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| Image Courtesy: SpinID |
At the start of 2013, the start-up SPINID enters the market with their innovative reactor technology. SPINID, a spin-off company of the Eindhoven University of Technology, designs and builds chemical reactors based on ‘spinning disc technology’. With this technology chemical reactions can be performed safe and flexible, while increasing the efficiency in terms of both resource and energy usage. Recently, the Dutch Technology Foundation STW awarded SPINID a Valorisation Grant, a grant supporting the development of promising innovative high-tech start-ups.
SPINID designs and builds spinning disc devices, in which reactions and separations can take place in a highly controlled manner. This makes it possible to produce chemicals with minimal by-product formation and therefore much smaller waste streams. Switching between different products can be done within seconds. It is even possible to capture the heat released during the reaction, and reuse this energy. Energy consuming processes can be transformed into processes that actually produce energy.
Jeoffrey van den Berg, managing director of SPINID, explains: “In order to maintain our level of prosperity it’s important to maintain our capability to produce chemicals in Europe. Due to the globalization of markets, the industry in Europe faces increasing competition and their profit-margins are under pressure. Current facilities are mainly based upon out dated technology. These were built at times when energy prices were close to zero. We live in another era, an era that requires alternative solutions, solutions that are now affordable by utilizing today’s technology.”
Implementation in industry A transportable pilot plant is available for potential clients and users to demonstrate the benefits of spinning disc technology. The production capacity of this pilot plant is in the order of 10 tons a day. SPINID cooperates with SPIE Netherlands for the manufacturing of skid mounted pilot plants and the realization of production plants based on spinning disc technology.
Spinning Disc Technology The patented spinning disc technology is the result of ten years of research at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the research group of prof.dr.ir. Jaap Schouten and dr.ir. John van der Schaaf. The spinning disc equipment makes it possible to perform chemical reactions under extreme pressures and temperatures. For conventional technologies this is often not possible because of safety issues and technical and economical limitations.
The spinning disc technology features rotating discs the size of a DVD. The discs rotate at high velocities inside a narrow casing. This generates high shear and high gravity forces providing excellent mixing characteristics resulting in high heat and mass transfer rates. Due to the small distance between the disc and the encasement, the reactor volume is very small and reactions can be performed safely.
The potential of the technology is recognized by the Dutch Technology Foundation STW. Recently they awarded SPINID a Valorization Grant worth €225.000. SPINID will use this Grant to bring the spinning disc technology to the market.
