Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Engler-Bunte-Institute, Fuel Technology

Fuel conversion and processing technologies are the major fields of research for the department “Fuel Technology” of the Engler-Bunte-Institut (EBI-CEB). Research work is focused on the characterization of fossil and biogenic fuels with respect to process engineering applications, fuel conversion and conditioning technologies for the up-grading of low-grade fuels and their application in energy conversion processes. These topics are closely linked to fuel-related pollution control processes.

The EBI ceb has a world wide recognized expertise in gas related processes and technical applications. It has a well known reputation in the field of gas analysis, especially of sulfur and other trace components. The EBI ceb provides advice to and closely cooperates with the DVGW (German Association for Gas and Water) which defines standards for public gas distribution and supply as well as applications in Germany.

Regarding renewable fuels, process analysis and optimization of biogas production as well as thermal biomass gasification processes are fields of research; the projects cover theoretical issues and experimental work using lab scale facilities and on-site retrieved data of production plants. As an example, a laboratory test rig for entrained flow gasification of liquid fuels is in use, which allows for basic research on the formation of soot under gasification conditions. Well established methods for thermal analysis at high temperatures using thermogravimetry, TGA where further developed and refined to the needs of biomass gasification. The experimental setup will be up-graded by the acquisition of a magnetic suspension balance for basic research on the thermal gasification of biomass and fossil fuels at elevated pressure and temperatures above 1000 °C. Together with the well-equipped fuel laboratory, the long lasting experience in fuel analysis and the experts at hand, EBI ceb is well-provided for gasification research.

EBI/ceb Homepage: http://ceb.ebi.kit.edu/

Institute of Technical Chemistry, ITC

The Institute for Technical Chemistry, ITC has its key competence in the field of thermal processes for solid and liquid fuels and in gas cleaning. Based on a long tradition in solid fuel combustion, today’s research topics are pyrolysis and gasification of solid and liquid fuels.

The theoretical and experimental research work of the division “Gasification Technology” of ITC is focused on high pressure entrained flow gasification processes for biomass based and fossil fuels. In the frame of KIT´s bioliq®-process, special emphasis is put on the entrained flow gasification of biomass based slurry, i.e. solid coke suspended in a liquid matrix. The research objective is the detailed understanding and mathematical description of the physico-chemical process steps of the conversion of a multi-phase fuel under high pressure gasification conditions. Experimental work is carried out e.g. at the lab-scale atmospheric research entrained flow gasifier, REGA for the thermo-chemical conversion of slurry and in the world wide unique pressurized atomization test rig, PAT for the atomization of high-viscous liquid fuels under high pressure. Numerical simulation tools (Aspen, Chemkin, Fluent) are applied for interpretation of experimental results and mathematical description of the multi-phase conversion processes.

The world wide recognized very successful scientific work of the institute is based on the expertise of the multidisciplinary staff comprising experts from various scientific and technical sectors and the opportunity to do experimental investigations in a broad range of scales from laboratory through semi-technical set-ups and pilot plants up to full scale plants. This unique combination guarantees for a good balance of basic research and application oriented development.

KIT / ITC Homepage: http://www.itc-tab.kit.edu/