Chemie Ingenieur Technik最新文献

By monitoring sensors, problematic system states in process engineering plants and production lines can be detected and corrected before significant damage occurs. Soft sensors as a combination of data analysis and digitalization are tailored to a specific application. During their development, large amounts of time series data from sensors are therefore analyzed, interpreted in consultation with the plant operators, and applied as the basis for the design of data processing methods using digital models, which form the core of soft sensors. The framework presented here is employed in development processes to make the research, development, and integration of soft sensors into operational and technical processes more effective and efficient.

The SisClever Process facilitates the simultaneous separation of multicomponent systems, achieving high concentrations and purities of individual products. A notable application is the hydrometallurgical separation of metals using cation-exchange extractants, where the pH is systematically varied along the counter-current process. The process is modeled based on phase equilibria and validated through experiments separating Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺. The efficiency of the process is demonstrated for the separation of a complex mixture of rare-earth metals, where only roughly a third of equilibrium stages is required compared to an optimized proposal from literature. Possible applications in recycling, generalization to other unit operations, as well as limitations are discussed.

An upscaling methodology for designing convective drying systems is presented, specifically focusing on tray and belt dryers of sliced food. Based on the convective drying history of a single food slice, a semi-empirical model, named the Reaction Engineering Approach (REA) model, is developed to describe the heat and mass interaction between the food and drying agent. The model is integrated into the belt dryer's energy and mass conservation equations for co-current and counter-current configurations. The results indicate a remarkable maldistribution of air temperature and relative humidity along the belt and tray length, leading to a significant variation of the drying rate. The drying time and the moisture content uniformity are strongly dependent on the airflow and product flow configurations. The methodology proposed in this work can help design and operate the drying system accurately by knowing the single sample drying kinetics.

The development of effective control strategies for bioprocesses faces engineers with major challenges. Bioreactor systems must independently control changing conditions – a task that requires innovative automation tools such as the WinErs process control and simulation system. This integrates complex process models, enables simulations and parameter estimations, and offers control strategies for processes with multiple inputs and outputs. The WinErs Data Lake collects extensive process data, while model-assisted tools support the optimization of control variables. It provides an effective solution to bridge the gap between laboratory and industry.

Achieving climate neutrality in the chemical industry requires a fundamental restructuring of the value chains in just 20 years. To close the carbon cycle, well-known technologies such as pyrolysis or gasification will be used in new value chains. The end products must continue to meet the high quality requirements of the end user industries. The challenge is to develop processes that are tolerant of the variety of raw materials. Successful implementation requires thorough scale-up, which usually includes piloting. In the time available, the goals can only be achieved if new ways of cooperation between the various players and sectors with science, especially in education and training, are pursued.

Thin-film composite membranes made of polyamide are highly sensitive to oxidizing substances. Membrane damage caused by free chlorine cannot be clearly identified for membrane samples of unknown origin by means of previously used rapid test methods. Usually, membrane damage due to an oxidatively active substance is determined by excluding other potential causes. A photoelectron spectroscopy-based method was developed on reverse osmosis membranes to detect oxidative chlorine damage. The effects and processes of chlorine-induced oxidation damage were determined in connection with the change in the chemical composition of the membrane surface.