Project description
New analytical device enables real-time gas analysis
The EU-funded SPECTROINLETS project plans to develop a microchip to measure and analyse in real time the concentration of dissolved gasses in liquid media. The patented microchip inlet technology uses microfeatures that allow direct sampling of gas molecules from liquid environments. When coupled to a mass spectrometer, the technology turns into high-performance analytical equipment allowing ultrafast, non-discriminating and extremely accurate detection and quantification of gasses generated in biogas reactors, batteries, fuel cells and wastewater facilities. Beyond these initial target markets, the technology can be further applied in the chemical, biochemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Objective
Spectro Inlets is a 7 member young company based in Denmark that has developed a microchip (patented technology) to measure and analyze, in real time, the content of gas molecules dissolved in liquid media. Gas molecules are of utmost importance when generated in electrochemical processes in batteries (chemical degradation resulting in loss of charge capacity or catastrophic failure) and in industrial biochemical processes in biogas production. A deep insight of the chemical reactions allowed by the instrument results in optimization of processes or product design. Spectro Inlets technology consists of a membrane chip that allows direct and ultrafast sampling (in milliseconds) from liquid media by means of a microgeometry. When coupled to a mass spectrometer, it results in a new and high-performance analytical equipment allowing a direct, ultrafast, non-discriminating and extremely accurate (sub ppb) identification and quantification of gasses generated in biogas reactors, in batteries, fuel cells, and wastewater facilities. We have agreements to commission our technology with E.ON Stanford University and Fredericia Wastewater and gained support from competitors such as Bruker and Hiden Analytical.
No other analytical platform features performances that allows for a boost in R&D and production monitoring in three key industrial European markets: (1) in batteries (35M€, 20% CAGR), (2) in biogas (210M€, 15% CAGR), and (3) in waste water treatment (275M€, 3% CAGR). Beyond these three initial target markets, the technology can be further applied in chemical, biochemistry and pharmaceutical industries, that we aim to target. By the end of the forecasted period (2023) and even considering the difficulty to penetrate a market dominated by few (<15) companies, we expect to have a cumulative EBITDA of 7,3M€, which translates into a ROI of 3 after 3 years of commercial activities. Our expansion will also increase (x3) our current employee count with 13 new members by 2023.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
2200 Copenhagen
Denmark
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.