GEA is expanding its Process Test Center (PTC) in Oelde, Germany, adding a third test room to increase capacity for customer trials, process development and testing with larger machines and skid-based solutions.

The expansion will bring the facility to 3,500 square metres, with pilot testing capability for raw materials or media at rates of up to 5,000 litres per hour. Completion is planned for the end of 2026.

At the centre of the facility is the ability to test separation processes before manufacturers commit to full-scale equipment and production changes. Customers can use the PTC to analyse product properties, select and design disk stack and decanter centrifuges, and validate separation processes under real-world conditions.

This approach gives manufacturers the opportunity to assess how different process parameters affect separation performance and product quality.

Testing can also explore how processes respond to variations in raw material characteristics, helping establish whether results achieved at pilot scale can be transferred reliably to industrial production.

The PTC has more than 120 test machines, ranging from laboratory-scale equipment through to skid solutions designed to replicate industrial conditions.

An ATEX-certified test room is also available for applications involving potentially explosive atmospheres, supporting testing for sectors including chemicals and oil and gas alongside food, beverage and dairy applications. 

GEA says demand for pilot testing and customised process development has been increasing, with around 800 product samples currently tested and developed at Oelde each year. More than 60,000 test reports have also been created and archived, providing a substantial knowledge base for mechanical separation process development.

The additional capacity is intended to give customers greater access to testing while allowing GEA to undertake more internal development work. For manufacturers, the emphasis is on generating practical data before investment decisions are made – helping determine the appropriate centrifuge technology, process parameters and achievable product quality.

The new test room will also incorporate resource-efficiency measures, including a dedicated wastewater treatment system and a GEA heat pump.