Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 2

After a successful collaboration with SAIT in an NSERC Engage project, Surepoint Technologies Group Ltd. (STG) is pursuing the next stage of applied research to advance its proprietary hydrogen peroxide-based technology. STG's vision is to commercialize this technology as a green alternative to the combustion of natural gas and methane for the heating requirements of oil and gas processes. The technology uses catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce thermal energy - a process that does not produce GHG emissions. During the Engage project, SAIT and STG performed several trials on the bench to demonstrate the exothermic nature of hydrogen peroxide decomposition. The team used a setup consisting of a feed reservoir, pressure vessel/chemical reactor, valves, tubing, pressure gauges and a thermocouple. The Engage project was deemed a success because the team was able to stabilize the chemical reaction and demonstrate through multiple tests that temperatures and pressures in excess of 185C and 2000psi were achievable. Other tests showed that, from among the four substances tested, silver was the best catalyst. The proposed research seeks to develop novel methods to regulate and control the chemical reaction by determining the optimal conditions for the reaction, creating a continuous process and process automation. The team intends to design and fabricatea scaled-up chemical reactor outfitted with a process control system that enables safe operation with minimal downtime, produces heat efficiently, and can be operated with ease. Attention will be given to the mechanical design, catalyst selection and optimization, operating conditions, start-up and shut-down protocols. The optimized technology will have the capability to change the way heat is generated in oil and gas operations, industrial plants and consumer applications.