Contact person
Eva Troell
Enhetschef
Contact Eva
Testbed for future process fluids
The goal of the Testbed for Future Process Fluids in Sustainable Production is to facilitate the development and implementation of alternative process fluids and technologies that, in comparison to current options, are environmentally adapted.
The term process fluids covers all types of chemicals or fluids used in engineering and manufacturing industries; for example, cutting and cleaning fluids, anticorrosive agents and hardening coolants. The Testbed for Future Process Fluids in Sustainable Production is financed within the scope of Vinnova’s Energy and Environment testbed programme and hosts researchers, end users, chemicals suppliers and systems suppliers.
The Testbed for Future Process Fluids in Sustainable Production utilises equipment, expertise and software at facilities including RISE, Chalmers, KTH and Sahlgrenska Academy, supplemented by resources provided by participating private-sector partners. In addition to this, all participants contribute their own contact networks. The testbed hosts direct client assignments, research and degree projects, as well as transferring expertise through seminars and networks.
Our ambition is to become a hub for issues and needs relating to all process fluids used in engineering and manufacturing industries. Examples of process fluids include cutting fluids, cleaning fluids, hardening coolants and anticorrosive agents.
Regulatory frameworks such as REACH and CLP increase requirements for and restrict the use of chemicals identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This may mean that suppliers of process fluids will need to replace certain chemicals in their products, or develop entirely new products. It may even be the case that entirely new technical solutions will be required as alternatives to chemicals.
Whether the answer proves to be new chemicals or new technical solutions, these will need to be tested and evaluated before they can be used in manufacturing processes at an end user. It is both expensive and risky for manufacturing companies to replace a product that is already in use and that is known to meet quality and production requirements.
Purpose
The purpose of the test bed is to support and facilitate testing, analysis, evaluation and qualification before full-scale industrial implementation can take place. This applies to both technical properties and health and environmental aspects.
Other contacts
Chalmers, Dep. of Industrial and Materials Science
Eric Tham, eric.tam@chalmers.se
KTH, Industriell produktion
Qilin Fu, qilin@kth.se
Arbetsmiljömedicin Sahlgrenska/Göteborgs Universitet
Anna Dahlman-Höglund, anna.dahlman-hoglund@amm.gu.se
Åsa Lindgren, asa.lindgren@microbio.gu.se
Summary
Project name
Testbed for future process fluids
Status
Active
RISE role in project
Project leader, research performer
Project start
Duration
3 years
Partner
RISE, Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Sahlgrenska, Scania, Volvo, Wallenius, Binol, Gnosjö Automatsvarvning, Fuchs, TechPoint Systemteknik, Nordic Lubricants, Castrol, Henkel, Scandinavian Ozone, Processvätskecentrum, Värmebehandlingscentrum, Centrum för renhet.
Funders
