Environmental Engineering and Reactor Technology

Three PhD candidates in the lab. Photo

Research activity

The Environmental Engineering and Reactor Technology Group works with experimental and theoretical analysis of separator and reactor performance, modelling of physical processes, numerical methods, statistics, heat and mass transfer, bubble, drop and particle size distributions, crystallization, mixing, thermodynamics, transport phenomena including rheology of complex fluids and surfaces. These concepts are used for design of reactors and separators and total chemical and bio-chemical process plants, including techno-economical evaluations.

Typical component separation technologies like membranes and absorptions are used for CO₂-capture, which is an important part of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) systems. These technologies can also be used for separation of other chemical components.

Phase separation technologies, based on knowledge on fluid particle breakage and coalescence, are important in chemical and bio-chemical industries. Bio and chemical reactor technology is central in most process plants converting raw material to sustainable products in bio-refining and chemical industry.

Educationally the main objective of the group is to educate MSc for the Norwegian industry and to raise the national scientific competence in our field of research through PhD studies.

Research areas

Laboratories

The group has extensive lab infrastructure for experimental work on membranes, absorption, particle synthesis and characterization, mass transfer and bubble hydrodynamics, phase separation and bio-refining.

The membrane and absorption laboratories are part of the European Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Laboratory Infrastructure called ECCSEL providing laboratory access for researchers outside NTNU.

The group has also established a Particle Engineering Core Facility.