Red-hot electrolysis
High-temperature electrolysis process is ready for series production
A technician prepares material for electrolysis. | © Fraunhofer IKTS
The Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) in Dresden has more than 20 years of experience in the field of high electrolysis: splitting water into O using electricity2 and H2 at temperatures of almost 1000 degrees Celsius. Together with the electrolyzer manufacturer Thyssenkrupp Nucera, IKTS scientists are transferring the high-temperature electrolysis process into series production. For this purpose, IKTS has built a new pilot plant in the eastern state of Thuringia.
“This high-performance technology will be another strong pillar of CO2-free and therefore climate-friendly energy mix of the future without fossil fuels,” explains Werner Ponikwar, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Nucera.
Because these systems are comparatively expensive to produce, the technology is not yet established, but costs will inevitably fall as they mature. In addition, the process offers several advantages over cold electrolysis. Instead of rare precious metals, cheaper materials such as ceramics can also be used. It uses less electricity because process energy is provided in the form of heat (which makes it interesting for industries that generate a lot of waste heat). And CO2 can be extracted from the environment and converted into green synthesis gas and derivative products such as e-fuels.
www.ikts.fraunhofer.de
© Kammann Rossi
This article appeared in issue 3-2024 of Markets Germany magazine. Read more articles in this issue here
Replace environmentally friendly plastics
Hamburg start-up produces a viable natural alternative to plastic
A young company called Traceless has developed a process that converts plant waste into a sustainable plastic replacement. The granules produced using the new process can be manufactured using traditional methods and can replace plastic or plastic coatings in a wide range of products, including food containers, disposable cutlery and clothes hangers. Compared to plastic, the innovative material saves 91 percent CO22 emissions and is completely plastic-free, biodegradable and compostable.
The two Traceless founders have successfully completed initial product tests with companies such as the clothing retailer C&A and the airline Lufthansa. The company is currently building an industrial production facility in Hamburg. “Here we want to show that we can actually produce our material on a large scale and competitively,” says co-founder and COO Johanna Baare.
www.traceless.eu
High-tech AERO hub
Rolls-Royce and Lufthansa's aircraft overhaul network is growing rapidly
The rising prices for airline tickets and the specter of climate change have not yet curbed people's desire to travel. In fact, the number of intercontinental flights is constantly increasing. This trend is a boon for N3 Engine Overhaul Services, a joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce. Last year the company overhauled and inspected 132 Rolls-Royce engines for more than 50 international airlines. The capacity is to be almost doubled: Due to increasing demand, up to 250 engines are to be checked per year. N3 is therefore investing around 150 million euros in expanding its location in Thuringia.
www.n3eos.com
Water extraction in deserts
Super sponges from Saxony collect water from the air
A team of researchers from the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the Technical University of Dresden in Saxony have developed a groundbreaking method to extract water from the atmosphere so that residents of dry areas will have a better supply of drinking water in the future. These tiny “super sponges” are made of metal and organic material and, like a kitchen sponge, are full of small cavities. Mass production is still a thing of the future. The researchers are currently working on making the super sponges suitable for everyday use. But they are already able to filter up to 1.3 liters of water from the air per kilogram of their own weight per day. In the next step, the scientists want to better understand the water binding mechanisms of super sponges in order to develop more efficient materials and increase their suction power.
www.hzdr.de
Maritime Technology 4.0
Next-generation ship propulsion technology helps reduce ship emissions
© Kammann Rossi
The traditional company Ramme, based in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, has developed electric ship engines with an efficiency of up to 99 percent. In contrast to conventional induction motors, the rotors of PM systems are equipped with permanent magnets, making them typically two to four percent more efficient at full load than comparable induction motors. The high efficiency leads to an energy saving potential of more than 20 percent compared to conventional systems.
The ram motors help to conserve resources and reduce CO2 Emissions in the shipping industry. The lower energy costs also improve the return on investment. The technology is already very popular: every year, 100 ships worldwide, from small ferries to huge cruise ships, are equipped with ram engines.
www.ramme.de
Sailing with a tailwind
Start-up develops unique flow measurement technology
Vectoflow, based near Munich, is revolutionizing the world of flow measurement with its unique probes – the first in the world to be manufactured with a 3D printer. At just 1.2 mm, they are among the smallest, most robust and most accurate in the world.
To achieve this precision, the probe is calibrated by exposing it to different flow fields in a wind tunnel. “We measure flows, whether it’s water, air, gas or oil – the main thing is that it’s moving.” During the measurements, we evaluate all possible parameters, i.e. speed, temperature, pressure and flow angle,” explains Vectoflow co-founder Katharina Kreitz. Kreitz developed the technology at age 27 while completing her mechanical engineering degree.
Vectoflow's customers, which include internationally renowned companies such as NASA, Airbus and Tesla, use the measurement data to optimize their products. For example, it makes cars and airplanes more aerodynamic and thereby saves fuel. At the end of last year, the company raised 4 million euros from investors. It's about increasing series production.
www.vectoflow.de