Our Technology
Complete separation of complex refrigerant mixtures—including flammable A2L/A3 streams and azeotropic blends.
The Challenge
Our Solution
Core Technologies
Key Capabilities
Regulatory Alignment
Why Traditional Reclamation Methods Fall Short
Azeotropes: Standard distillation cannot separate azeotropic blends because their components boil and condense at the same composition.
Flammability: A significant amount of equipment used today was not designed to safely process flammable A2L and A3 refrigerants.
Unintended Mixing: Refilling equipment, cross-contamination during service, and improper recovery leads to complex refrigerant blends with little commercial value.
Traditional Reclaim vs. Refrigerant Separation
- Separation limitations cap recovery rates and prevent reclaimers from accessing the full value of mixed streams.
- Separated components can be sold individually, utilized in commercial blends, or repurposed.
- Valuable materials are stockpiled, destroyed, or released into the atmosphere leading to economic losses and negative environmental impacts.
Single-Stream Reclamation
Icorium has developed a single-stream reclamation process that breaks azeotropic refrigerant mixtures to separate and transform complex mixtures into Icoreon, our high-purity, single-component reclaimed refrigerant. Icoreon meets or exceeds new-production quality standards, enabling direct reuse without additional processing. This reclamation process can be used for separation of mixtures and rapid purification of single-component refrigerants.
Key Outcomes:
- Eliminate stockpiling of mixed refrigerant streams
- Recover high-value components at reclaim-grade purity
- Reduce incineration and associated compliance costs
Three Technologies. One Integrated Solution
Each technology addresses a different separation challenge. Together, they enable end-to-end recovery across a wide range of refrigerant mixtures.
Our technology specializes in breaking difficult azeotropic and near-azeotropic refrigerant mixtures using proprietary extractive distillation with ionic liquids, hybrid membrane and adsorption systems, and data-driven process design. By combining fundamental thermophysical property measurement, rigorous process modeling, and pilot-scale validation, Icorium delivers high-purity, AHRI-grade refrigerants from complex reclaimed streams—reducing emissions, lowering costs, and enabling a circular refrigerant economy.
Extractive Distillation
Ionic liquid-based separation for bulk processing of complex, multi-component mixtures. Achieves >99.5% purity with >90% yield.
- Ionic liquids developed to separate 19 unique azeotropes
- Processes CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, HFOs, and hydrocarbons
- Best suited for high-volume bulk separations
- 90% yield for mixtures containing >15 components
Hollow Fiber Membranes
Specialized polymer membranes for energy-efficient final purification. Achieves >99.5% purity with 10x improvement in energy efficiency.
- Polymers identified for 10 targeted refrigerant separations
- Used for separations that are difficult or inefficient with extractive distillation
- Significant energy savings compared to traditional methods
- Ideal for final purification stages
Pressure Swing Adsorption
Proprietary porous materials designed for ultra-high-purity output. Achieves >99.9% purity for feedstock-grade product.
- Zeolites identified for specific separations
- Produces refrigerants suitable for use as chemical feedstock
- Highest purity tier in our technology stack
- Enables premium product streams
Advanced Refrigerant Separation Modeling Suite
ICORIUM USES PROPRIETARY INFORMATION ON REFRIGERANTS AND ENTRAINERS TO ACCURATELY MODEL SEPARATION TECHNOLoGIES. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DIGITAL TWIN ENABLES REAL-TIME PLANT OPTIMIZATION AND OPERATOR TRAINING.
The three technologies used by Icorium are supported by proprietary information on refrigerants and solvents, as well as advanced modeling with pilot-scale testing showing high agreement between the model and real results.
Proprietary Database
Database of physical property and phase equilibrium measurements for refrigerants, ionic liquids, polymers, porous materials, refrigerants, and mixtures.
- Largest physical property database focused on refrigerants in the world
- Backed by quantum chemistry computational methods and experimental measurements collected in a state-of-the-art facility
Advanced Modeling
Rigorous process simulation in Aspen Plus for various separation technologies, using Icorium’s proprietary database and custom thermodynamic/transport packages. Simulations achieve within 0.1 wt% model agreement.
- Batch, Fractional, and Extractive Distillation
- Pressure Swing Adsorption
- Hollow Fiber Membrane Modules
Digital Twin & Optimization
Development of a plant-wide digital twin for design, integration, and operational optimization trained on our physics-based models. Facilitates training for operators to understand equipment modification and operating conditions.
- Site-specific optimization and real-time de-bottlenecking
- Rapid response to feed or market changes
- Integration with machine learning and AI
Proven Performance
All three technologies operate independently or as an integrated system. Our modular systems are designed for scalable deployment across regional, national, and global operations.
Components Handled
Azeotropes Separated
%
Purity Achieved
%
Recovery Rate
Refrigerant Types
HCs, CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, HFOs
Built for Compliance
Regulatory alignment is built into our system design, not added after deployment.
Icorium’s technology aligns with current and upcoming refrigerant regulations:
National Requirements
- AIM Act / EPA HFC Phase-Down
- EPA Section 608 Compliance
Global Requirements
- Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol
- EU F-gas Regulation 2024/573
Additional US State Requirements
- California – SB 1206 & AB 663 (CARB)
- New York – Final Part 494 Regulation
- Washington – Chapter 173-443 WAC and
- Refrigerant Management Program (RMP)
- Massachusetts – 310 CMR 7.76
- Colorado – 5 CCR 1001-26
Our commercialization roadmap aligns with these regulatory milestones, providing partners with a deployment-ready, compliant solution to meet new and existing refrigerant regulations on the state, national, and global level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Icorium's separation technology be applied outside of refrigerants?
Yes. Icorium’s technologies are suitable for azeotropic and non azeotropic gas separation across a variety of applications. Reach out to learn more.
Why does Icorium use three different separation technologies instead of one?
Different gas mixtures behave differently. Having three technologies that can be used alone or combined allows Icorium to match the right approach to each mixture’s properties and purity target.
How does pilot scale testing compare to lab scale?
Lab scale testing validates separation potential under controlled conditions. Pilot scale testing confirms that performance holds up at higher volumes and allows for model validation, closer to real world operating conditions.
See how our technology integrates with your operation
Redefining Refrigerant Reclamation.
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2029 Becker Drive, Suite 212
Lawrence, KS 66047
785-856-0834
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