Evaluation Report Publications of the Academy of Finland 1/11

Research profile
The unit claims that only 5 per cent of its research activity belongs to chemistry, the 
main topic being chemical engineering (75% basic research and only 25% applied 
research). According to the documents available, there was an in-depth change in the 
scientific strategy when the head of the Laboratory changed in 2006, and a slight 
refining of the new research and strategy of the unit is still underway, according to the 
unit’s self-evaluation. Computer-aided techniques and tools for the process synthesis 
and analysis continue to be the scientific challenge of the basic research done in 
chemical process engineering. In addition to the process design tools, deterministic 
modelling of processes (mass and energy balance, phase equilibria, transport 
equations and reaction kinetics) for process design purposes offers the connection to 
the applied research of the unit. The unit used to specialise in “theoretical process 
design”, and is now in the process of getting nearer to application, which in this case 
is wastewater treatment and “non-wood” biorefineries (intense collaboration with a 
company specialising in this field).