Three University of Regina engineers who have developed several CO2 capture and storage technologies are the 2008 recipients of the Award of Innovation. The award was presented to the members of the U of R Process Systems Engineering (PS-Eng) group at the Regina Chamber of Commerce’s Paragon Awards banquet on the evening of
April 3.

The PS-Eng group, which consists of Raphael Idem, Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul and Don Gelowitz, received the Award of Innovation for developing a variety of CO2 capture technologies and processes, including:
• optimum equipment selection processes for CO2 capture plants;
• techniques for optimizing the economics and operation of CO2 capture plants; and
• a number of other process improvements, devices, designs and software applications for CO2 capture.

Of particular note is the development of the specially formulated Regina Solvents (RS) series, a group of reactive liquid absorbents developed by the PS-Eng group to remove CO2 from flue gas. This technology has been scrupulously tested at a demonstration plant in the U of R’s International Test Centre, as well as at a demonstration plant at Boundary Dam. These demonstration projects predict that the U of R technology can be used in scalable, cost-effective, efficient and sustainable post-combustion CO2 capture plants. The technology is currently being commercialized by Regina-based HTC Purenergy, who recently submitted engineering design plans for two CO2 capture projects in Norway. In 2006, the research team also received an NSERC Synergy Award from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council.

“It is very gratifying to be recognized in this way for our CO2 capture research team at the Process Systems Laboratory,” says Tontiwachwuthikul, Dean of Engineering at the U of R and a member of the PSE group. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an important means of mitigating climate change, which is the most significant environmental challenge of our time. This award confirms that University of Regina researchers are playing a key role in developing effective ways to do this that can be used both at home and abroad.”

Ken Loeppky, Vice President Research Park Operations, Innovation Place, which co-sponsors the award with the University of Regina, believes that recognizing local research is important.

“The research and product development being done by the Process Systems Engineering group is an excellent example of the innovative work being done in this province,” he said. “Innovation Place is pleased to be able to present this award to support and encourage the growth of Saskatchewan’s technology sector.”

The Award of Innovation is an annual competition administered through the University-Industry Liaison Office, and sponsored by Innovation Place. It recognizes faculty members, staff or students of the University of Regina for research work characterized by intellectual achievement, uniqueness and originality. Submissions must be based on innovative or potentially commercializable technology from their research program or laboratory. Criteria also include the stage of development and degree of commercialization, and the potential economic and social benefits to Saskatchewan or society in general. The Award of Innovation includes a monetary award as well as a trophy for each recipient.