In cooperation with the Institut für Nichtklassische Chemie e.V. (INC) at the university in Leipzig EDL runs its own test stands equipped with autoclaves for 0.5 l and 5 l between 30 and 300 bar.    

The following results are obtained from the tests:

• equilibrium data at constant pressure and temperature
• optimization of solvent rate to be used
• quantity of DAO, pitch and solvent portions
• DAO and pitch products for visual analysis and analytic evaluation 
• examinations of the basic technological model for the products DAO, pitch and resins
• optimization of pitch return in extractor

 
State-of-the-art laboratories, research and development facilities and the latest analytical methods are results of the Pörner Group’s global leadership in the bitumen oxidation technology. 

A Biturox^® pilot plantto conduct pilot tests for bitumen production is available at Schwechat (near Vienna/Austria). Different feedstocks or mixes of various components are tested in the batch or continuous mode.   

The main objectives of the Biturox^® test facilities are: 

• improvement of product quality by optimizing the chemical composition of feed blends and other process parameters, such as temperature, pressure 
• optimization of the production concept (direct blowing, remixing etc.) 
• higher economic efficiency by using feedstock of lower quality 
• continuous development of the Biturox^® process

In more than 35 years Pörner in cooperation with its partners in the petroleum industry has conducted several hundred tests at research labs and pilot tests using almost all kinds of crude, and has done in-depth research into the bitumen production by means of the Biturox^® process. All results are stored in a knowledge database.