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Industrial Chemistry

At the laboratory of thermochemical processes, the focus of our research is on the valorization of wastes by thermochemical treatment. We perform both fundamental and applied research. Our research can be divided in two main parts.

The first part deals with the processing of waste biomass with an aim to obtain products with a higher added value. We perform pyrolysis for the production of biochar, carbonization to produce activated carbon sorbents and torrefaction to obtain coal-like high-energy-density materials.

The second part of our research deals with the chemical recycling of waste plastics. Chemical recycling offers the possibility of transforming waste polymeric materials back to their original monomers or other valuable chemicals which can be used as feedstocks in chemical and petrochemical industries. At our laboratory, we carry out thermal and thermo-catalytic pyrolysis for the chemical recycling of waste plastics.

The research goup also deals with hydrogen production using the catalytic (dry and steam) reforming of waste gases emerging from thermochemical treatment of both biomass and waste plastics.

Least but not last, the laboratory is devoted to fundamental and applied research in the field of anaerobic digestion. Primary objective is an efficient biogas and biomethane production via the bioconversion of biomass and other biowaste streams. Process modelling and microbiological evaluation are tools implemented for process optimization. Another research issue addressed in the premises of biochemical processes lab. includes the biogas upgrading with the implementation of a membrane technology and a sustainable valorisation of anaerobic digestion products and by-products for fertilizer, fuels and chemicals production. Dark fermentation and composting of organic streams constitute additional research themes tackled in the laboratory. Biochemical processes lab. scientists hold an extended experience in conducting biochemical methane potential assays (BMP), operating bench-scale digesters and composters, designing and constructing of lab- and pilot-scale modules, as well as scaling-up anaerobic digestion units from laboratory to pilot and industrial level. Biochemical processes lab. collaborates with a number of industrial biogas plants in the context of research and development projects whereas provides technical services under contractual agreements to several enterprises.

Research activities

  • Waste management and recycling of solid and liquid wastes.
  • Valorization of waste polymeric materials by thermal and thermo-catalytic treatment (Chemical Recycling).
  • Sorbent production from waste carbonaceous materials for the adsorption of pollutants in air and water.
  • Optimization of low and high solid anaerobic digestion process (pre-treatment, inhibition prevention, parameters adaptation, etc).
  • Handling of nitrogen rich substrates.
  • Modelling and process simulation.
  • Anaerobic digestion support (additives, biochar, activated carbon, etc).
  • Digestate valorization (biochar generation, fertilizers, recycling methodologies).
  • Dark fermentation and biohydrogen generation.
  • Gas separation technologies (membrane, filter technology).
  • Biogas purification and upgrading.
  • Biogas-to-energy techniques (turbine, co-generation etc).

Basic equipment

  • Batch pyrolysis reactor (max. volume: 10 dm3, max temperature: 800-850 °C).
  • Batch pyrolysis reactor (max. volume: 0.5 dm3, max. temperature 1000 °C).
  • Pilot scale continuous pyrolysis unit (max. feed rate: 2 kg/h)
  • Microwave reactor (power up to 1 kW).
  • One and two stage test rigs for thermo-catalytic pyrolysis.
  • Test rig for dry reforming of methane and/or pyrolysis vapors.
  • Plasma (Gliding Arc) process module for VOC removal.
  • Batch anaerobic digestion system (Biogas RITTER BBFS-18).
  • Series of glass-bottle reactors (1 L) coupled with gas-measuring burettes.
  • Lab-scale rotary reactor (15 L) (Qty: 2).
  • Vertical digester coupled with incubator (20 L) (Qty: 4).
  • CSTR anaerobic digester (60 L) (Qty: 2).
  • Rotary reactor (160 L) (Qty: 2).
  • Two-stage vertical anaerobic digester (200 L).
  • Pilot-scale horizontal CSTR system (400 L).
  • Infrared and electrochemical biogas analysers (CH4, CO2, O2, H2, H2S).
  • Elemental analyser (C, H, N, S, O).
  • Determination of COD, pH, conductivity, moisture, ORP, O2.
  • Other relevant devices: incubators, dryers, autoclaves, gas-holders, crushers, mills, homogenizers.

Offered services

  • Material and energy balances for thermal treatment of biomass, general and hazardous wastes.
  • Analysis of gaseous and liquids products resulting from waste treatment.
  • Determination of water content by Karl Fischer titration.
  • Physicochemical evaluation of solids (biomass, waste, digestate).
  • Gas composition analysis (biogas, natural gas).
  • Substrate preparation and pre-treatment (grounding, milling, screening, hydrolysis).
  • Simulation of industrial anaerobic mono- and co-digestion process.
  • Evaluation of industrial process parameters (loading, retention time, substrate, stirring etc).
  • Assessment of anaerobic digestion additives (minerals, buffers, biochar, enzymes, microorganisms).

Research team

Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D.
Dr.- Ing. Amer Inayat
Ing. Barbora Grycová, Ph.D.
Ing. Kateřina Klemencová, Ph.D.
Ing. Jana Vaštyl, Ph.D.
Ing. Jakub Korpas, Ph.D.
Dr. Subhasis Das
Dr. Panagiotis Basinas
Ing. et Ing. Kateřina Chamrádová, Ph.D.
Ing. Petra Wojnarová, Ph.D.
Ing. Markéta Bouchalová, Ph.D. (materity leave)
Ing. Adam Kožušník
doc. Ing. Pavel Izák, DrSc.
Ing. Jana Strakošová
Mgr. Rozálie Wdówková
Ing. Jan Mutina
Mr. Jiří Jureček

Contact

Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D.
e-mail:
tel.: 00420 597 32 7330
mobil: 00420 608 917 261

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Publishing and scientific activity

Scientific book

BASINAS, Panagiotis; CHAMRÁDOVÁ, Kateřina and RUSÍN, Jiří. Start-up of a High-solid Pilot-digester Treating Low Quality Mechanically-separated Small Particle Fraction of OFMSW. Singapur: Springer, 2024. ISBN 978-981-9741-58-8.
Detail

Final work

2024/2025

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Analýza kvality odpadních plastů pro potřeby chemické recyklace
(Quality analysis of waste plastics for chemical recycling technology) 		Anna Zhukova Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Bachelors

2023/2024

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Výroba syntézního plynu pomocí suchého reformování plynných uhlovodíků z termokatalytické pyrolýzy odpadních polyolefinů
(Syngas production by CO2 reforming of gases derived from thermo-catalytic pyrolysis of waste polyolefins) 		Ing. Jiří Hrbáč Dr. Ing. Amer Inayat Masters

2022/2023

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Výroba aromátů a lehkých olefinů katalytickou pyrolýzou odpadních polyolefinů
(Production of aromatics and light olefins by catalytic pyrolysis of waste polyolefines) 		Bc. Taťána Barvíková Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Bachelors

2021/2022

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Výroba vodíku reformováním uhlovodíků s CO2
(Hydrogen production by dry remorming of hydrocarbons) 		Ing. Jiří Hrbáč Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Bachelors

2019/2020

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Výroba vodíku pomocí suchého reformování uhlovodíků
(Hydrogen production using dry reforming of hydrocarbons) 		Ing. Zdeněk Zikmund Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Masters

2018/2019

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Recyklace odpadních polymerů pomocí termochemických a katalytických procesů
(Recycling of the waste polymers using thermochemical and catalytic processes) 		Ing. Denisa Čižíková Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Masters

2017/2018

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Suché reformování uhlovodíků
(Dry reforming reactions of hydrocarbons) 		Ing. Zdeněk Zikmund Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Bachelors
Využití mikrovlnné pyrolýzy při zpracování odpadní biomasy
(Waste biomass treatment using the microwave pyrolysis) 		Ing. Kristýna Plánková Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Masters

2016/2017

Title Name of student Supervisor Type
Extrakce surového kaprolaktamu
(Extraction of a crude caprolactam) 		Ing. Jana Vaštyl Ing. Pavel Leštinský, Ph.D. Masters