HPQ Silicon Inc., a technology company focused on the green engineering of silica and silicon-based materials, is excited to announce that HPQ Silica Polvere Inc. (“HSPI”) has achieved a significant milestone in the commercial validation of its proprietary Fumed Silica Reactor (“FSR”) process. Technology provider PyroGenesis Canada Inc. has confirmed to HSPI that the hot blank test for the FSR has been successfully completed, and the pilot plant's commissioning is now finished.

“With the pilot plant prepared for material production, we are closer to providing sample materials for external testing and demonstrating the impressive potential of our FSR technology,” stated Bernard Tourillon, President & CEO of HPQ Silicon and HPQ Silicon Polvere. “We are highly confident that the upcoming phases of the program will be successfully executed. This is a unique opportunity, and we take pride in leading a transformation that will revolutionize fumed silica manufacturing.”

“The Fumed Silica project is vital for PyroGenesis, not only because of the extensive market for fumed silica but also due to the rising demand for safer production methods for a product traditionally made with volatile chemicals in potentially hazardous environments,” added P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “The successful commissioning of the FSR pilot plant brings us closer to launching our innovative, safe, and energy-efficient production method for one of the industry's most sought-after materials.”

The commissioning process confirms the FSR's readiness for operation after the successful completion of the hot blank test. This step also marks the transition from the lab-scale FSR, which has already produced fumed silica meeting Evonik’s specifications (as reported on July 9, 2024), to the Pilot Plant FSR. Additionally, the data gathered during commissioning has contributed to the development of a revised model for calculating the energy needed to produce 1 kg of fumed silica at a commercial scale of at least 1,000 tonnes per year (TPY) and its related carbon footprint (as detailed in the August 15, 2024, release). This process has also validated system design concepts aimed at minimizing risks and reducing the time needed to scale from the 50 TPY pilot plant to the 1,000 TPY commercial-scale plant, ensuring a more efficient transition to full-scale production.

With the commissioning phase now complete, the program is moving into the batch production phase, during which the FSR will commence the manufacturing of fumed silica. The primary goal at this stage is to confirm the process’s ability to consistently replicate key physical properties—such as surface area—as well as rheological properties, including viscosity and thickening behavior, as demonstrated at the lab scale. Upon achieving this milestone, the system will shift to semi-continuous operation, aiming to produce at least 200 kg of commercial-grade fumed silica samples for thorough testing and validation.

During these phases, the fumed silica produced will undergo internal testing, with samples sent to Evonik and possibly other parties under non-disclosure agreements for evaluation. By Q1 2025, efforts will be directed towards optimizing pilot plant operations to manufacture food- and pharma-grade fumed silica with surface areas of 300 m²/g. The objective is to produce material with surface areas ranging from 150 to 300 m²/g while operating the pilot plant at full capacity, with multiple daily production cycles aimed at delivering commercial-quality material. Assuming 20 hours of daily operation, the system could yield approximately 161 kg per day, equating to about 50,000 kg annually (50 TPY).