Research & Development
We design and build custom test rigs for researchers and engineers studying phenomena in liquid or supercritical CO₂. Our equipment reproduces your process conditions to observe phase changes, conduct reactions, simulate geological storage, or characterize corrosion.
01 — The problems we solve
Supercritical CO₂ presents unique challenges, from its high compressibility to its corrosivity in wet environments. Each card describes an experimental challenge and the solutions we have built to address it.
Measuring a bubble or dew point requires visualizing the disappearance of the liquid-gas interface. The experiment demands a perfectly sealed, high-pressure view cell, with fine control over volume and temperature to precisely control and measure the phase transition.
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A supercritical reaction requires maintaining stable pressure and temperature over long periods. Effective mixing must be achieved without compromising the seal, especially with mechanical stirring, and it must be possible to take representative samples without disturbing the test's thermodynamic equilibrium.
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Simulating geological storage requires maintaining representative HPHT reservoir conditions for weeks or months. The equipment must ensure absolute stability, resist corrosion from wet CO₂, and allow the measurement of slow phenomena like percolation or fluid-rock interactions.
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CO₂ dissolved in water forms carbonic acid, which is highly corrosive to standard steels. To ensure measurements reflect the sample's behavior and not the test rig's degradation, all wetted parts must be machined from high-grade alloys like Hastelloy, titanium, or super duplex stainless steel.
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During rapid depressurization, CO₂ that has diffused into polymer seals expands violently and can destroy them from within. The solution is to select specific elastomers resistant to this phenomenon, or to integrate a controlled depressurization sequence into the control system.
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See the project ↓02 — Custom-built
Each piece of equipment is adapted to specific test conditions. Here are some examples of designs dedicated to the unique properties of CO₂.
Injecting CO₂ at a constant flow rate or pressure requires countering its high compressibility and tendency to vaporize. Our designs incorporate solutions like cooling the pump heads to keep the CO₂ in a dense liquid phase, ensuring stable and accurate injection.
Customization of cooling, volume, pressure, flow rate, and control mode (flow or pressure).
Observing the phase behavior of CO₂ and its mixtures requires integrating windows, volume variation, and stirring into a single HPHT vessel. A custom design allows the geometry, materials, and technology for each function to be adapted to the test constraints.
Customization of windows (sapphire, full visibility), volumes, materials, and stirring method.
Running reactions in supercritical CO₂ requires a specific design for feeding reactants, mixing, sampling, and collecting products under pressure. Each reactor is designed for a specific type of reaction, with dedicated instrumentation and automation.
Customization of pressure, temperature, CO₂ and reactant feeds, and collection method.
Studying long-term interactions between CO₂, water, and materials requires equipment that is stable for several months and made from corrosion-resistant alloys. The design includes the ability to test multiple samples in parallel under strictly identical conditions.
Customization of materials, number of samples tested in parallel, and test duration.
03 — Measurements
Test rigs are instrumented to acquire the data needed to understand the phenomena being studied.
These are the fundamental parameters that define the thermodynamic state of CO₂, including its transition to a supercritical state. Their precise control and measurement are the basis of any reliable experiment.
Accurate quantification of matter is essential for mass balances, kinetic studies, or permeability calculations. It relies on injection systems designed for the high compressibility of CO₂.
Visual detection of phase changes (bubble point, dew point, supercritical transition, hydrate formation) is often the most direct method. It is made possible by integrating sapphire windows into cells and reactors.
Measuring a rock's capacity to be permeated by CO₂ is a key parameter for geological storage. It is determined by measuring the pressure drop across a sample at a known injection flow rate.
Tracking the progress of a reaction or extraction involves analyzing fluid composition. Our systems allow pressurized samples to be taken without disturbing the test conditions.
04 — Projects
7 projects
HPHT Reactors & Cells
Custom High-Pressure Rotating Reactor for Mechanochemistry at 250 bar
Design of a rotary mechanochemistry reactor for materials chemistry research. This custom equipment enables ball milling in a supercritical CO2 environment, ensuring a perfect…
Fluid Dynamics & Phase Behavior
500 bar / 150°C Titanium Variable Volume Cell for HP Fluid Research
Design of a 50 mL titanium HPHT cell for studying fluid phase behavior at 500 bar / 150°C. A custom solution that integrates magnetic…
HPHT Reactors & Cells200 bar300°CConfidential project · photo withheld
HPHT Reactors & Cells
Pressurized Flow Reactor Systems for CO2 Capture (CCUS) Research
Reactor platform (Tubular & CSTR) for CO2 capture research (200 bar, 300°C).
Geoscience & Subsurface Studies
Mastering Carbonic Corrosion at 140 bar: Engineering a Hastelloy C-276 Characterization Rig
Custom multi-sample test rig for permeability measurement under extreme conditions (140 bar, 130°C). Its Hastelloy design ensures measurement integrity against a highly corrosive fluid…
Geoscience & Subsurface Studies
1200‑bar Floating Piston Cells for HPHT Reservoir Fluid Studies
We built 1200 bar HPHT floating piston cells (up to 5L) for reservoir fluid studies. Made of Super Duplex F53, they resist corrosive fluids…
Fluid Dynamics & Phase Behavior
Supercritical CO2 Demonstration Cell
Design and fabrication of a portable, self-contained high-pressure (80 bar) visualization cell for the energy sector. Housed in a briefcase, the equipment allows for…
Fluid Dynamics & Phase Behavior
Custom 120 bar Sapphire Column for Gas Hydrate Research
Modular 120 bar reactor with a sapphire column for visualizing hydrate formation in corrosive media. The design allows switching between a porous medium and…
05 — Our approach
Each project is a close collaboration with the researcher to translate an experimental problem into a functional, safe, and durable piece of equipment.
Our engineering team starts with your scientific objective and the specific challenges of CO₂: high compressibility, corrosion, explosive decompression. This initial analysis is key to defining the functional specifications of the future equipment and choosing the right technologies.
We translate the specifications into a complete technical solution. This involves mechanical design (PED), material selection (Hastelloy, titanium), instrumentation, and developing the automation for precise and safe control of your experiment.
The equipment is fully assembled and tested at our Morlaàs factory (FAT) to validate its performance and safety before shipment. We then handle commissioning at your site and operator training to ensure a quick and effective start.
To learn more, see our pages on extreme environment simulation, geoscience & subsurface studies, or HPHT injection systems. Our expertise also covers process development pilot plants and custom reactors.
They trust us
06 — FAQ
Yes, our injection systems are specifically designed for it. We incorporate solutions like cooling the pump heads and cylinders to keep the CO₂ in a dense liquid phase. This ensures a precise and stable mass or volumetric flow rate, without the vaporization issues that affect standard pumps.
Safety is at the core of our design process, in compliance with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED). Each test rig integrates multiple layers of protection: hardware safeties like relief valves, and software safeties programmed into the controller (interlocks). The entire system is validated during the factory acceptance test (FAT).
It depends on selecting the right material and managing pressure cycles. We use specific elastomers known for their resistance to explosive decompression from CO₂. We can also integrate controlled depressurization sequences into the controller to protect the seals and maximize their longevity.
Yes, it is often possible, although the design is optimized for the challenges of CO₂. The material compatibility (Hastelloy, titanium, etc.) and the high-pressure, high-temperature ratings of our equipment allow for studying other fluids. However, the feasibility for a specific fluid must be validated on a case-by-case basis by our engineering team.
Describe the phenomenon you want to study and the conditions to reproduce. Our engineering team will get back to you to discuss a technical solution.