Analytical lab

In the analytical laboratory, liquid fuels, solid biofuels, biogas substrates, waste and residual materials as well as their conversion products, such as ashes, filter dusts and process water, can be characterized.

The analysis is carried out both according to current standards and according to problem-oriented method development or adaptation. With the existing equipment the following parameters can be determined: pellet density, bulk density, particle size distribution, fines, abrasion resistance, fuel/heat value, water content, volatile content, carbon content (fixed, elemental and organic), CHNS composition, ash content, element composition with regard to main and trace elements, total contents of sulphur and chlorine as well as concentrations of elutable components, density, viscosity, refractive index, flash point, copper corrosion degree, acid and saponification number for glycerine as well as pH value. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and phenols can be identified and quantified by GC analysis and the concentrations of sugars and furan derivatives can be determined by HPLC. In the future, a method for the determination of volatile organic hydrocarbons (BTEX) by GC will be established.

The following equipment is available:

• Karl Fischer headspace titrator (volumetric/coulometric)
• bomb calorimeter
• ion chromatography
• GC-MS
• HPLC-DAD/RID
• elemental analysis (CHNS)
• device for the determination of EC/OC
• ICP-OES and microwave digestion system
• UV-VIS spectrometer
• Stabinger viscometer
• flash point tester
• copper corrosion test
• freeze drying plant
• TOC (total carbon)
• ASE (system for accelerated solvent extraction)

The analysis is carried out according to current standards as well as according to problem- and matrix-oriented method development.