IKFT

In the BMWK joint project “3D-PROCESS”, researchers from Evonik, KIT and Siemens are developing innovative reactor concepts that fit into a shoebox. At KIT the institutes IMVT, IKFT and ITCP contribute to the project. The 3D-printed reactors are designed to reduce the use of resources and the energy required for chemical processes. One possible area of application is the chemical synthesis of complex molecules, for example for active pharmaceutical ingredients. In the production of basic chemicals such as methanol, 3D printing offers the advantage that several functions (reaction, heating, cooling, heat recovery, condensation) can be integrated into one reactor. The special feature: The reactors consist of only one material - which simplifies recycling. The function of the components is based solely on their shape. The digital design process ranges from modelling the thermodynamic process to geometry optimization based on CAD or generative design - including AI and multiphysical 3D simulation. Precisely designed thermofluidic geometries enable maximum heat integration. Maximum heat integration means high energy efficiency of the process.

At Formnex in November 2024, the consortium led by Evonik and Siemens won the “Formnex Design Award”.

IKFT

With the laying of the cornerstone on November 20, 2024, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) celebrated the start of construction of a new research building for the Institute for Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT) at KIT. The approximately 6,800 m2 building will house state-of-the-art laboratories, a flexible pilot plant, offices, workshops, and external storage facilities. The building is expected to be operational in 2028.

The new building will fulfill all the requirements for researching processes on catalyst surfaces at the atomic level, including the transfer of new catalysts and processes to the pilot scale. In the medium and long term, catalysts and process technologies will be researched that are needed for the production of chemical energy carriers based on renewable energies and alternative raw materials, chemical hydrogen storage materials, and products in the field of both basic and specialty chemistry. In addition, the IKFT is developing catalysts that will play an important role in the future carbon cycle and in achieving net negative CO2 emissions. The IKFT will increasingly apply databased acceleration of catalyst material development for this purpose, with the vision of future automated and autonomous catalyst and process development.

IKFT Asad

Asad Asadli won a Poster Prize at the 3rd International Conference on Unconventional Catalysis, Reactors and Applications (UCRA 2024) in Warshaw, Poland. Congratulations! The conference (17-20 September 2024) focussed on the topics of innovation in chemical engineering technologies, novel reactor and catalyst concepts and industry electrification. Innovative heating concepts of catalytic reactors are a core element of the conference.

Asad Asadli presented initial work from our associated project in the Collaborative Research Centre 1441 TrackAct with the group of TrackAct Mercator Fellow Prof. Dr. Silvia Gross (University of Padova) as well as Dr. Alexis Bordet’s group (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim a.d.R). The poster entitled "Development and modification of catalyst materials enabling induction heating" presented the synthesis and characterisation of different susceptors for induction heating.

Rabia Ilica won the 1st Poster Prize at the Catalysis "Fundamentals and Practice" Summer School 2024 in Liverpool, England. The poster is entitled "New perspectives for Fischer-Tropsch (FTS) synthesis: development and advanced characterization of Co-based model systems" and presents the recent developments in our group „Catalysis and Operando Spectroscopy“ at IKFT on the synthesis and characterization of FT model catalysts with the aim to develop stable and effective cobalt-based materials for industrial application within the CARE-O-SENE Project .

Congratulations!

Cherie Hsu won one the Best Oral Presentation Award at the 13th Natural Gas Conversion Symposium (NGCS13) in Xiamen, China with more than 800 delegates. Congratulations! The symposium (21-24 April 2024) with the theme "Towards Carbon Neutrality" shared insights on science, materials and technology related to natural gas, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Advanced catalyst preparation, characterisation, modelling and industrial application of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are historically closely linked to this symposium.

Cherie Hsu presented a collaborative work of the IKFT groups in the CARE-O-SENE project with the title "Preparation of model catalyst systems to optimise sustainable aviation fuel production via Fischer-Tropsch". In her research, she is synthesizing nanoparticles and model catalysts to facilitate fundamental understanding of the individual role of the components of next-generation cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.

Students from the Course “Process Development and Scale-up” at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) visited the department “Process Technology & Engineering” at Evonik Industries at the Hanau-site at the end of April. The visit was designed to provide students with an understanding of the role of a process engineer at Evonik and an insight into the relationship between studies and work. In the profile subject, students learn how to use various tools in process development and scale-up of chemical plants. This ranges from reading and creating Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) to economic feasibility studies and the creation of mass and energy balances.

At Evonik, students gained an insight into the everyday work of a project engineer using an example project from Evonik. This was supplemented by an exchange of experiences based on a picture tour of various engineering projects at Evonik. The highlight of the event was a tour of two process facilities. One of these is renowned as a GMP facility for its production of clinical and small-scale commercial pharmaceutical lipids (see picture). The students were also able to engage in a question-and-answer session with Evonik colleagues, gaining valuable insights into the working life of a specialty chemicals company.

We would like to extend our gratitude to our colleagues at Evonik (Niclas Rothenbücher, Dietmar Jarmer, Bernd Glöckler, Linda Gerhofer, Sven Ude and Jürgen Hajdo) for providing us with this invaluable opportunity.

TT-Prof. Dr. Moritz Wolf has received the prestigious Carl-Zerbe Prize from the German Scientific Society for Sustainable Energy Sources, Mobility and Carbon Cycles e. V. (DGMK). The prize recognizes outstanding scientific work by young scientists in the fields of processing and application of carbon carriers, such as their conversion. The award, endowed with €5,000, was presented at the DGMK/ÖGEW/SCI Conference "C1 Building Blocks for Future Chemistry" on October 12, 2023 in Dresden. Mr. Wolf holds the Tenure-Track Professorship "Catalyst Materials for the Energy Transition" at the Engler-Bunte-Institut and is active in his independent research with a working group at the Institute for Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT). His research topics focus on catalyst and process development for chemical energy carriers, for example via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs), or the conversion of CO2 into hydrocarbons.

Announcement at DGMK website

Picture:

From left to right: Dr. Gesa Netzeband (Managing Director of DGMK), TT-Prof. Dr. Moritz Wolf (Carl-Zerbe Awardee), Prof. Dr. Dieter Vogt (Head of DGMK Division Petrochemistry).

Copyright für das Foto: Peter Leuten, DVV Media

Dr Lucas Spiske successfully defended his thesis "Theoretical investigation of n-butane isomerization in metal-substituted aluminosilicates" on October 23. In the department of theoretical catalysis at the IKFT, he worked on the quantum chemical calculation of n-butane isomerization using zeolite catalysts. The investigation of this reaction and optimization of the catalysts targets the environmentally friendly synthesis of industrially relevant chemicals. In cooperation with TotalEnergies and reseachers from the University of Southampton, he has gained new insights into the reaction networks of the zeolite-catalyzed isomerization of n-butane.