IMDEA Energy

Pilot plants:

• Solar test lab for characterization of reactive and structural materials at high temperature and/or high sunlight flux density in order to identify their chemical and thermo-mechanical behaviour. The lab includes a vertical furnace composed of three independent heating zones (up to 1,500 ºC) and the Flux Solar Simulator Kiran-42 with an electrical power of 42 kWe that, with the use of seven 6- kWe short-arc Xenon lamps, is able to reach irradiances at the focal point above 3,500 kW/m² and a total radiant power of 12 kW.
• Electrochemical devices test laboratory for the programming of different test procedures and charge and discharge cycles. The test bench allows analysing the performance of batteries and other electrochemical devices, cyclability, aging and failure modes.
• Smart grids laboratory for the simulation of electrical systems operation, including renewable energy integration, storage systems, power line impedances, cabinets for distribution of CC and AC, power loads active and reactive and motors testing bench. The objective is to improve the management of the energy resources and energy balance and stability in the system.
• Plant for the production of advanced fuels and other products from organic waste (biomass, plastics, etc.), including equipment for the treatment of waste by grinding and drying, pyrolysis reactors at different scales, furnace for the activation of biochars and hydrochars (bench scale) and system for the assays of NOx and/or CO adsorption.
• Photobioreactors pilot plant which has been designed in order to compare and optimise two of the most common algae cultivation systems and cyanobacteria.
• Solar fuels photoreactor formed by a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) coupled to a gas chromatograph.
• Solar field consisting of 169 heliostats, 3 m² each, with an experimental platform located on top of a 18 m height tower. This facility allows testing receivers, reactors and materials up to 250 kW thermal power under irradiances above 2500 kW/m².

Characterization and analysis techniques:

• X-ray diffraction, three diffractometers are available: X-ray diffraction with structural PDF analysis and controlled atmosphere chamber up to 900 °C and 10 bar. Single crystal diffraction.
• Microscopy: Atomic force, SEM scanning electron and optical. Deserves mentioning the field emission scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM) and the 120 kV transmission electron microscope.
• Spectroscopic techniques: FTIR, (DRIFT, ATR and VEEMAX), UV-vis-NIR, Raman and Fluorescence.
• Elemental analysis: ICP-OES and elementary analyzer of C,H,O,N,S.
• Thermal analysis: by means of two TG up to 1450°C. TG-DTA in an oxidising (air), inert (Ar) or reductive (10% H₂/Ar) atmosphere.
• Textural properties: by means of two conventional gas adsorption-desorption analyzers and a chemisorption equipment.
• Chemical characterisation: mass spectrometry, gas/mass chromatography, NOx analysis by chemiluminescence, GC-MS coupled pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS), oxidative decomposition analysis (AOD) and ion chromatography.
• Thermal Diffusivity.
• Biotechnological characterisation: GC and HPLC equipped with different columns and detectors (IR, MS, UVVIS, HPAEC-PAD). Electrophoresis instrumentation for recombinant DNA technology, protein purification and analysis.
• High pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS).
• Kinetic photophysical studies, Transient absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence.

IMDEA Energy can provide a full range of services the different industrial sectors going from material design, testing and processing, to the development of prototypes and R&D projects collaboration on sustainable energy technologies and circular economy:

• Scientific and technological study, initial design and simulation
• Proof of concept, lab testing of basic experimental set-up and characterisation
• Component and process development & testing
• Prototyping development & testing
• Pilot or demonstration lines.
• R&D projects with private funding or that could be submitted to international calls: Horizon Europe, ERA Net, EIC Pathfinder, Life, EDF, QNRF,... IMDEA Energy has experience in the participation and coordination of projects in these calls.
• Technology transfer.