High Performance Center Simulation and Software Based Innovation
High Performance Center Simulation and Software Based Innovation

Transfer Center

© ITWM

»MSO-based Process Engineering«

The projects worked on so far in Transfer Center 1 show that there are often significant differences between model-based planning data of process plants and actual process data recorded during plant operation, a clarification of which is of high relevance for the further development of the processes.

The use of standard methods of machine learning is not effective here, since the complex sensor and analytics in production plants generally do not fully capture the input-output-behavior and can only be learned to a limited extent on this basis.

Therefore, the main objective is to close such systematic gaps with models of the strong interdisciplinary cooperation in Center 1 and the two R&D-Labs.

 

Focus of the Transfer Center:

The services offered by the center stand for modeling, simulation and optimization in process engineering. The work covers process engineering processes as well as their products and their application properties.

Three focal points and thus also sectors are in focus:

  • »Decision Support in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry«
  • »Process Development for Fibers and Nonwovens«
  • »Simulation of Filtration and Separation Processes«

 

Associate Partners:

  • Fraunhofer ITWM
  • TU Kaiserslautern (Mathematics, Mechanical and Process Engineering)
Expand all Close all

»Decision Support in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry«

Simulations are essential for the development and improvement of technical processes in process plants or chemical plants. In most cases, the objective is to improve the yield and quality of the products and to save costs at the same time. 

Currently, process parameters are often determined empirically. However, new decision support systems contribute to the evaluation of relevant information by determining, processing and compiling objective criteria in a structured way. 

The challenges are

  • from a procedural point of view: the usage of appropriate simulation models, which can be hybridized with multi criteria optimization routines
  • from a mathematical point of view: a most efficient approximation of Pareto surfaces in connection with interpolation and extrapolation technique

 

Objective:

This approach has already been successfully implemented in another project by integrating interactive decision support components into the workflow for planning and simulation of chemical production plants and is to be further developed in this project.

»Process Development for Fibers and Nonwovens«

The range of applications for nonwovens is extremely broad and extends from everyday products such as baby diapers and vacuum cleaner bags to high-tech products such as battery separators or medical products.

In the production of fibers and nonwovens, the individual process steps of melting and spinning as well as swirling and depositing are strongly coordinated and integrated into a chain. High production speeds and often turbulence-related influences in the production process often lead to product quality fluctuations in practice.

 

Objective:

In this project, industrially relevant processes such as spunbond and meltblown of an industrial partner are simulated in order to control the results of the - mathematically speaking stochastic - substeps therein as well as possible.

»Simulation of Filtration and Separation Processes«

The design of media and elements for various filtration processes can be specifically supported with new extended flow dynamic simulation models. Complex bench tests are thus significantly reduced.

In industrial cooperation, simulation tools for the design and functional property evaluation of filter media and filter elements for air, solid and particle filtration are developed.

 

Objective:

Of particular importance for industrial practice is the adequate consideration of the real operating conditions under which the filter cake is compressed and the filter medium is deformed. The project combines the simulation techniques of granular materials with those of filtration to create innovative software tools.

Related Links: