The Process Design Unit of the Chemical Engineering School at the National Technical University of Athens. Research is aligned with our membership in the Industrial Biotechnology Accelerator IBISBA (www.ibisba.eu) that aspires to connect biocatalyst and process design. The Unit operates in Process Systems Engineering and is certified to undertake design engineering work (IChemE, UK) collaborating with industry in several projects. Applications include the

• Design and scale-up of several biorefineries (ligno-cellulosic, oleo-chemical, aquatic, waste-based)
• Modeling of nonconventional substrates, materials, and processes that are not included in conventional thermodynamic databases or flowhseeting libraries.
• Advanced simulation that rely on hybrid and data embedded models as well as digital twins. The latter are demonstrated in the development of bioreactors with technology that integrates process and biocatalyst design as well as options to implement advanced (model-based) control
• A pilot facility on Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) that produces biocrude for conventional refineries from a variety of resources
• Sustainability analysis and TCA including Ex-ante and Social-LCA

Process Design offers technology that combines data analytics (data embedding, machine learning) with first-principle based models  and flowsheeting technology (Aspen, HYSIS, gProms) to address

• Process integration of industrial flowsheets through state-of-the-art methods that target efficiencies for energy, water and material efficiency
• Process Synthesis methods to select integration schemes, chemical paths, unit operations, and solvents.
• Advanced designs for multi-phase reactors, thermal separation (simple and complex distillation design and sequencing), separation of azeotropes, non-thermal separations and reactive-separation schemes to intensify productio

Sustainability advocates a multi-scale approach using a variety of industrial and academic software (SimaPro, CCalC) to develop

• LCA technology exploiting data from commercial and public repositories to assess sustainability and/or to predict performance ahead of design
• Scale-up and engineering costing (including the use of custom-made models and in-house tools

Optimization of large and complex systems involves separate work for applications and new methods. Technology includes methods for

• Superstructure optimization and conceptual programming
• Supply chain and Total Site analysis to configure business models in energy networks

The ARDITEC Association aims to promote sustainable development, protect our environmental and cultural heritage, and enhance social responsibility. This is achieved by supporting members and partners to implement programmes that protect the needs of future generations. ARDITEC is short for Association pour la Recherche et le Développement d’Innovations et de Technologies pour la protection de l’héritage Environnemental, social & Culturel (Association for Research and Development of Innovations and Technologies for the Protection of Environmental, Social and Cultural Heritage). The values of ecology and humanism are central to the ARDITEC Association and is reflected in its research, propositions and missions. Through its actions, the ARDITEC Association is committed to promoting sustainable development that includes the protection of the limited resources of our planet, our socio-cultural heritage, for all individuals and organizations worldwide. Fully aware of the risks of irreversibility and the essential need for solidarity, ARDITEC proposes ideas and solutions inspired by virtuous models.