Flow Control in Catalyst Research

In September this year Bronkhorst High-Tech invited you to send in your Catalyst research project to have a chance of winning free Bronkhorst® flow instruments.

Today we are pleased to announce the winner!
The jury appointed the Laboratory of Materials and Durability of Constructions in Toulouse as winner of this competition. Congratulations to you!

Our special thanks goes to Patrick Graf, PhD MSc, Lead Basic Design Engineer at Zeton BV and Dr. Volker Hagen, Rubokat GmbH – Institute for Industrial Chemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum for their assistance.

Where can you encounter our products?

Bronkhorst offers an extensive range of flow meters and solutions suitable for catalyst research applications. Some reference projects:

  • Catalysis Research at high pressure, high temperature
    For injecting chemicals into a reactor operating at a high temperature and pressure, a Bronkhorst Coriolis mass flow meter can be used. In combination with an HPLC piston pump a simple yet reliable solution can realise a stable and accurate flow. Learn more about this application

  • Exhaust gas simulation for Catalytic Converter Research
    Catalytic converters are used with internal combustion engines fueled by either petrol (gasoline) or diesel including lean-burn engines as well as kerosene heaters and stoves. For this, an accurate control and measurement of mixes of inlet gases and vapour into the catalytic converter under test is very much desirable. For proper comparison of different catalytic converter materials a high repeatability of the testing circumstances/gas mix are required. Bronkhorst’s thermal mass flow controllers proved to be a perfect fit for many of our customers. Learn more about this application

  • Controlled Evaporation and Mixing (CEM) system for injecting low liquid flows
    The CEM technology is a liquid delivery system, turning liquid into vapour. This compact system can be applied for atmospheric or vacuum processes e.g. to inject low vapour flows into reactor systems potentially in combination with an HPLC pump. The combination of a thermal or Coriolis liquid flow controller and a mass flow controller for carrier gas can replace bubblers. For the convenience of the user a plug-and-perform Vapour Delivery Module (VDM) can be offered.

  • Test bench for NOx reduction
    The robust digital MASS-STREAM series mass flow meters and controllers provide the most feasible solution for industrial gases like Ammonia (NH3). Due to its Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) principle, with through flow and straight tube, it is less sensitive to contamination and therefore a good fit for this application. Learn more about this application

Have a look at all other applications

FLUIDAT® ON THE NET

To calculate the physical properties of gases and liquids Bronkhorst offers the free tool Fluidat® on the Net. This progam offers the possibility to make calculations related to Bronkhorst® Mass Flow Meters and Controllers e.g. calculation of Kv-values and orifice diameters for control valves and pressure loss over particle filters for gases and gas mixtures. Register for a free account.

Dr. Anton Nagy, CEO at Integrated Lab Solutions, Berlin

“We at Integrated Lab Solutions are specialized in developing and providing highly automated turn-key laboratory and pilot R&D systems for our clients in the energy, (petro)chemical, automotive, refining, pharma and catalyst markets. Testing of catalysts and processes at small scale requires dosing of a variety of gases and liquids at challenging conditions such as extremely low flow rates and/or high-pressures. Our clients demand the highest quality and accuracy of our testing systems and therefore we implement Bronkhorst thermal instruments like the EL-FLOW Prestige and Coriolis Mass-Flow-Controllers as they are clearly the market leader in this field. With Bronkhorst we have a truly reliable partner (and not just a supplier) to help us ensure that our R&D testing systems deliver the highest data quality with maximum flexibility and long term stability for our clients.”

www.integratedlabsolutions.com

Frédéric Dappozze,
Studies Engineer at CNRS IRCELYON Laboratory, Lyon

In our CNRS (IRCELYON) laboratory of photo catalysis for ambient air treatment, we were looking for a reliable solution to generate gas phase pollutants from liquid, while controlling the final concentration (from ppb to %), the flow (from ml to l/m) and the humidity…. A real five-legged sheep! In other words: a very special project!
By combining the µ-FLOW mass flow controllers for liquid and the EL-FLOW® Select mass flow controller for gas with a CEM module (Controlled Evaporator Mixer), Bronkhorst took up the challenge! From now, we control our VOC generation with accuracy and stability and the control interface (software FlowView) is very user-friendly.

www.ircelyon.univ-lyon1.fr

Borja Aramburu Ortega, PhD,
R&D Department Manager at PID Eng & Tech, Madrid

“We have been working with Bronkhorst instruments since our company was founded in 2003. We carry out research studies at laboratory and pilot plant scale to conduct continuous reactions. The accuracy in dosing of the chemical compounds is necessary and the equipment we use from Bronkhorst comply with the requirements. The EL-FLOW Mass Flow Controller/Meter and mini CORI-FLOW are the products most used in our units, depending on the purpose of those. We can say that the products offered by Bronkhorst are of great quality, for their accuracy and control, but also the services they offer for re-calibration, maintenance and delivery of the products are fast and efficient.”

www.pidengtech.com

Monica Vicente,
Multireactor High throughput Development Manager at PID Eng & Tech, Madrid

“I have used Bronkhorst instruments since 2005. EL-FLOW thermal mass flow controllers, as well as mini CORI-FLOW meters, are included in nearly all of our equipment. These instruments fit perfectly to our work scale, allowing a wide range of fluid dosing, with accuracy and stability. Major improvements in instruments performance, as well as in integration level with our control systems, have been achieved during the last few years with the implementation of new communication protocols. Bronkhorst's flow meters and controllers are an essential tool for PID Eng & Tech, and they have always been accompanied with preferential customer care.”

www.pidengtech.com