Chemical Analytics

From sampling to the result

Every process-engineering development must be accompanied by a conclusive chemical analysis, for instance, for evaluating the success of process optimising. Some 70 to 80 per cent of all analyses are performed in the course of research work at the Departments of Physical and Biological, Chemical, and Thermal Processes. The remainder results from external orders for chemical analyses.

The department is equipped with highly efficient analytical instruments and methods for performing routine analyses as well as for dealing with special problems. A large share of the work is associated with the development of new analytical procedures, since new projects at the operative departments always involve new materials which must be analysed in a wide variety of matrices. Consequently, a material flow must frequently be characterised qualitatively before the quantitative analysis can begin.

Furthermore, the application of standardised measuring techniques is a prerequisite for most fields. A particular example is the operation of the recognised measuring unit as specified in § 26 BImSchG. In this case, the work of the CUTEC analysts is not restricted to the laboratory: On-site sampling is as much a part of their everyday work as the subsequent analysis of the samples.

An entirely different field of activity at the department is the execution of research projects.

In the course of one of these projects, a pilot plant has been designed and constructed for hydrochloric acid scrubbing. The purpose of this plant is to study operational problems which occur during the purification of contaminated acids from waste-incineration plants.