The RDR pilot program

To develop our technology and broaden our partner network, we are building a pilot unit at the heart of the petrochemical industry – the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen, Holland.

We’re partnering with some of the brightest minds and biggest petrochemical players in the world to help make our RDR technology the new global standard in Olefins production. Our RDR pilot at the pioneering Brightlands Chemelot Campus will start in the first half of 2021.

Making the steam cracking process clean

Bringing together space science, aerodynamics and chemistry, our RDR technology replaces the most polluting and fossil-fuel heavy process in the petrochemical industry with one that uses electricity from clean and renewable sources. By doing this, RDR can cut 300 million metric tons of emissions per year worldwide, of which EU’s estimated share is 35 million metric tons.

The main targets of the RDR pilot project are:

  1. Carry out engineering work with real-life data to optimize the cracking process within the RDR.
  2. Understand the effects of the RDR’s process conditions on coking.
  3. Convince EU and government leaders, policy-makers, and industry leaders that RDR is the only technology able to achieve global emission-cutting goals on a commercial scale.

The RDR pilot layout

The RDR pilot unit covers a number of buildings on the legendary Brightlands Campus.

The pilot layout.

Brightlands is the heart of the petrochemical industry in Europe

The Brightlands Chemelot Campus is home to a number of innovative pilots involved in Olefins processing. With over 3,300 of the world’s leading experts in engineering, modelling, operations and maintenance, the Chemelot Campus is the best possible place to test and develop our RDR technology and our partner network.

Map: Ethylene plants in Europe.

Coolbrook pilot reactor drivetrain

Coolbrook pilot reactor drivetrain

RDR in numbers

100%

Elimination of CO2 from the cracking process.

30%

Reduction in energy consumption. Accurate, efficient, controllable process.

20%

Increase in ethylene yield. Short residence time, higher fluid temperature.

60%

Profit margin increase. Less energy and more ethylene, means more profit.

Bringing RDR to market by 2024

The first commercial applications of our RDR technology will be up and running between 2021 – 2024, with a broader commercial launch set for 2024.

2011 - 2019

  • Technology development
  • Laboratory testing
  • Proof of concept
  • Building of patent portfolio

2019 - 2021

  • Validate product yield, CO2 emissions and energy consumption
  • Improve CAPEX and OPEX estimates
  • Design basis for commercial pilot
  • RDR Pilot

2021 - 2024

  • First commercial application
  • RDR connected to ethylene plant
  • Preparations for commercial launch
  • Partnering with EU and governments, ethylene producers and technology providers

2024 -

  • Commercial launch – first through trusted partners followed by broader industry implementation
  • Development of RDR to include other feedstocks, including bio-based options
  • Development of other potential applications
    • Hydrogen production
    • Chemical recycling of plastics

“The unique features of the innovation for optimizing and balancing the chemical reaction provides a beneficial product composition distribution. The existing patents have a high relevance, and as a result, the innovation has high potential in various applications.”

Jukka Seppälä
Professor, Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology

Partner network

We are already working with some of the world’s leading petrochemical producers, technology companies, and academic partners.

Shell

Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies that aims to meet the world’s growing need for more and cleaner energy solutions in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially responsible. With expertise in the exploration, production, refining and marketing of oil and natural gas, and the manufacturing and marketing of chemicals, the company uses advanced technologies and take an innovative approach to help build a sustainable energy future.

Business Finland

Business Finland is the Finnish government organization for innovation funding and trade, travel and investment promotion. It’s 600 experts work in 40 offices globally and 16 regional offices around Finland. Business Finland is an accelerator of global growth, helping businesses go global and by supporting and funding innovations.

Oxford Thermofluids Institute

Part of Oxford University’s strategic investment in the UK’s science base, the Oxford Thermofluids Institute researches, tests and engineers world-leading solutions for jets and rockets. It is home to the most sophisticated and high-speed flow facilities in the UK, supporting the development of systems at high technology readiness levels. Research focuses on three themes: gas turbine, hypersonics and energy/environment.

The Whittle Lab at Cambridge University

The Whittle Laboratory focuses on improving the aero-thermal performance of turbomachines. As the principle technology for the world's energy conversion processes, improving their efficiency is crucial for reducing the environmental impact of power generation and aviation. The lab’s research covers all types of turbomachinery technology.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

As a global leader in engineering and manufacturing, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries delivers innovative and integrated solutions across a wide range of industries, from commercial aviation and transportation to power plants and gas turbines, and from machinery and infrastructure to integrated defense and space systems. The goal is to create a better and more sustainable future for all.

Brightlands

Brightlands Chemelot Campus is a world-leading innovation hub for smart materials and sustainable manufacturing. It is a vibrant community for performance materials, sustainable processes and biomedical solutions aimed at solving some of the biggest and most pressing global challenges and supporting sustainable living.

Schmidtsche Schack

Schmidtsche Schack is the leading partner for exceptional heat transfer solutions applied to various industrial processes. Covering the tailor-made engineering and fabrication of key process heat transfer equipment, it is a strong partner to the world’s leading engineering companies, contractors and operators in the chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical and refining industries.

Schmidt + Clements

Schmidt+Clemens is the global market leader in tube systems for applications in the petrochemical industry. The company’s products and solutions are made of high-alloy special steel and used in many petrochemical industry applications, including steam crackers, as well as in energy engineering, industrial furnace construction, separation technology and the pump industry.

Neste

Neste is in the business of combating climate change and driving circular economy. Neste helps transport and cities, as well as customers in the aviation, polymers and chemicals sectors make their business more sustainable.

Etteplan

Etteplan provides solutions for industrial equipment and plant engineering, software and embedded solutions, and technical documentation solutions to the world’s leading companies in the manufacturing industry. Etteplan services are geared to improve the competitiveness of products, services and engineering processes throughout the product life cycle.

Coolbrook ecosystem potential

We are be building a specialized partner network as we prepare to ramp up to commercial production, creating RDR design software, and demonstrating the technology to players in the petrochemical industry.

Petrochemical producers

Petrochemical companies run the petrochemical plants and provide crucial products to practically all the industrial value chains. “Industry of industries”

EPC companies

EPC companies provide the technology and turnkey construction services to the petrochemical producers.

Brand owners

These industries use Olefins when producing their b2b or consumer products.