Methods
The succesful development and estimisation of process engineering largely depends on the predictivity and reliability of the applied process models. For new units and internals, such models usually do not exist. The basis of model development is given by experimental studies, which should be carried out close to real industrial conditions
We use our own laboratory facilities and those of our cooperative partners in order to characterize the perfomance of apparata, to determine physical properties and model parameters as well as generate validation data.
The complexity of industrial processes has a very wide range; consequently there exists no universal modelling approach. Therefore, we use the so-called complementary modelling approach, which comprises:
Download: Poster “complementary modelling”
Experimental Investigations
Novel and innovative devices, column internals and plant concepts are often a promising alternative to conventional technical solutions. However, in many cases, they are poorly described in the literature and have corresponding uncertainties in the design procedures and industrial applications. For this reason, we built experimental setups for the investigation of these plant components and concepts. Currently, experimental setups are operated for the investigation of 1.) pillow-plate heat exchangers, 2.) packings and solvents for (reactive) absorption/desorption processes, 3.) compact heat exchangers (e.g. exhaust gas recirculation coolers), 4.) condensation behavior in lamella heat exchangers. With these setups, after a basic proof-of-concept, the performance of the investigated components is evaluated in a broad and practically relevant operating range. The establishment of the new plant components is thereby effectively promoted and allows a comparison with the conventional technical solutions. Another important aim of the experimental studies is to provide an appropriate data base for the validation of the models which are developed in our group.
Fluid-dynamics approach (CFD)
In process engineering, the definition of phase flow fields is crucial. The CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method provides a detailed view. Thus the apparatus can be improved with respect to the geometry and and function on the velocity, pressure, temperature and concentration distributions in an apparatus. more
Hydrodynamic analogy approach
It is a new modelling approach for the description of separation processes based on hydrodynamic analogies (HA) between complex flow patterns in real columns and simplified fluid dynamic elements. The complex fluid dynamics of the process is described as a combination of simplified flow elements. The selection of the appropriate flow elements as well as their combination is based on experimental observations which play a decisive role for the development of a hydrodynamic analogy. The HA models have been successfully applied for the description of non-reactive and reactive separation processes (i.a. distillation, absorption and desorption) in structured packings. more
Rate-based approach
Fluid separation processes mostly take place in large-scale units (columns), in which multicomponent mixtures are separated into individual components or industrial gases are purified from contaminations. The complex phenomena in such columns can seldom be described with rigorous models (as, e.g., CFD or HA), and, thus, simplified methods have to be applied. Column units are usually sub-divided onto segments (so-called stages), which are governed by mass and energy balances (stage model). For the description of single stages, we apply the so-called rate-based approach. more