LAB Biofine's services for businesses and research institutions

Are you looking to test and scale up a bio- or fiber-based process to industrial scale?

LAB Biofine offers research, development, and piloting services to companies and research institutions for the development of biorefining and sustainable material solutions.

The LAB Biofine pilot plant, set to launch in early 2027, will enable pilot-scale testing of processes and materials. We are now looking for companies and research institutions to join us as pilot testing clients.

Contact us to discuss pilot testing opportunities!

Why conduct a trial run at the LAB Biofine pilot plant?

• You can test and optimize processes before making investment decisions
• You’ll obtain reliable data to support scaling and commercialization
• You’ll reduce development and technology risks
• You’ll leverage the expertise of LAB and LUT

What are PHWE and DES? 

Pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) and natural deep eutectic solvents (DES) are both effective methods for biomass fractionation and the separation of compounds.

• The PHWE method requires no additional chemicals. High pressure and temperature alter the solvent properties of water, making it a highly effective extraction medium.
• In DES extraction, the solvents consist of naturally occurring compounds, making them an environmentally friendly option. Extraction takes place under mild conditions, usually without additional pressure. The DES method enables the selective fractionation of biomass into sensitive, valuable products such as vitamins, flavonoids, and vegetable oils. 

Why PHWE? 

• Non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective  
• Water becomes an effective solvent at high temperatures and pressures
• Enables the extraction and hydrolysis of biopolymers 

WHYi DES? 

• More sustainable than traditional organic solvents and ionic liquids
• Highly selective for aromatic compounds
• Suitable for a wide range of applications: metals, biomass, food, and pharmaceuticals

LAB Biofine Pilot Plant – operational in 2027

• Launch: early 2027
• Now accepting applications: pilot customers, particularly companies and research institutions
• Suitable for: the bio- and forest industries, materials development, and circular economy solutions

The LAB Biofine pilot plant offers exceptional flexibility thanks to its modular process concept. Each module can operate independently, or they can be combined into a fully integrated pilot-scale production line.

Extraction modules 

Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE)

• Reactor volume: laboratory scale 1–30 L, pilot scale 2.5 m³  
• Maximum temperature: 200 °C
• Maximum pressure: 20 bar(g)
• Separation options: pre-filtration, decanter, membrane filtration

Stable solvents – deep eutectic solvents (DES)

• Reactor volume: ready for laboratory scale, pilot capacity up to 100 L of solvent
• Maximum temperature: 160 °C, minimum pH 0.3
• Product separation and solvent recovery included in the delivery

Solid-liquid separation and washing module

• Vacuum belt filter (or equivalent) for separation and washing of solid extraction residues
• Centrifugal separation (or equivalent) for preparing liquids for membrane and other further processing

Membrane technology module

• Multi-stage membrane system for precise separation and purification of final products