Testing Units
📝 Machine Overview
Custom Process Testing Units are specialized, purpose-built skid-mounted systems designed to simulate, evaluate, and optimize a specific unit operation or process step under realistic industrial conditions. These self-contained pilot plants provide definitive, scalable data to de-risk capital investments, validate new technologies, troubleshoot existing processes, or qualify new materials. Unlike standard laboratory equipment, they are engineered to bridge the “pilot gap” by replicating the hydraulic, thermal, and mechanical conditions of full-scale production equipment.
Process Design Validation: Generating proprietary engineering data for the design of full-scale equipment where standard correlations are inadequate.
New Technology Qualification: Piloting novel separation membranes, adsorbents, or reactor internals before committing to a full-scale retrofit.
Raw Material & Supplier Approval: Testing the performance of different grades of filter media, catalysts, or ion-exchange resins with the actual process fluid.
Troubleshooting & Debottlenecking: Isolating and replicating a plant problem (e.g., fouling, poor yield) to identify the root cause and test potential solutions offline.
Waste Stream Treatment Feasibility: Evaluating the effectiveness of proposed treatment technologies (e.g., evaporation, oxidation) on actual effluent samples.
Operator Training & Procedure Development: Providing a safe, offline platform for training staff on new processes before plant startup.
Chemical & Petrochemical
Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology
Food & Beverage
Water & Wastewater Treatment
Mining & Hydrometallurgy
Power Generation
Oil & Gas (Production & Refining)
Testing units operate by isolating a single process variable or a combination of variables within a controlled, instrumented loop. The system is designed to allow for the precise manipulation of key process parameters (e.g., flow rate, pressure, temperature, concentration, filter media, membrane type) while measuring their effect on performance outcomes (e.g., flux, rejection, yield, pressure drop, product quality). The collected data is used to generate performance curves, establish design criteria, and create reliable scale-up models.
Filtration & Separation Test Skids: For evaluating filter media, membrane elements (RO, UF, NF, MF), or centrifugation parameters. Include pumps, pressure controls, and analytical monitoring.
Heat Exchanger & Thermal Process Test Units: For determining heat transfer coefficients, fouling factors, and optimal operating conditions for new fluids or geometries.
Fluid Handling & Pump Test Rigs: For characterizing pump performance (NPSHr, curves) with abrasive, viscous, or shear-sensitive process fluids.
Catalyst & Reactor Screening Units: Fixed-bed or slurry reactor systems for testing catalyst lifetime, activity, and selectivity under process-relevant conditions.
Extraction & Distillation Test Columns: Small-scale columns for establishing vapor-liquid equilibrium data and separation efficiency for novel mixtures.
Materials Corrosion & Compatibility Test Loops: For exposing materials of construction to process streams under controlled temperature and flow to assess corrosion rates and suitability.
⚙️ Technical Specifications & Features
" Core Technical Specifications "
| System Component | Specification & Capabilities | |
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1 |
Process Loop |
Constructed of SS316L or higher alloy; designed for full recirculation or feed-and-bleed operation.
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2 |
Feed System |
Temperature-controlled feed tank (10-100L), with agitator and level monitoring.
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3
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Pumping & Pressure Control |
Multistage centrifugal or positive displacement pump; back-pressure control valve; pressure range 0-100 bar.
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4
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Filtration Modules |
Accommodates flat-sheet, spiral-wound, or tubular membrane elements; multiple housings for parallel testing.
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5 |
Instrumentation Suite |
Flow: Coriolis or magnetic flow meters. Pressure: Transmitters at inlet, outlet, concentrate. Temperature: RTDs at key points. Analytical: Inline conductivity, pH, turbidity, UV absorbance.
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6
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Control & Data Acquisition |
PLC with HMI for automated sequences (constant pressure, constant flux); high-frequency data logging of all parameters to SQL database.
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7 |
Utilities & Footprint |
Skid-mounted, requires connections for power, cooling water, drain. Dimensions: ~2m L x 1m W x 2m H.
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8 |
Safety Features |
Pressure relief valves, low-level tank switches, emergency stop, leak containment tray.
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" Advanced Technical Features "
Core Features
Process-Relevant Design: Equipment selection (pump type, valve trim, sensor placement) mirrors full-scale plant design to ensure data relevance and accurate scale-up.
High-Fidelity Instrumentation & Control: Research-grade sensors and precise control loops maintain stable operating conditions, enabling the detection of subtle performance differences.
Flexible & Modular Architecture: Designed with multiple tie-in points, bypass lines, and interchangeable modules (e.g., different filter housings) to accommodate a wide range of test protocols without re-piping.
Comprehensive Data Management: Integrated software not only logs data but also calculates key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time (e.g., permeability, rejection, fouling rate) and generates formatted reports.
Built-in Cleaning & Sanitation: CIP capability with clean and chemical tanks allows for rigorous cleaning between tests, preventing cross-contamination and ensuring data integrity.
Safe Operation & Containment: Engineered for safe handling of hazardous, high-temperature, or high-pressure process fluids, with appropriate isolation, venting, and spill containment.
Competitive Advantages
Mitigates Capital Project Risk: Provides defensible, process-specific data that reduces the uncertainty and contingency costs in major equipment specifications and plant design.
Accelerates Technology Adoption: Shortens the evaluation cycle for new materials or technologies, enabling faster, evidence-based decision-making.
Solves Intractable Plant Problems: Offers a controlled environment to diagnose chronic operational issues without interrupting production, leading to targeted, effective solutions.
Optimizes Operating Expenses: Identifies optimal process conditions (e.g., flux, recovery, chemical dosage) that minimize energy consumption, chemical use, and membrane replacement costs.
Ownership of Proprietary Data: Clients gain exclusive access to a valuable dataset tailored to their specific process, enhancing competitive advantage and intellectual property.
Project Execution & Deliverables
We execute testing unit projects on a design-build basis: 1) Scoping & Functional Design, 2) Detailed Engineering, 3) Fabrication & FAT, 4) Site Installation, 5) Commissioning & Test Protocol Execution. The final deliverable is the physical skid, a complete operating manual, and a comprehensive test report analyzing the collected data with scale-up recommendations.
