Laboratory of Environmental Fuels & Hydrocarbons

The Laboratory of Environmental Fuels and Hydrocarbons (LEFH) is a catalytic reaction engineering laboratory that carries out applied research in the area of refining/bio-refining technologies, new conventional fuels, renewable fuels and chemicals, new catalytic materials and in environmental catalytic processes like DeSOx, DeNOx from flue gases. LEFH provides technical support to refining and bio-refining industry and focuses on various processes and especially on Fluid Catalytic cracking (FCC), Hydroprocessing (HDS/HPC), Isomerization, Alkylation, Reforming, Biomass Catalytic Pyrolysis, Bio-fuels upgrading, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR).

Research activities

Research and Development activities in the following areas:

• Technologies for the production of clean conventional fuels
• Technologies for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals
• Low emissions environmental Technologies (DeSOx/DeNOx)
• Synthesis and Characterization of new catalytic materials

Industrial Cooperation:

• Process Development and Optimization for the production/upgrading of fuels and biofuels
• Refining Catalysts and Catalytic Additives Evaluation and Deactivation
• Refining Catalysts Advanced Characterization
• Fuels/Biofuels Advanced Characterization – Quality Specification
• Technical Support to Refining and Bio-refining Industry

Major Accomplishments

• Unique infrastructure at International level in the area of applied catalysis including bench scale and pilot plant facilities and fully equipped analytical laboratory
• Development of novel reactor systems and unique technology for the prediction of catalysts deactivation and performance in refinery processes such as FCC
• Development of technology for the production of 2nd generation biofuels (biooil via biomass catalytic pyrolysis in fully circulating fluid bed units, diesel from hydroprocessing of oils/used cooking oils, synthetic diesel from waxes etc.) as well as for the upgrading of biofuels
• Technology for advanced characterization of complicated fuels by 2DGC-TOFMS technique
• Participation in numerous competitive projects (FP7, H2020 and National)
• Around 25 million euros income during the last 15 years from industrial contracts in collaboration with more than 70 industries worldwide
• Creation of a new CPERI laboratory and a Spin-off company
• Prof. I. Vasalos, Emeritus Researcher of LEFH has been selected as the recipient of the 2015 EFCATS Applied Catalysis Award
•  Innovation award of 2^nd generation biodiesel technology (recipient Dr. Stella Bezergianni – Researcher of LEFH)