Swenson test center
The Swenson Test Center
Swenson recognizes that the information available through testing is crucial to the success of the ultimate full-scale application and has continually maintained its test facilities throughout its nearly 140-year history.
The Swenson Test Center, located in Harvey, Illinois, is equipped for laboratory analysis, bench-scale process development in glassware, research and development, and pilot-scale operation. We can perform feasibility testing at their laboratory and pilot scale. We also have an extensive database of results, working with more than 700 different compounds.
Swenson’s pilot facility can test various evaporators (rising film and falling film) and crystallizers (surface cooled, forced circulation, and draft tube baffle) processes.
The Test Center maintains a variety of dryers for testing purposes. These include a fluid bed dryer, steam tube dryer, a suspension (flash) dryer, a mixed flow spray dryer, a parallel flow spray dryer, and a rotary air-swept dryer.
The Test Center is also equipped with everything necessary to turn a liquid feed into a dry solid. Swenson designs their operational tests so that the test product will match the final product as precisely as possible for customer evaluation.
Whenever possible, it is best to use actual feed material for testing purposes. Typically we would request samples to be shipped to the Test Center. However, an analysis of the material can be done on-site. Either glassware or pilot scale, a test system can be designed, built, tested at Swenson, and then shipped to the site.
Using these test results from various models, Swenson and Whiting engineers can assist customers in making knowledgeable decisions and recommend and manufacture the appropriate equipment for the required product characteristics.
Process Modeling & Simulation
Design starts with an understanding of the thermodynamics and chemical behavior to improve the process and economics. This is very important for efficient processing and contaminant removal.
Glassware Testing
Glassware testing provides proof of concept and gathers necessary data such as physical properties, boiling point elevation, crystal yield, purity, and crystal morphology. Testing starts as a batch process and, when necessary, can run continuously. Data from glassware testing further refine the process calculations and process simulation flowsheet.
Pilot Testing
Pilot testing gathers data for plant design and commercial samples that glassware testing cannot acquire, including crystal breakage, centrifuge data, and heat transfer data such as fouling and scaling. 20-liter scale pilot testing is the norm. However, we can also accommodate 1000-liter scale testing.
Process Design
Swenson and Whiting’s engineers use information gathered from testing and previous installations and operating data to design a robust, cost-effective system for the customer. The combination of broad industry experience, testing capabilities, and flowsheet simulation expertise provides the customer confidence in project success and confirmation of financial objectives.
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