Facilities

Equipment

Below is a list of scientific equipment at the IAST. In addition to laboratory equipment, the IAST has a number of demonstration pilot resources: glass blowing pilot plant; biodiesel pilot plant; tyre recycling; rubberized asphalt cement and hot mix asphalt pilot plant; wood-plastic composites pilot plant; briquetting pilot plant; steam extraction pilot plant; solar drying pilot unit; biogas pilot plant; food/feed pilot extruder, etc.

Please click on the lab or department names below to view the associated equipment.

Material Science Laboratory
Analytic Instrumentation Laboratory
Wet Organic Chemistry Lab
Wet Organic Chemistry Pilot Scale Facility
Bio-diesel Facility
Composite Materials Pilot Scale Facility
Essential Oils Steam Extraction Pilot Facility
Biogas testing and Pilot Facility

Fabrication Shop
Glass Blowing Facility
Solar Dryer Facility
Recycled Rubber & Rubberized Asphalt Cement Pilot Facility
Briquettes Briquette Pilot Facility
Compressed Clay Block Pilot Facility
Fired Clay Aggregate Pilot Facility
Food Extruder

Material Science Laboratory

Measures the amount of energy absorbed or released by a sample when it is heated or cooled
Generate information about:
- Amorphous and crystalline behavior
- Polymorph and eutectic transitions
- Curing and degree of cure
- Many other material properties used to design, manufacture, and test products.
Has many industrial applications from pharmaceuticals and polymers, to nanomaterials and food products

Measures the amount of weight change of a material, either as a function of increasing temperature, or isothermally as a function of time
Samples can be analyzed in the form of powder or small pieces so the interior sample temperature remains close to the measured gas temperature
Inorganic material, metals, polymers and plastics, ceramics, glasses, and composite materials can be analyzed
Can be used to determine evaporation rates, which is used to measure the volatile emissions of liquid mixtures
Helps to identify plastics and organic materials by measuring the temperature of bond scissions in inert atmospheres or of oxidation in air or oxygen

Measures the mechanical properties of materials as a function of time, temperature, and frequency
Operates over a wide temperature range (-150 to 600°C)
Provides multiple modes of deformation including dual/single cantilever and 3-point bending, tension, compression, and shear
The clamps are individually calibrated for data accuracy

Measures flow and deformation of materials under applied forces and varying viscosity and viscoelasticity depending upon the external conditions applied, such as stress, strain, timescale and temperature
Applicable to all materials:
- From fluids such as dilute solutions of polymers and surfactants through to concentrated protein formulations, to semi-solids such as pastes and creams, to molten or solid polymers.

Measures texture and quantifies:
- Hardness
- Brittleness
- Fracturability
- Adhesiveness
- Stiffness
- Elasticity
- Bloom Strength
Applicable for consumer products in:
- Foods
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceuticals
- Chemicals

Measures the heat/energy created by a sample burned under an oxygen atmosphere in a closed vessel, which is surrounded by water, under controlled conditions
Generates information about:
- Combustion
- Calorific value
- BTU value

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Analytic Instrumentation Laboratory

Measures the pH of a substance by its degree of acidity or alkalinity
Essentially calculates the electro-chemical potential between a known liquid inside the glass electrode (membrane) and an unknown liquid outside
It is a convenient measure of acidity / alkalinity of an aqueous solution at a specific temperature
Important for monitoring and controlling reactions, many of which only take place in a particular and sometimes narrow pH range

UV-Vis or UV/Vis refers to absorption spectroscopy or reflectance spectroscopy in the ultraviolet-visible spectral region
Used in analytical chemistry for the quantitative determination of different analytes, such as transition metal ions, highly conjugated organic compounds, and biological macromolecules
One of the best methods for determination of impurities in organic molecules
Useful in the structure elucidation of organic molecules, the presence or absence of unsaturation, the presence of hetero atoms

Measures the ability of a substance to conduct electric current
Conductivity measurements offer a rapid and non-destructive way to measure ion content in the sample
The measurement is made with an electronic sensor or meter in micro/milli-Siemens per centimeter or ppm
Conductivity is temperature sensitive and is typically standardized to 25°C
It is commonly used in hydroponics, aquaculture and freshwater systems to monitor the amount of nutrients, salts or impurities in the water

GC- Separation occurs as a result of unique equilibria established between the solutes and the stationary phase hence it separates the components of a mixture
This analytical method identifies different substances within a test sample by separating MS- Gas-phase ions according to mass/charge ratio and are sequentially detected hence it characterizes each of the components individually

Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is a procedure for the quantitative determination of chemical elements using the absorption of optical radiation (light) by free atoms in the gaseous state
It measure how well a sample absorbs light at each wavelength
Provides quantitative determination of different analytes, such as transition metal ions, highly conjugated organic compounds and biological macromolecules

Serves to control exposure to toxic, offensive or flammable vapours, gases and aerosols
Exhausts hazardous gases, dusts, mists, and vapours from a confined location and helps protect workers from inhalation exposure

Performs flow injection analysis of available cyanide and total cyanide in drinking water samples as well as in wastewater samples
Applicable in mining and industrial operations

Measures masses to four decimal places to the right of the decimal point (up to .0001 g)
Gives high degree of precision and accuracy in quantitative Chemistry
Extremely sensitive

Precision Temperature Controlled Storage Device
Commonly used for applications such as B.O.D. determinations, plant and insect studies, fermentation studies, and bacterial culturing

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Wet Organic Chemistry Lab

Used mainly for continuous distillation under reducing pressures
Removes volatile solvent from non-volatile or less volatile samples in a:
- Fast
- Efficient
- Environmentally friendly manner

Used where the distillate is of high boiling point
It has high vacuum capability and can reduce operating temperature; has excellent mass and heat transfer and handles viscous fluids
The Single Stage Distillation Plant runs at 0.1 to 2.0 liters per hour, with shorter run times possible
It is invaluable in developing formulations, generating products and proving process separations involving Molecular Distillation Technology
This process could be used in many areas, including oleochemicals, fatty acids, biodiesel, fine chemicals, polymers, and pharmaceuticals

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Wet Organic Chemistry Pilot Scale Facility

Has the ability to heat and stir at specific set points
Use to scale up reflux reactions for the Coconut oil Production

Can do reactions under pressure – like hydrogenations, carbonylations, formylations etc by adding hydrogen gas, carbon monoxide or a mixture or H2 & CO gases
Can be use to hydrogenate coconut oil to make coconut margarine

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Bio-Diesel Facility

This boils water out of the oil
Has the ability to boil 1.5 drums of diesel at once

Provides the heat needed for the biodiesel creation process
Uses briquettes and small amounts of wood, mixed with either sawdust or Glycerol (A waste product of the biodiesel processing)
Consists of a boiler that transfers the energy using an oil circulator

Used to mix oil with methoxide
It is a two stage process
The reactor has a capacity of 120L of vegetable oil

Separates Biodiesel from Glycerol
Each has a capacity to hold 900L

Contains the Biodiesel from the Separation Tank
Contains aerators which uses air to wash (remove) sodium hydroxide from the biodiesel
This takes 48hrs and is repeated until desired quality is reached

Removes any remaining water
Process usually takes 1hr
The oil needs to reach 100C in order for the process to work

Stores biodiesel after the wash process and after the clarifier
Each has a capacity of 1700L

One of this is attached to each storage tank
Filters are used to ensure the quality of the biodiesel at every step of the process

Used at the fuel dispenser
The is to further ensure the biodiesel is of the desired quality and purity

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Composite Materials Pilot Scale Facility

Reduces biomass into powder

This breaks down bottles and other waste plastic into small pieces

Dries the material

Mixes the plastic and the biomass

Melts and converts mixture into continuous noodle-like extrudates.

Compresses or molds the extruded material into pellets

Melts the pellets and molds it into a shape
Currently used for molding roofing tiles

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Essential Oils Steam Extraction Pilot Facility

Extract Oils from:
- Lemon grass
- Orange Peel
Takes 1 1/2 hour to run each batch

Biogas Testing and Pilot Facility

Uses a slurry mix of 25% cow manure, 25% antelope grass and 50% water
Digester has a slurry capacity of 4800 Litres
Has the capacity to produce 2340 litres of gas (CH4) per day

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Fabrication Shop

Used for:

Drilling Holes into workpieces
Reaming – Enlarging holes
Tapping – Putting threads into a hole

Used to bend sheets of metal

Used to join pieces of metal

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Glass Blowing Facility

Used to display the different steps a sample of glass must go through before its final shape

Repairs and fabrication of small pieces of glass apparatuses are done on the bench

This is for bigger repairs and/or fabrication jobs that are too large for the bench

Used to grind glass
Applicable in smoothing the edges of the glass

This has a diamond-tipped blade for fast and accurate cutting of glass

Another tool used for applying the finishing touches to a piece of glass

Used for marking lines (gradations) or scribes on the glass

Glasses are brought to this machine after the Graduating Machine
This is then used to scribe on numbers and/or letters on to the piece of glass

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Solar Dryer

Device that uses solar energy to dry substances, especially food

Recycled Rubber Facility and Rubberized Asphalt Cement Pilot Facility

The Tire De-beader has been specifically designed to remove steel beads from tires
The de-beader is a two part unit power by an electrical motor that rotates the tires and an air compressor that provide air to active the knife engagement cylinder and the spool life cylinder
A minimum of 120 psi air pressure is critical for effective operation of the de-beader. The capacity of the de-beader depends on the size of tire de-bead

The primary shredder consists a hopper and two counter rotating shafts power by two high power electrical motor that rotate on parallel axes, each shaft contains a series of cylindrical cutters
Cutting teeth are proportionally spaced around the circumference of each cylindrical cutter; the cylindrical cutters are spaced at proportional distances on the rotating shafts such that a cylindrical cutter on the first shaft rotates within a space between two identical cylindrical cutters on the second shaft
The size of the tire shreds produced in the primary shredding process can vary from 460mm to 100mm long and 230mm to 100mm wide

The granulator is a rugged, low profile, rotary cutting machine design to cut, chip and granulate the toughest materials with minimum horse power
It consists of a hopper bolted on top of the cutting chamber, the cutting chamber is a rectangular enclosure that carries the bed knives
The screen is supported below the rotor and act as a barrier to retain the material in the chamber until it achieves the particle size that will allow it to pass through the screen
The rotor is driven by a 100Hp electrical motor through belts

Transports materials automatically between stages

This blower utilizes impellers, which are typically flat plates with 4 – 10 blades arranged in a spoke pattern on one side, the flat plate mounts the impeller onto a shaft through a hub, or the point on the impeller from which the blades extend
The unit has a drive shaft, which is driven by a v-belt high speed electrical motor blowers
The unit is housed by a circular welded assembly that is constructed from heavy-gauge sheet metal
When the impeller rotates, air is sucked into the input at the center of the centrifugal blower and forced out at a perpendicular outlet into the plenum, which is the airway through which air is forced out of the centrifugal fan’s output

The cyclone separator comprises a frame part, a cylindrical mantle part, an inlet outlet flow duct
The frame part of the cyclone separator is conical at its bottom portion; at the bottom of the conical portion, there is an outlet opening, which is provided with a paddle device power by an electrical motor, through which the rubber material is removed
Air and rubber first flows in a spiral pattern, beginning at the top of the cyclone and ending at the bottom end, the air and fibers exiting the cyclone in a straight stream through the center of the cyclone and out the top; the rubber particles in the rotating stream have too much inertia to follow the tight curve of the stream and strike the outside wall, falling then to the bottom of the cyclone where they can be removed

This removes the ferrous metal (wire) from the rubber particles in free-flowing processing systems
The unit is self cleaning and consists of drum and housing normally of stainless steel
The drum of the separator is designed in such a way that only half of its side is magnetized and the other half is not
The rubber particles materials from the cyclone enter the top of the magnetic drum separator and flows across the surface of the drum, the rotating drum in the magnetic field captures the wire whereas rubber particles fall free from the drum into a chute, as the drum rotates, the wire captured is carried past the diverter and released outside of the magnetic field

This separator is made on a porous deck surface of fabric woven wire
Upon this surface, the rubber material to be separated is stratified by air discharge through the deck from an air supply system built into the machine base
The heavy rubber particles sink to the bottom of the fluidized material bed on the deck, the straight line vibrating motion, imparted on the deck by the eccentric drive carries the heavy particles away from the light particle which floats in the air stream
The deck is sloped in two direction so that the lightest particles float down towards the lower discharge corner, the heaviest particles are conveyed up the slope and forced off the deck at its upper point

This separator is a screening device designed to separate smaller particles from larger particles and to remove fibers
The separator consists of a screen, approximately 48 or 60 inches in diameter fited into a steel frame, the frames are attached to a spring supported table which contains the motor and eccentric weight system
The machine is driven by a motor designed to transmit vibration to the screen, this vibration causes smaller particles to drop through the screen while larger oversize particles pass off the top of the screen