Newsletter - Aachener Verfahrenstechnik - RWTH Aachen University

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To tackle this drawback, new membrane materials as well as multi stage gas permeation concepts can significantly reduce methane losses. Hence, gas permeation becomes competitive to conventional separation equipment. Recently, we investigate membrane based as well as conventional biogas upgrading equipment. In a first step we analyze various commercial gas permeation modules which are able to separate carbon dioxide and methane. The separation performance is specified by experimental data obtain on a gas permeation test facility. Here, we can mix and analyze up to seven gases and add water vapor. We developed a comprehensive model of a gas permeation module which relies on the experimental obtained data and which can be applied in process simulation. Thus, gas permeation processes as well as hybrid processes in which membrane technology and conventional separation equipment are combined can be analyzed. The simulation results will be implemented in a commercial scale biogas upgrading plant. Fig.5: Biogas plant News on the ion exchange technology - bipolar membranes Electrodialysis (ED) is a well-established electrochemical membrane separation process. It separates different charged species using ionexchange membranes. Ion exchange membranes are polymeric membranes with fixed charges attached to the membrane matrix. Depending on the type of ions, the membrane can hold back anions or cations. A special type of ion exchange membranes are the bipolar membranes (BPM). These membranes consist of an anion layer attached to a cation layer. Water diffuses in the membrane during a process. In an electric field the water inside the BM will dissociate and the ions will leave the membrane resulting in an increased or decreased pH of the solution adjacent to the membrane. Consequently ED with BPM is the only known process applicable for acidification/alkalization without the use of additional chemicals. Water supply to the membrane is one of the main factors that limit its applications. The New-ED project, coordinated by AVT.CVT, aims to improve the water transport in the membrane, by manufacturing new type of bipolar membrane with porous intermediate layers or channels . These channels directly provide water for the water splitting, thus increasing the process efficiency. Fig.6: New concept for bipolar membranes (Quelle: Balster J., PhD Thesis, UT Twente, Enschede, NL, 2006) One possible application of the new BM is the electrodialysis with bipolar membranes (EDBM) in the excellence cluster TMFB. TMFB aims at producing fuels from renewable sources which do not compete with the food chain. In the process, biomass is fermented and the liquid containing a platform chemical is removed. Afterwards the platform chemical is acidified in the EDBM, to obtain higher yields in an extraction step that follows the EDBM. The aqueous phase of the extraction is recycled to the EDBM for alkalization, which is afterwards is used to control pH of the fermenter. The main focus of the work on the EDBM in the TMFB cluster is to find the optimal process control, with improved efficiency of the whole integrated process. The AVT Newsletter Chemical Process Engineering 10
A year of EPT – What have we done? Much has happened since the founding of the new department, Enzyme Process Technology on Oct. 1st, 2010 under the supervision of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Antje Spiess. The number of employees has steadily risen. In addition, Tina Zechendorf has joined the department as secretary and Dr. Kerstin Würges has joined as the department’s first Post Doc in November. To accommodate the new staff members, new office space next to the new lab was opened. Even with the steady increase in staff members, it is anticipated that Philip Engel will be the first doctoral graduate from EPT. Good things come to those who wait – Inauguration/opening of the new EPT labs Thanks to the tireless efforts of the building department, the new laboratories are ready for use after a delay of six months. After much ordering of lab equipment and chemicals, equipment from EPT could be moved from the BioVT labs into the new labs. The new labs were ready for use as of early August. Since the EPT laboratories are not suitable for working with specially modified organisms and many of the devices are also used by the BioVT, we look forward to continuing our close, cooperative collaboration between our two institutes. The DWI at the RWTH Aachen University – Laboratory for Interactive Materials DWI/LIM The DWI, funded by the state of NRW, is a research institute closely associated with RWTH Aachen University. Founded in 1952 as the German Wool Research Institute, the DWI currently consists of 100 scientists and graduate students. From the beginning, its focus was on wool and textile research, with an emphasis on protein, macromolecular chemistry, and biomaterials research. In the last 8 years, the DWI has reorganized itself and established three longterm research programs to develop interactive materials. This includes, in particular, bio-hybrid Enzyme Process Technology and novel water-based high-performance materials that are not only interesting from a scientific point of view but also play an increasingly important role economically in many areas. A highly developed understanding of molecular and molecular mechanisms in biology, medicine, physics, chemistry and engineering make it possible to extend the functionality of increasingly complex material properties and capabilities. This allows, for example, the combination of material components, e.g. by linking with biological components, and the directed adaptation of the material structure to changing environmental conditions. Applications arise where functionality with contact to the surface is required, e.g. in the field of biomaterials and functional membranes and in the future, also with intelligent soft materials. To achieve these long-term goals, the department of Molecular Chemistry (Prof.s Möller, Böker, Pich) has been strengthened within the last two years through cooperation with the Biotechnology department (Schwaneberg) and the Aachener Verahrenstechnik – Chemical Process Technology (Wessling) and Enzyme Process Technology (Spiess) departments. What we do – EPT Research Focus Research activities in the department of Enzyme Process Technology include developing mechanistically accurate descriptions of interactions between the enzyme and reaction medium. Furthermore, interactions are explored in reaction networks in order to identify design criteria for integrated enzyme reactors and to characterize processes. Thematically, related research projects fall into three categories: As part of the Cluster of Excellence TMFB, the enzymatic conversion of cellulose and lignin to platform chemicals is addressed. Here, the application of innovative solvents, which improves the accessibility of substrates for enzymatic catalysis, is emphasized. To describe the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and lignin, the underlying mechanisms of the reaction is investigated and suitable mathematical models are developed. 11 Enzyme Process Technology The AVT Newsletter
Page 1 and 2: RÜHRKESSEL 4th volume, December 20
Page 3 and 4: Dear colleagues, alumni and friends
Page 5 and 6: and again there is first a diffuse
Page 7 and 8: A separative year The same question
Page 9: For the Chemical Process Engineerin
Page 13 and 14: TMFB Within the Cluster of Excellen
Page 15 and 16: Molecular Simulations and Transform
Page 17 and 18: New group structure for NADYN and O
Page 19 and 20: Process Engineering in close collab
Page 21 and 22: measured in air as function of thei
Page 23 and 24: Information about the everyday life
Page 25 and 26: of fruit tea and in a sniffing reac
Page 27 and 28: Highlighted topics were future pote
Page 29 and 30: come up with new slides and exercis
Page 31 and 32: 13th. However, rankings are not eve
Page 33 and 34: ACHEMA After participating in ACHEM
Page 35 and 36: Staff New Ph.D. Alumni AVT congratu
Page 37 and 38: The PR-team wishes all readers Merr

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