Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals
Encyclopedia
Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. is one of the six institutes belonging to the ASCR
chemical sciences section and is a research centre in a variety of fields such as chemistry
, biochemistry
, catalysis
and environment
.
Its research topics include multiphase reaction systems for the design of chemical synthesis
chemical process
es and new material
s development, energetics
and protection of environment. Its national and international reputation is ascertained by its participation in EU financed research projects, such as IMPULSE or MULTIPRO.
Its founder and first director, Professor Vladimír Bažant, was a chemical technologist with a broad perspective who valued modern concepts without which development of new processes would not be possible. This led him to invite Professor George L. Standart, a chemical engineer and a US native, who paved the way for the development of chemical engineering in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1950s and 60s. Chemical engineering research could not be done without a solid base in physical chemistry. This field of research was brought into the institute by the arrival in 1964 of Professor Eduard Hála and his team of physical chemists to the newly built site in the Prague suburban area of Suchdol-Lysolaje.
Gradually new branches of chemical engineering and chemical technology research were being developed such as reaction engineering, homogeneous catalysis
, studies of Non-Newtonian fluid
s, sublimation, separation process
es, dynamics and control of chemical systems etc. Most of these new topics were introduced as necessary support to a large and long-term project of development of a complete production technology of terephthalic acid
a polyesters.
In 1989 several restructurings had been carried out that lead to a gradual decrease of staff by 50%. The research was rationalized into today's institute's structure.
, physical chemistry
, chemical technology and environmental engineering
.
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic was established in 1992 by the Czech National Council as the Czech successor of the former Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. The Academy is the leading non-university public research institution in the Czech Republic...
chemical sciences section and is a research centre in a variety of fields such as chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
, catalysis
Catalysis
Catalysis is the change in rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of a substance called a catalyst. Unlike other reagents that participate in the chemical reaction, a catalyst is not consumed by the reaction itself. A catalyst may participate in multiple chemical transformations....
and environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
.
Its research topics include multiphase reaction systems for the design of chemical synthesis
Chemical synthesis
In chemistry, chemical synthesis is purposeful execution of chemical reactions to get a product, or several products. This happens by physical and chemical manipulations usually involving one or more reactions...
chemical process
Chemical process
In a "scientific" sense, a chemical process is a method or means of somehow changing one or more chemicals or chemical compounds. Such a chemical process can occur by itself or be caused by somebody. Such a chemical process commonly involves a chemical reaction of some sort...
es and new material
Material
Material is anything made of matter, constituted of one or more substances. Wood, cement, hydrogen, air and water are all examples of materials. Sometimes the term "material" is used more narrowly to refer to substances or components with certain physical properties that are used as inputs to...
s development, energetics
Energetics
Energetics is the study of energy under transformation. Because energy flows at all scales, from the quantum level to the biosphere and cosmos, energetics is a very broad discipline, encompassing for example thermodynamics, chemistry, biological energetics, biochemistry and ecological energetics...
and protection of environment. Its national and international reputation is ascertained by its participation in EU financed research projects, such as IMPULSE or MULTIPRO.
History
The institute was founded at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences in 1960 and, from its beginning, was intended to be a multidisciplinary research institution.Its founder and first director, Professor Vladimír Bažant, was a chemical technologist with a broad perspective who valued modern concepts without which development of new processes would not be possible. This led him to invite Professor George L. Standart, a chemical engineer and a US native, who paved the way for the development of chemical engineering in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1950s and 60s. Chemical engineering research could not be done without a solid base in physical chemistry. This field of research was brought into the institute by the arrival in 1964 of Professor Eduard Hála and his team of physical chemists to the newly built site in the Prague suburban area of Suchdol-Lysolaje.
Gradually new branches of chemical engineering and chemical technology research were being developed such as reaction engineering, homogeneous catalysis
Homogeneous catalysis
In chemistry, homogeneous catalysis is a sequence of reactions that involve a catalyst in the same phase as the reactants. Most commonly, a homogeneous catalyst is codissolved in a solvent with the reactants.-Acid catalysis:...
, studies of Non-Newtonian fluid
Non-Newtonian fluid
A non-Newtonian fluid is a fluid whose flow properties differ in any way from those of Newtonian fluids. Most commonly the viscosity of non-Newtonian fluids is not independent of shear rate or shear rate history...
s, sublimation, separation process
Separation process
In chemistry and chemical engineering, a separation process, or simply a separation, is any mass transfer process used to convert a mixture of substances into two or more distinct product mixtures, at least one of which is enriched in one or more of the mixture's constituents. In some cases, a...
es, dynamics and control of chemical systems etc. Most of these new topics were introduced as necessary support to a large and long-term project of development of a complete production technology of terephthalic acid
Terephthalic acid
Terephthalic acid is the organic compound with formula C6H42. This colourless solid is a commodity chemical, used principally as a precursor to the polyester PET, used to make clothing and plastic bottles. Several billion kilograms are produced annually...
a polyesters.
In 1989 several restructurings had been carried out that lead to a gradual decrease of staff by 50%. The research was rationalized into today's institute's structure.
Present
The institute of chemical process fundamentals research activities currently include the theory of chemical processes especially in chemical engineeringChemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
, physical chemistry
Physical chemistry
Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic, atomic, subatomic, and particulate phenomena in chemical systems in terms of physical laws and concepts...
, chemical technology and environmental engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
.
Main research activities
- molecular theory and computer simulations of fluid systems
- thermodynamicsThermodynamicsThermodynamics is a physical science that studies the effects on material bodies, and on radiation in regions of space, of transfer of heat and of work done on or by the bodies or radiation...
of fluid systems and phase equilibria - processes based on uses of supercritical fluidSupercritical fluidA supercritical fluid is any substance at a temperature and pressure above its critical point, where distinct liquid and gas phases do not exist. It can effuse through solids like a gas, and dissolve materials like a liquid...
s - modern separation methods
- multiphase reactor and bioreactor dynamics
- homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysisHeterogeneous catalysisIn chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis refers to the form of catalysis where the phase of the catalyst differs from that of the reactants. Phase here refers not only to solid, liquid, vs gas, but also immiscible liquids, e.g. oil and water. The great majority of practical heterogeneous catalysts...
and biocatalysis - chemical, electrochemical, and transport properties in fluid layers
- aerosolAerosolTechnically, an aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. Examples are clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke. In general conversation, aerosol usually refers to an aerosol spray can or the output of such a can...
chemistry and physics - laser-induced reactions and aerosol processes for synthesis of new compounds and composites
- chemistry of destruction of toxic organic compounds and environmental pollutants
Management
- Director: Prof. Ing. Jiří Hanika, DrSc.
- Deputy Director: Ing. Olga Šolcová, CSc.
- Chairman of Institute Board: Ing. Karel Aim, CSc.
- Scientific Secretary: Ing. Dr. Vladimír Církva
Research Departments
- Department of Separation Processed - Head: Ing. Vladimír Jiřičný, CSc.
- E. Hála Laboratory of Thermodynamics - Head: Ing. Karel Aim, CSc.
- Department of Catalysis and Reaction Engineering - Head: Ing. Olga Šolcová, CSc.
- Department of Multiphase Reactors - Head: Doc. Ing. Marek Růžička, CSc.
- Department of Organic Synthesis and Analytical Chemistry - Head: Ing. Jan Sýkora, Ph.D.
- Environmental Process Engineering Laboratory - Head: Ing. Miroslav Punčochář, DSc.
- Department of Aerosol and Laser Studies - Head: Ing. Dr. Vladimír Ždímal
Postgraduate Studies
Postgraduate studies are accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic for mutual programmes of ICPF and all the faculties of ICT Prague and other faculties of Czech universities in the following fields:- Chemical Engineering,
- Physical Chemistry,
- Organic Technology,
- Organic chemistry,
- Inorganic chemistry,
- Biotechnology,
- Chemistry and technology of environmental protection
Research projects
ICPF research teams are currently working on dozens of interesting basic and applied scientific projects financed both from national and foreign resources. Selected topics in the following list show the broadness and multi-diciplinarity of the research carried out in the institute's laboratories:- F3 Factory - Research and development of flexible technologies using microapparatuses
- Determination of phase and pVT behaviour of fluids and fluid mixtures at superambient conditions
- Underground coal liquefactionCoal liquefaction-Methods:The liquefaction processes are classified as direct conversion to liquids processes and indirect conversion to liquids processeses. Direct processes are carbonization and hydrogenation.-Pyrolysis and carbonization processes:...
for Europe - Hydrodynamics of bubble and particles interactions in liquid flow
- New inorganic-organic hybrid nanomaterials
- Environmental pollution monitoring and remediation using advanced organic-inorganic materials
- Advanced low-emission fluid gasificationGasificationGasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures , without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam...
- PETELYSIS - Chemical PET recycling
- New recyclation technologies for recovery of precious and special metals from electric and electrotechnical waste
- European station for comprehensive research of atmospheric aerosols
- Preparation of Ti/O/Si photocatalysts by gas-phase laser deposition and sol-gel method
- Optimization of supercritical extraction of biologically active compounds from plants
- Decontamination of waste by combined thermal desorption and catalytic combustion
- State behaviour of motor-biofuel liquid mixtures