Air Products, the world’s largest supplier of hydrogen, has expanded the hydrogenation capabilities of its Chemicals and Refinery Process Lab at its Global Corporate Headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania, strengthening its ability to help customers test, optimize and scale hydrogenation processes.

 

“The recent enhancements at our Chemicals and Refinery Process Lab enable Air Products to be a one-stop shop and true collaborator with our customers, helping them to efficiently test hydrogenation processes to find solutions to maximize production while ensuring product quality,” said Ranajit Ghosh, Air Products’ Director of Advanced Technology – Merchant Research and Development.

 

The facility, also known as the Hydrogen Reaction Lab, offers continuous-flow hydrogenation, catalyst evaluation and screening, and process discovery and improvement for customers across the refining, chemicals, pharmaceutical, and flavors and fragrances industries.

 

At the heart of the expanded capabilities are three continuous down-flow fixed-bed reactors, along with cold-phase and hot-phase high-pressure separators. The configuration allows customers to conduct continuous hydrogenation reactions under conditions designed to replicate real-world operations, helping them assess product performance and better predict yield, purity and scale-up behavior before commercial deployment.

 

The reactors can be configured with customer-specific catalysts, enabling trials involving multiple sequential reaction steps, different catalysts, high pressures and varying temperatures. Customers can also work directly with Air Products scientists to develop safe and confidential solutions aimed at improving process performance.

 

Established in 2015, the Chemicals and Refinery Process Lab moved to its current Allentown location in 2021 following the opening of Air Products’ new Global Corporate Headquarters.

 

The lab is designed to help customers introduce and adapt new feedstocks, catalysts and operating parameters while optimizing the hydrogenation portion of their facilities. Its focus includes increasing product yield and throughput, extending cycle length to reduce downtime, maintaining product specifications and lowering total operating costs.

 

Air Products says the facility’s key advantage is its integrated approach. Unlike a standalone testing lab, it combines process development, hydrogen supply, safety and scale-up expertise, allowing customers to move more efficiently from laboratory testing toward commercial operation.