BEST PRACTICE CASE STUDY
WRK DESIGN & SERVICES LTD
About INDEX
INDEX (Innovation Delivers Expansion) is a unique demand-led innovation voucher scheme led that invites Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to apply for a voucher to purchase academic support from one of the 13 Higher Education Institutions in the West Midlands. The project is funded by Advantage West Midlands (AWM), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Innovation Vouchers allow SMEs to purchase academic expertise knowledge to develop their innovation and enhance their business.
The Innovation Voucher scheme aims to build links between Universities and SMEs to create a demand led approach to innovation.ABOUT THE BUSINESS: WRK Design & Services Ltd
WRK Design & Services Ltd
Unit 5, School Of Chemical Engineering
University Of Birmingham, Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
Telephone: 0121 414 5353
Email: raymahasay@wrkdesign.co.uk
Website: www.wrkdesign.co.uk
Main Contact: Dr Sugat Raymahasay
WRK Design & Services Ltd. is an independent chemical engineering consultancy established in 2002 with extensive experience and expertise in contract Research & Development, Pilot Plant studies, conceptual Process Design, Scale up and Technology transfer. WRK offers facilities for bench top chemistry and purpose built Pilot plant systems for dedicated Chemical Reactions and Effluent treatment. WRK can undertake Design and Fabrication of required units including Instrumentation and Process Control.
Their technical staff are post-graduate chemical engineers with operations and consulting experience. All are members of the IChemE, with two Chartered Engineers and are committed to providing advice and support that can be relied upon to be practical and cost effective.INNOVATION
Innovation (1) Energy /Power
THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
WRK Design & Services undertook a Project for production of Biodiesel from Vegetable oil using its own Downflow Gas Contactor Reactor (DGC). Though various methods exist for production in large scale, research still continues as the current processes, mainly batch, have various disadvantages and deficiencies, the major ones being:
- Due to the characteristics of the process liquids, oil and sodium or potassium methoxide, there is inefficient mixing and very high mass transfer resistance which results in a product containing less “esters”, the main constituent of biodiesel.
- In current processes different vessels are used to separate the two layers, glycerol and biodiesel (esters).
- Washing of the Esters also requires additional vessels.
- Due to inefficient mass transfer, a higher ratio of alcohol to oil (6:1) is required.
- This results in longer production times, higher Capital costs and non-achievement of the statutory standards of the ester content.
As proposed by WRK, using the DGC Reactor (www.wrkdesign.co.uk) would be highly beneficial for the production of biodiesel. The DGC system would operate as a semi continuous process without requirement of additional separation and wash vessels, as all operations can be undertaken in the same DGC reactor. The very high mass transfer capabilities in the DGC would result in shorter operating times, reduced Capital and lower operating costs and a purer and cheaper biodiesel product would be obtained.
European standards have definite norms and specifications [DIN51606, EN14214] for analysis of the esters. As WRK did not have the required analytical facilities, they used the services of the Chromatography Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Birmingham University, for the detailed Analysis of the Esters produced [high sample numbers], which was an absolute necessity for the project.
WORK UNDERTAKEN
The following two sets of samples were analysed:
[A]
Fatty Acid Methyl Esters – Fames
& bound and unbound glycerol
This is for Biodiesel work with analysis
Up to 45 samples were analysed
[B]
Carbon/Hydrogen/Oxygen content of Cellulosic waste
This is for work on H2 production from Cellulosic waste
Up to 40 samples were analysed
QUOTE
“WRK Design & Services Ltd. received funding from the INDEX Scheme in 2007. It was for, specialised analysis of products of a pilot research project that we were undertaking. It allowed us to use the analytical services and technical expertise available at the University of Birmingham. It has been very useful for us, as it enabled us to avail of facilities that we ourselves did not have. Funding schemes like INDEX are definitely effective in helping SMEs like us develop positive relations with Universities and we certainly hope to benefit from such opportunities again”, Dr Sugat Raymahasay, WRK Design & Services Ltd.
ABOUT THE HEI: University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
ABOUT THE ACADEMIC
Peter Ashton, Senior Experimental Officer in Mass Spectrometry
Research Interests:
Applications of Modern Mass Spectrometry in Supramolecular and Biological Science
Carbohydrates
Catenanes, rotaxanes and knots
chemically modified cyclodextrins
Macrocycles
Nucleosides
Nucleotides
Peptides
Proteins
Since 1971, Peter Ashton has been involved in the application of Chromatographic and Mass Spectrometric techniques to a wide range of research problems. The setting up and equipping of laboratories, training of staff along with future development of techniques in line with the research and teaching programmes of the School have been major responsibilities during this time. Over 150 primary publications with Peter Ashton as co-author have appeared in the literature as a result of this research.