Chemical Processes

Fuel – powertrain - emisions

The progressive substitution of petroleum as feedstock for fuels and chemical base materials means that classic methods such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to produce gasoline and diesel from biogenic source materials have gained new importance, reflected in the development of new catalysts for example. At the same time, the distributed occurrence of biomass also demands a distributed method of conversion so as to attain cost-effective process chains. At the end of the process may be an easily transportable interim product or a marketable end product. "New" raw materials and changed boundary conditions are therefore demanding experimental and theoretical optimisation of fundamentally known reactors and process chains. Such research into BtL-(Biomass-to-Liquid)-synthesis and into upstream and downstream subprocesses forms the focus of the Department's work.
In parallel, research is being carried out into new-style systems for the conversion of primary energy. Of particular note in this respect are high-temperature fuel cells such as the SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell). The performance capability of the available modules is steadily increasing, so that the latest work being carried out by the Department is aimed at delivering the required fuel gas (such as by way of a reformer) and at integrating the components to create an efficient overall system. Activities are not restricted to optimising the main chemical reaction on which attentions are currently focused. Research is also being carried out into emission cleaning systems - particularly particle separation.
The Department operates five complex pilot plants to assist in its R&D activities:

• Reactors for high-pressure syntheses, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and hydrocracking.
• Test rig for research into SOFC fuel cells and system components.
• Test rig for reformer development with downstream CO cleaning.
• SOFC fuel cell demonstrator running on propane gas with integrated reformer and afterburner.
• Motor test rig with miniature dilution tunnel and instrumentation for particle measurement.

These test facilities also incorporate online and offline analysis methods for the characterisation of gases and particles, as well as laboratory apparatus to determine reaction kinetics.
Future work will also be targeted at achieving efficient material and energy conversion, both by means of basic optimisation of subprocesses and by system integration.