Welcome to the Chemical Engineering Cluster within the Engineering Department. We aim to deliver industry solutions through application of the latest in process design and materials innovation. Please take a moment to explore our capabilities and track record. We look forward to working with you.
Contact our Cluster Lead, Professor Alastair MartinWe are a multidisciplinary team with capabilities spanning an extensive range of Chemical, Material and Process Engineering domains and expertise that blends applied, experimental and life science approaches. We work across the fields of Reaction Engineering, Catalysis and Electrocatalysis, Renewable Energy Generation and Gasification, Fuel Cells and Energy Storage, Biomaterials, Downstream Processing, Microbial Transformation and Waste Valorisation.
Several members of our team began their careers in industry and we are able to draw upon decades of collective experience in Oil and Gas, Utilities, Chemicals and Nuclear disciplines when addressing modern day challenges and development projects.
We operate across a multitude of sectors from Energy generation to Biopharmaceutical and at all scales from theoretical design and laboratory bench experimentation, through test rig development and scale up, to real world industrial solutions in process control, intensification and optimisation.
We offer technical support in the design, modelling and refinement of industrial processes. From conceptualisation, through intensification to optimisation, our expertise encompasses reaction engineering, green chemical design and process separation by sustainable techniques. We can work at scales to suit all businesses, from demonstration test rigs to industrially relevant systems.
We are experienced in renewable energy generation, transformation and storage, with particular strengths around anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, gasification, fuel to chemicals transformation and turbine technologies. Our expertise also extends to hydrogen technology, including electrolyser design, fuel cell and redox flow battery systems.
We provide expert advice and guidance on the use of heterogeneous, homogenous and biocatalysts in a range of applications from chemical and biochemical synthesis to renewable energy generation applications. From the development of new catalyst materials to the regeneration of cofactors in enzymatic reactions, we are able to observe in situ and characterise catalyst performance and degradation to maximise reaction efficiencies and process output.
Our work around biomaterials is chiefly focused upon materials innovation for clinical applications. Composite biomaterials, (specifically mineralised hydrogels) are of particular interest and our work aims to exploit the combined positive characteristics of both the mineral and hydrogel phases in offering mechanical strength alongside a propensity for incorporation of biologically active substances, enzymes and antibacterial agents
“Recent trends in process design development within the chemicals sector show an increased awareness of the need for remarkable change in common practices if we are to achieve sustainable goals linked to tightening legislation and decarbonisation. In Engineering at Lancaster University, we have competences in many aspects of process design and methodologies that consider resource use efficiencies in equipment size, energy consumption and waste generation. We use both fundamental and practical concepts to shape experimental and modelling methodologies. Examples include heat integration systems applied to wood chip dryers and spirit distillers, bead coating for integrated mixing, efficient anaerobic digesters, integrated separation of value added chemicals from food wastes and generation of syngas from biowastes using unconventional heating techniques.”
Dr Farid Aiouache, Cluster Co-ordinator
If you wish to know how we can contribute to your business or products, get in touch with Farid
With the creation of this Chemical Engineering Cluster Lancaster University is championing the development of critical capabilities and competencies required to support industries across all sectors to overcome the challenges of today and gain insights into the future. Victrex plc has been able to benefit first hand from this expertise and I strongly support Lancaster University as a key strategic industrial partner
In this project we developed heat transfer models that allowed the project partner, Bowland Bioenergy Ltd, to design a year round, four-season woodchip drying operation by predicting and utilising moisture content kinetics. Two types of drying, based on laboratory infrared (halogen) and industrial convective scales were assessed following the British standards recommendations. Laboratory data and fundamentals of heat and mass transfers allowed the creation of successful models that are now being used by Bowland Bioenergy to manage the operating time of drying throughout the year.
We can also provide access to funded support through our European Regional Development Fund projects and a range of other funding sources to support collaboration. Contact our Partnerships and Business Engagement Manager Mike Entwistle find out more.
We have standard NDA and Consultancy agreements. Our daily rate is variable depending on your IP requirements. We can deliver all rights to you under full overhead rates but also offer reduced rates based on co-ownership of IP under certain conditions.
We can work collaboratively through hosting your engineering and technical staff within our laboratories in addition to short term secondments of our staff and students at your facilities. You can also access over 4,200 science and technology students through internships, careers fairs, collaborative research projects, year in industry programmes, volunteering programmes and recruitment services.
For longer-term projects we operate industrial sponsorship schemes for PhD and Master's students. Costs typically involve fees, maintenance grants and consumables in the region of £75-£100K per annum although public grants can be applied for to reduce costs to the industrial sponsor.
We have extensive experience in preparing bids for collaborative innovation projects through funding bodies including Innovate UK and Horizon Europe. Costs are in the main limited to 50% of your own costs only with grants covering the University costs.
We can carry out studies, experiments and analysis work on a consultancy basis. Costs depend on the staff and facilities required.
Businesses can join and network with our established local, regional, national, and international business communities and tap into a broad range of expertise, support, training and resources onsite. We provide lab space, office space and co-working space for up to 82 businesses via three dedicated co-location buildings on the campus.
We have cutting-edge facilities to develop and test new products and processes for the global marketplace, our business partnerships and engagement team can help you access a wide range of facilities.
Improve the competitiveness of your organisation and the productivity of your staff through professional training. We have flexible, part-time programmes designed for busy professionals or we can work with you to develop a bespoke programme for your organisation
