Supercritical CO2 Demonstration Cell

For a conference, TotalEnergies wanted to clearly and safely showcase the phenomenon of CO2 in its supercritical state. They approached IRIAN MECATRONICS to design a portable, self-contained, and visually impactful demonstrator. We delivered a custom visualization cell, fully integrated into a transport case, allowing for a live and safe demonstration of the CO2 phase transition.

The goal was not research, but education. The client needed a tool capable of making a complex phenomenon visible to a non-specialist audience at a public event. The system therefore had to be flawless in several key areas:

• Visual Impact: The transition to the supercritical state, where the liquid and gas phases merge, had to be perfectly clear and understandable.

• Portability and Autonomy: The equipment needed to be easily transportable and operate independently in a conference environment, without access to laboratory utilities.

• Maximum Safety: Operating a pressurized system (up to 80 bar) in a public venue required multiple safety features for both the operator and the audience.

• Ease of Use: The demonstrator had to be simple to control for a smooth and flawless live demonstration.

Our approach focused on creating a safe and effective “plug-and-play” solution. To ensure maximum visual impact, we equipped the stainless steel cell with two large 30 mm sapphire windows, providing a clear, undistorted view of the CO2 sample.

Autonomy was achieved with a complete thermal regulation system (heating and cooling) integrated directly into the equipment’s enclosure. All components (cell, regulators, pumps) are housed within this enclosure and controlled via a simple PC, with the entire unit designed to be transported securely in a PELI-type case.

Safety, a non-negotiable criterion for a public demonstration, was enhanced by adding dual polycarbonate protective shields in front of the windows and a CO2-compatible safety valve.