Key challenges for industrial use of research infrastructure
Alfons [email protected]
Haldor Topsøe A/S Catalyzing your business
Workshop - Forskningsinfrastruktur för industriella innovationer, 14 June 2012, Stockholm
Established 1940 Ownership: Haldor Topsøe Holding A/S (100%) Annual turnover (2011): ~600 MM EUR (> 4.46 billion DKK ) Number of employees ~2200
Topsøe Group’s headquartersin Lyngby, Denmark
Our business areas … founded in heterogeneous catalysis
Fertiliser industry (ammonia, …)
Heavy chemical and petrochemical industries (synthesis gas, methanol, hydrogen, …)
Refining industry (hydrotreating, hydrocracking)
Environmental and power sector (DeNOx, WSA, SNOX)
Renewables (e.g. biofuels, biochemicals)
World population
– Food shortage
Resources
– Efficient use of resources
Pollution
– Reduction of smog, acid rain
Global Challenges
Goals in Catalysis
Understand and predict relation between material properties and reactivity
Towards a rational design of catalysts: Improve design and production of existing processes and catalysts and develop new ones
Tailoring of:
– selectivity (100%), activity, deactivation, shape, size, mechanical strength, thermal stability, material costs, purity of raw materials
Driving forces: often (environmental) regulations
What type of RI does industry need?
Type of industrial use of RI’s: mainly strategic R&D (not basic research, not quality control)
Different ways:
– fully involved in experiments
– collaboration with academic world
– analytical service (full analytical lab)
Balance between techniques new for synchrotrons (fs methods, high brilliance nano-beams) and established techniques (high flux, robust techniques)
In situ techniques in catalysis
Products - Mass Spectrometer
Reactants - Gas control system
XRD
EXAFS
TEM
Radiation: X-raysLight
Electrons
Relate Relate StructureStructureto to ActivityActivity
underunderprocess conditions process conditions
IR
Raman
SAXS
SEM
Tomography
Ammonia Synthesis Catalyst
It is the know-how that counts
N2(g) + 3 H2(g) → 2 NH3(g) Fe/FeO-catalyst
1 kg of catalyst → 25 tonnes of NH3
Annual production: 150*106 tonnes No catalyst? <150 tonnes
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01900 1925 1950 1975
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PredictionPrediction (2 children/woman)
TK-558 BRIM™ (CoMo) andTK-559 BRIM™ (NiMo) for FCC P/TTK-576 BRIM™ (CoMo) for ULSD
Recent industrial refinery catalysts
Haldor Topsøe has introduced new generations of hydrotreating catalysts
Aided by the input from molecular-scale research
Named BRIM™ Technology
First in situ EXAFS Studies
of CoMo/Al2O3 Catalysts
2 4 6 8 10 R(Å)
Rel
ati
ve
mag
nit
ud
e
Sulf. CoMo/Al2O3
Sulf. Mo/Al2O3
Bulk MoS2
Clausen, Topsøe et. al (1981)
Mo present asMoS2 nanoclusters
Mo
S
In situ FTIR:Monolayers
(single MoS2 slabs)
N.Topsøe (1980)
New In Situ Techniques Provided Insight
First in situ EXAFS Studies
of CoMo/Al2O3 Catalysts
2 4 6 8 10 R(Å)
Rel
ati
ve
mag
nit
ud
e
Sulf. CoMo/Al2O3
Sulf. Mo/Al2O3
Bulk MoS2
Clausen, Topsøe et. al (1981)
Mo present asMoS2 nanoclusters
Mo
S
EXAFS: Does not providea unique 3D structure
Interpretation still controversial!(Clausen; Prins; Breysse;…)
New In Situ Techniques Provided Insight
Do we get what we need?
YES, but …
Key challenges for industrial use of RI’s - 1 Large expenses, large distance
– travel, hotel, beamtime, equipment
Many experienced researchers needed for one experiment– Complex experiments, unique results?, complex data analysis
Peer review system for beamtime applications: – Judged on scientific quality,
not on technological quality or industrial relevance
Confidentiality, IPR, secrecy agreements, bureaucracy
Beamline/experimental staff: – Lack of staff: experiments run 24 hours/day, but staff not always available
– Lack of experienced staff (short-term contracts)
Full remote control of experiments is hardly possible
Extra facilities, e.g. preparation lab not always available
Key challenges for industrial use of RI’s - 2 Differences with academic use of large-scale facilities:
– Industry: larger amount of samples; model vs. real catalysts
– Industry: faster results are demanded: robust methods + on-line analysis + fast access to facilities
– Trend: reduced time from R&D to market
Industry: product and process orientedRIs: method, instrument/beamline, fundamental understanding oriented
Lack of quality control of beamlines/instruments:– no standard protocols
Lack of automated on-line data analysis and reduction software
Lack of standardization:– Interfaces between beamline and sample environment
– Data formats
Limited interest in industrial use by many RI’s
Increase of industrial use of SR Short access time to beamlines (2-4 weeks), preferably at short
distance from home laboratories Professional and reliable operation of beamlines and synchrotron State-of-the-art beamline equipment, laboratories (also for sample
preparation) and data analysis Building and operation of beamlines is responsibility of SR sources
– industry is willing to pay for beamtime Beamline staff on long term contracts to improve competent service;
basic understanding of catalytical processes performed present at beamline
Coordination of industrial beamtime applications by an ”industrial user office” to ensure use of the proper beamlines + scientific support
Partly from: Final declaration at ”Industrieforum In Situ Charakterisierung Katalytischer Prozesse”, Nov. 2003, Hasylab (Bessy, Anka)
Thank you for your attention
Catalyzing your business