Laboratory of Catalytic Technologies
The Laboratory of Catalytic Technologies carries out research and applied work in the development and improvement of catalysts and catalytic processes.
Description of Activities
Description of the Service
- Development of catalysts for the purification of gases containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including methane, propane, butane and organic solvents;
- Development of active components for catalysts based on metal oxides and noble metals (palladium, platinum, gold), as well as combinations thereof in the catalyst composition;
- Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the ability of materials to interact with carbon dioxide and/or sulfur dioxide from waste gases;
- Investigation of the possibilities for the physicochemical transformation of waste products so that they acquire properties allowing their use in waste gas purification processes. Technological solutions.
- Characterisation of photosensitive compounds for application in optical markers and biosensors;
- Study of the kinetics of photochromic conversion. Determination of the decolourisation rate constant for photosensitive compounds. Calculation of the lifetime of the open coloured form of the photochromic compounds.
- Study of the influence of the solvent and substituents on the kinetics of photochromic conversion (solvatochromism).
Equipment
- Flame ionisation gas analyser for continuous monitoring of the total hydrocarbon content in the gas phase (Thermo-FID-TG TOC Analyzer, SK Elektronik GmbH), connected to a vacuum system with a diaphragm pump that supplies the instrument with ambient air in continuous operating mode (SK Elektronik GmbH.) and a hydrogen generator connected to it (LNI Swissgas SA, HG KUBE). Capable of determining organic carbon in the range from < 0.05 mg/m3 to 100 000 mg/m3 at a gas sample flow rate of 25 l/h. Minimum zero-point deviation after zeroing: 1.5% per calibration interval; analogue output 0(4) – 20 mA and selectable units of measurement, ppm and mg/m3. Capable of operating in the presence of SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, HCl at a total concentration of up to 200 ppm. The analyser is certified for applications in waste incinerators and coal combustion plants and, accordingly, for operation in the presence of SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, HCl at a total concentration equal to or above 200 ppm; the instrument has passed interference testing with SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, HCl in the measurement of total hydrocarbons.
- Multichannel infrared gas analyser for continuous analysis of various compounds in a gaseous medium (MultiGas FTIR Gas Analyzer, Model: 2030G, Manufacturer: MKS Instruments Inc.). Operating mode:
Continuous. Option to analyse one of the following hydrocarbons, as selected: methane (0-3000ppm), ethane (0-1000ppm), propane (0-1000 ppm) or butane (0-250 ppm). Analysis of water vapour (0-20 vol. %), carbon dioxide (0-750ppm), carbon monoxide (0-4500 ppm), sulfur dioxide (0-5000ppm), nitrous oxide (0-255ppm), nitrogen dioxide (0-2000ppm), nitric oxide (0-3000ppm), ammonia (0-3000ppm) and hydrogen chloride (0-5000ppm). Linearity deviation: less than 2% of the range. Maximum zero-point deviation after zeroing: less than 3% per calibration interval. Dedicated software.
- Modular catalytic testing system
It consists of:
-Reactor module. Capable of operating simultaneously with 3 (three) reactors for parallel catalytic tests. Maximum operating temperature up to 1000°C; operating pressure – atmospheric.
-The gas dosing module is equipped with 8 independent gas flow regulators (mass flow controllers) for regulating CO, CO2, N2, air, Ar, O2, NO2, SO2.
-The liquid dosing module is equipped with a total of 6 independent mass flow controllers:
3 (three) MFCs for dosing water at a flow rate of 0-10 g/h;
3 (three) MFCs for dosing liquid organic compounds at a flow rate of 0-1 g/h.
Computer configuration with a suitable operating system and software for control, data acquisition
(pressure, gas flow rate, reactor temperature) and real-time monitoring of the three reactors.
Recording of measurements on the computer for further processing. Graphical representation of the system showing the status of its main components.
- Thermo Scientific TRACE 1600 gas chromatograph
The gas chromatograph is equipped with the following detectors: a thermal conductivity detector, a flame ionisation detector and a mass spectrometer. The mass range of compounds analysed with the mass spectrometer is from 1.2 to 1100 amu. The chromatograph is equipped with an automatic injector for liquid samples.
- UV-Vis spectrophotometer usb2000+xr 1-es
Measurement range from 190 to 1100 nm with a resolution below 5 nm. OceanView software with a graphical user interface is available for the instrument for absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and for determining reflectance and colour. The main measurement types are: fixed wavelength (Abs/% T), Abs ratio, concentration (standard curve), concentration (factor), multiple wavelengths, and kinetic studies. Scanning time for the entire absorption spectrum in the visible region: < 10 ms (1 ms – 65 s). The instrument has an optical resolution of ~1.7-2.1 nm FWHM
Gallery
Access to the Laboratory of Catalytic Technologies
The Laboratory of Catalytic Technologies is part of the research infrastructure of the National Centre of Excellence “Mechatronics and Clean Technologies” and is located on the Geo Milev campus. Requests for access and for joint research are therefore handled centrally — see Contacts. In addition, a full overview of the Centre’s other laboratories is available on the Infrastructure and Laboratories page.
The catalytic technology equipment was established under project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0006, funded by the Programme “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation” 2021–2027, co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.