Pilot Plant

Providing high-value, sustainable and renewable solutions for our customers to maintain a competitive advantage

Laboratory Unit Operations

RCM Thermal Kinetics Test Center in the new Thermal Kinetics Innovation Center located in Amherst, NY. The facility can be used in many ways to assist our customers.

thermal kinetics

RCM Innovation Lab & Test Center

The RCM Thermal Kinetics Test Center enables us to develop process systems jointly with our customers. The Design of the test apparatus mimics full-scale production plants that Demonstrate scalable results. The final output of the process testing is a project that has been De-risked on a robust and easily adaptable scale.

Laboratory Specialities

The RCM Thermal Kinetics lab distillation system is a 1.25” diameter system that can be customized for any distillation process. The output from the testing is used by RCM Thermal Kinetics in a linear scale-up to a full size production plant. The glass material of construction allows for non-quantitative evaluation of parameters such as fouling, foaming, product discoloration, solids formation as well as many other parameters.

Testing Variables

Stage Count

Reflux ratio

Heat input (electric)

Reboiler style (Thermosiphon and Falling Film)

Pressure: Atmospheric to 0.25 PSIA

Decanter option for immiscible overheads

RCM Thermal Kinetics can accommodate any specialized evaporation test our clients require. Testing can range from a simple feasibility test to determine the product characteristics and quality at the final desired concentration. A more detailed campaign would involve complete product profiling throughout the test inclusive of the following parameters at varying concentrations: Boiling Point Elevation, Viscosity, Specific Heat, Fouling Characteristics, Color, pH and many other.

More than other unit operation a Crystallization process design should involve pilot testing. RCM Thermal Kinetics engineers can customize a crystallization test to initially inspect which crystallizer design is appropriate for the process. Following the selection of the specific Crystallizer design the test output will be similar to that of the evaporation test. Additional parameters specific to a Crystallizer design will also result for the test. These parameters include the residence time and temperature matrix that yield the appropriate crystal size and quality.

RCM Thermal Kinetics Innovation Process Development System

RCM Thermal Kinetics is your technology partner.  
Accelerate time to market
Generate product samples quickly

Access team of experienced engineers with vast separations knowledge 
Small-scale design = rapid deployment
Reduce project design time

Validate quality
Optimize energy utilization
Evaluate multiple equipment configuration

Provide process guarantees
Minimize utility usage
Generate data for successful scale up of production equipment

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Analytical Equipment

Our on-site analytical services provide quick results to effectively and efficiently manage process variables to develop designs that meet our customers’ separation needs.

To support the Unit Operation testing RCM Thermal Kinetics utilizes stste of the art analytical equipment to evaluate the test output streams. These results guid the engineer to make test changes immediately based on the test results.

Equipment

Gas Chromatography – Flame Ionization Detector. Trace Organic Chemical Testing. Typically used for Distillation Tests
Karl Fisher Moisture Analyzer – Trace Water analysis
Moisture Balance – Loss in Weight drying process that provides accurate ‘Total Solids’ results that guide evaporation testing
Other: Density Determination, pH, Refractometer as well as customer specific needs

Maximize your success

Learn more about our customer product and process development activities in our Testing Laboratory.