Energy process engineering infrastructure
Methanation test rig
At the chair’s laboratory a 3-stage catalytic methanation test rig is operated. Three fixed-bed reactors (height: 40 cm; ID 8 cm) are connected in series and fed with bottled gases of CO, CO2, H2, CH4 and N2. In addition, steam can be added to the system on the input side.
Centrifugal force separator
The lab scale pilot plant centrifugal force separator is used to separate mixed waste by wet processing and recover light plastic fractions like polyolefins for recycling.
Reforming test rig
In the reforming plant synthetic gas mixtures are catalytically converted to synthesis gas which describes the desired product. Different reforming processes (steam reforming, dry reforming and partial oxidation of methane) are investigated individually and jointly in a fixed bed reactor equipped with an electrical heating divided into zones. The reforming reactor shows a utilizable diameter of 30 mm and a length of 350 mm. In addition, investigations of the reverse-water-gas-shift reaction can be carried out in the reforming set-up.
rWGS test rig
The reverse water-gas shift (rWGS) reaction provides the possibility to catalytically convert the stable CO2 molecule to CO with the use of hydrogen. The combination of CO and H2, the so-called synthesis gas, is used as feed gas in various syntheses such as methanol or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Ultimately, an extensive product range (methanol, (poly-) olefins, fuels, and more) can be produced from the synthesis products.
Mobile methanation plant
In the mobile methanation plant, different carbon-containing gases (biogas, carbon dioxide (CO2) or synthesis gas) are converted in two cooled double jacket reactors with hydrogen (H2) to synthetic methane (CH4). Both tubular reactors are cooled by thermal oil (up to 320°C) and can be equipped with a wide variety of catalysts, such as bulk catalysts or structured honeycomb catalysts.