ENGINEERING GROUP

R&D Engineering Group, located in Milan, plays a key role in development of new electrolyzers, improvement of existing Electrolyzers, design and process specifications for new cells, systems and electrochemical processes for De Nora and in partnership with major companies in the chemical industry or technology licensing. Product innovation ranges:

  1. Chlor-alkali membrane Electrolyzers, hydrochloric acid Electrolyzers using Oxygen Depolarized Cathodes (HCl-ODC technology.
  2. Relatively small electrochemical systems for on-site production of electrochemically activated solutions.

Within R&D Engineering Group two main team have been created; the Process & Pilot Electrolyzers dedicated to development and optimization of Electrolyzer design, with respect to intended function, mechanics, electric, fluid-dynamic, economics of operation and safety and the Design Engineering.

R&D Engineering Group activities are:

  • Feasibility studies.
  • Analysis of the process and related requirements for the Electrolyzer.
  • Research in materials and systems to match the requirements, reduce their cost and increase their durability.
  • Mechanic structural modeling.
  • Fluid-dynamic studies: analysis of the internal fluid distributions for the optimum thermal and mass transport
  • Finite element modeling of electrolyzer basic operations.
  • Prototyping and simulations.
  • Explorative design and testing: collection of results and analysis from experiments in the Test Laboratories.
  • Scale-up and qualification: starting from the Pilot unit in the Laboratory up to Pilot and Demo units of industrial representative scale.
  • Detail and complete mechanical design (calculations, 3D modeling, selection and sizing, engineering), for components for industrial electrochemical technologies: chlor-alkali membrane/diaphragm/amalgam, single cell and cell room conversion/upgrade, chlorinators, chlorate, electrode and electrode structures for oxygen and specialty applications, etc.
  • Engineering Services with realization of technical documentation, specifications and construction drawings for all the Electrochemical Systems produced by De Nora, support for purchasing and manufacturing.
  • Experienced people belonging to this group also provides technical assistance as support in exploiting present and future technologies.