The Laboratory of Process Systems Design and Implementation (PSDI)

PSDI laboratory mainly targets focused research and industrial projects in the area of modeling, design, optimization and control of chemical and energy conversion processes. LPSDI has developed expertise in the design, construction and automation of chemical and power production pilot plants through numerous industrial projects.

PSDI laboratory is a key laboratory of the Chemical Process Engineering and Energy Resources Institute (CPERI) which is part of the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) located in Thessaloniki, Greece.

PSDI laboratory has developed state-of-the art technology in the areas:
•  Modeling, design and optimization of complex systems (power generation systems, renewable energy systems)
•  Energy management of autonomous power systems and hydrogen production systems
•  Model predictive control for process systems (fuel cells, methanol reforming unit, fluidized catalytic cracking and cyclic propylene steaming pilot-plant units)
•  Advanced framework for the integrated optimal design of process and control systems
•  System integration through advanced optimization techniques (nonlinear sensitivity analysis of optimal solutions, optimization under uncertainty
•  Supervisory control and data acquisition systems for industrial processes

On these fields, PSDI has successfully participated and contributed in numerous competitive European and National research projects and has developed a unique infrastructure. The existence of several pilot plants in PSDI serves as the basis towards the identification and validation of the most significant research results.

PSDI has participated in numerous competitive European and national research projects and has developed unique infrastructure, at European level, and technology in the following areas:
•  Design and construction of process systems
•  Modeling, control and optimization of systems and processes
•  Development of electrochemical process systems
•  Development of thermochemical and catalytic processes for energy, fuels and chemicals production
•  BTL processes
•  Hydrogen production from RES

PSDI is supported by competitive personnel of 30 employees including researchers, graduate students, control engineers, technicians and collaborative faculty members. Its infrastructure comprises of 8 pilot plant units (methanol, syngas, hydroprocessing, PEM) and 1 demonstration unit, a 230m2 machine shop and calibration room, and informatics infrastructure including 15 servers (firewall protected).

Description of services

1.  Systematic design and construction of bench and pilot plant scale units for chemicals production and energy conversion.

2.  Catalytic processes – Pilot scale testing

3.  Automation and control systems for complex production units

4.  Development of remote monitoring applications and process information systems

5.  Modeling and optimal design of processes

6.  Advanced Process Control (APC) of chemical energy systems

7.  Power generation and hydrogen production by integrating renewable energy sources

8.  Electrochemical techniques for monitoring performance and deterioration of materials

Scientific & Technological Achievements 

1. Pilot Plant Units

Process Design, Construction and Automation for various process units :
- Hydrogen production units through hydrocarbon reforming (catalytic and membrane reactors)
- Bio-oil, wax, used cooking oil hydrotreating unit
- Fluid catalytic cracking unit, Carbon Nanotubes production unit, Biomass pyrolysis unit
- Continuous catalyst deactivation units, Steamer units for large and small catalyst samples
- Construction of autonomous power generation units with hydrogen production
- Design and construction of Fuel Cell systems (PEM, SOFC,RPEMFC)

2. Automation Systems and Software

- Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) for Chemical Processes
- Fully automated systems for process control and remote monitoring (SCADA,DCS,PLC)
- Laboratory Information Management systems (LIMS) embedded with ISO procedures
- Industrial Software Development (OPC Servers, Network and Device drivers)

3. Materials for Electrochemical applications

– Development of durable, low cost anode electrodes and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for PEM electrolysis and fuel cell operation
– Development of durable, efficient perovskite anode electrodes for CO-fueled SOFCs
– Design construction and long term testing of a complete closed-loop regenerative PEM Fuel Cell/Electrolyzer system for space applications
– Development of 2nd generation Electropromoted Reactor (MEPR)

4. Industrial System Design

- Optimization of fuel reforming systems for hydrogen production
- Design optimization of integrated renewable energy sources systems and implementation of advanced controllers (MPC)
- Modeling and optimization of reactive separation processes for CO2 and NOx capture, and biofuels production
- Computer aided design for working fluids for organic Rankine cycles and solvents for CO2 capture

Collaborations 

Academia

•  Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – Department of Mechanical Engineering
•  Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki – Department of Automation
•  University of Patras  – Chemical Engineering Department
•  Democritus University of Athens (NTUA)
•  National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Chemistry Department
•  Politecnico di Torino, Italy
•  Imperial College London , Department of Chemical Engineering, U.K.
•  Fraunhofer Institute, Germany
•  University of Salerno, University, Italy
•  University Claude Bernard Lyon, France
•  Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
•  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Spain
•  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France
•  Technische Universitat Clausthal, Germany
•  Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems, Bulgaria
•  Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Israel
•  KIT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology - Institute for Micro Process Engineering, Germany
•  University of Roma (La Sapienza), Italy
•  Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
•  University of Manchester – Dept of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Sciences, U.K.
•  Dortmund University – Chair of Fluid Separations, Germany
•  Technical University of Brno , Institute of Process Equipment, Czech Republic
•  Delft University of Technology – Natural Sciences Department, Postgraduate program of planning systems, Holland
•  Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology, Governmentals Department, Russia
•  St Petersburg University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Russia
•  IREA , Institute of Chemistry of pure substances, Russia
•  South Kazakhstan State University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Kazakhstan
•  University of Loughborough – Centre for Renewable Energy Systems and Technology (CREST)
•  Department of Energy, Power Engineering and Environment, University of Zagreb, Croatia

Industry

•  Systems Sunlight S.A.
•  CAO Hellas, Greece
•  CSolutions Ltd
•  APS SA
•  ONEX Hellenic SA
•  HELBIO SA
•  HELPE - Renewables
•  Advanced Energy Technologies S.A
•  GLONATECH S.A
•  Mantis Deposition LTD
•  Aviospace
•  Thales Alenia Space
•  BP
•  SOFCpower
•  NuVant Systems
•  CMR Prototech
•  ENEA
•  Process Innovativi (PI)
•  European Space Agency (ESA)
•  PROMTRAK, Russia
•  Firth Executive Ltd, U.K.
•  Sodruzhestvo Ltd, Ukraine
•  Process Systems Enterprise Ltd, U.K.
•  Ε VECO Brno , Czech Republic
•  Hydrogenics, Germany
•  Phosphoric Fertilizers Industry S.A
•  Tropical S.A. 
•  Frigoglass S.Α.

Mission of the Laboratory

•  Design and construction of complex processes systems.

•  New power generation systems.

•  Fuel cells

•  Energy and Fuels production from renewable energy sources

Scientific and Technological objectives

Α) Research areas of :

• •  modeling development
• •  advanced automation control
• •  optimisation

of complex systems of processes with emphasis on technologies for utilization of alternative energy and renewable

Β) Explore practical applications of the phenomenon of electrochemical aid

C) Development of catalyst-electrodes for use as anode in fuel cells PEM and SOFC