses and structural adhesives. In a consortium of 14 partners from 6 European countries coordinated by the University of York, PDC performs the comprehensive process design of the most important candidates and a techno-economic assessment of the different value chains.
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PMMA recycling to monomers
The aim of the MMAtwo project is to develop an alternative process to convert PMMA industrial post-production scraps and end-of-life waste into high quality raw material. Implementation of the recycling value chain will significantly contribute to the circular economy of the plastics industry. In the project, PDC focuses on the process integration and techno-economic assessment of the developed process.
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Renewable solvents
The project ReSolve, which is a public–private partnership between the EU Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), aims to demonstrate the production of novel bio-based solvent alternatives. PDC focuses on the conceptual design and techno-economic analyses of producing selected bio-based solvents.
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Adsorbents and processes for CO2 capture
A new process—the Dry Sorption Process—for efficient CO2 capture through innovative adsorbents based on modified graphene aerogels and MOF (Metal Organic Framework) materials is being developed. In this project, PDC focuses on the conceptual design, scale-up, process integration, and techno-economic analysis of a commercial scale carbon capture and storage plant.
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