Testbed for hydrothermal carbonization

HTC carbon can also serve as a starting material for further refinement into other carbon-based materials. The technology requires elevated temperatures and pressures; in Örnsköldsvik, there is an opportunity to test the technology at the laboratory and pilot scale.

RISE in Örnsköldsvik has several reactors for scaling up HTC. On a smaller scale, there are 300-500 ml autoclave reactors. These can be used at temperatures up to 500 °C and pressures up to 500 bar. If there is a need for larger volumes, choosing a 50 L batch reactor that can operate at temperatures up to 200 °C and pressures up to 20 bar may be appropriate. There are corrosion-resistant reactors available and the possibility to use different gases in the reactions, such as hydrogen and oxygen.

The plan is to complement the testbed in the coming years with two new batch reactors, 50 L and 250 L, capable of operating at temperatures up to 300 °C and 40-60 bar pressures. A high-capacity pressure filtration filter will also be installed to facilitate handling products from the reactors or to prepare starting materials.