Posted on 9 July 2012
The Biorenewables Development Centre was officially opened by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Industry and Skills on 5 July 2012.
The BDC is a 10 – 100 kg (10 – 100 litres) world-class scale-up facility that allows York researchers to test the most promising processes for converting renewables into chemicals and materials. In this way they can prove a new process and/or produce enough product for detailed commercial analysis and assessment for example, by an interested company. The BDC is very much about engaging and working with industry and is a joint venture between Chemistry (Green Chemistry) and Biology (CNAP), which is funded by ERDF and BIS.
Equipment in the BDC includes a large purpose-built microwave processor (capable of operating at up to ca. 30 Kg/h), two 5 litre supercritical carbon dioxide extractors, large multi-purpose reactors and extractors, pre-processing equipment including macerator and pelletiser, and some analytical equipment.
For further details, contact: biorenewables@york.ac.uk