Press releases

After the successful premiere this year, there will be a second edition of the "E3C – Electrochemical Cell Concepts Colloquium" in May 2021: The interdisciplinary exchange on the design of electrochemical reactors will take place on May 6th – as a hybrid event that enables participation both via Internet and on site at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen. The main topics are functional components, cell design and fluid flow as well as stack design, testing and sealing technology of electrochemical reactors. Anyone wishing to present his or her research results in the form of a lecture or a poster can submit an abstract until December 15, 2020.

Rice is the most important staple food worldwide. However, its production is associated with high energy consumption and the associated negative environmental impact. Researchers at Fraunhofer UMSICHT are developing a promising sustainable alternative by using previously unused biomass for decentralized electricity production.

Packaging protects products during transport and storage. In order to develop sustainable packaging and conserve resources, Henkel developed an evaluation tool that quickly and reliably checks plastic packaging for recyclability. The tool has now been expanded to include common materials, so that packaging made of paper/cardboard, glass, aluminum and tinplate can be analyzed in addition to plastic. Fraunhofer UMSICHT tested the software tool.

Creating an overall concept for efficient energy use and supply of Duisburg's inland port – this is the objective of the "enerPort" project. The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT and Duisburger Hafen AG have reached an important milestone on the way to achieving this goal: One year after the start of the project they have conducted a metastudy. It is intended to ensure the transferability of the concept to other ports. The focus is on the categorization and typologization of inland ports.

There is movement in the fuel market for ocean-going vessels. Targets to reduce ex-haust emissions require new sustainable ways of producing diesel and heavy fuel oil. What could these paths look like? What are the new raw materials? Researchers at Fraunhofer UMSICHT succeeded in mapping the entire process chain for the production of bio-based blending components as part of the PyroMar project. Testing is starting right now.

The energy system is changing. Variable energy production, decarbonization, decentralization and cross-sectoral approaches call for innovative storage systems to balance demand and production. In order to develop such energy storage systems, models for operational or structural optimization and for the evaluation of storage systems are needed. The problem: There are still no uniform, scientifically validated open source models for electrical and thermal energy storage systems that can be used to solve technical, economic and regulatory problems. An international research team led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT wants to change this.

Provide a platform for the interdisciplinary exchange in the field of electrochemical cells – with this objective Jan Girschik started planning the first "E3C – Electrochemical Cell Concepts Colloquium". The scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT has definitely achieved this goal: over 130 researchers from 13 countries – including Canada, the USA, Uruguay, India, Greece, Great Britain and seven other European nations – took part in the online event on May 14 2020. Their presentations and discussions revolved around commonalities and potential combinations of cell concepts and fluid flow systems for flow batteries, fuel cells, electrolysis, electrosynthesis and electrodialysis cells.

Bacteria like to romp around on plastic components such as light switches, in water pipes or even on medical equipment. This is remedied by germicidal materials such as copper, which is worked into the plastics, or special antibacterial coatings. Fraunhofer UMSICHT has developed new ways to reduce the growth of bacteria on surfaces: This is done either by impregnating antimicrobial agents into layers of polymers near the surface or by preventing the formation of a biofilm by preventing communication between the bacteria. The processes are continuously being developed and tested in application - for the consumer sector, medical technology, technical applications and the food industry.

The energy transition is a supporting pillar of structural change and requires a rethinking in many areas. In order to ensure that successful economic ecosystems can grow in an increasingly dynamic and volatile environment, coordinated, adaptable solutions are needed at the interface of the energy and materials industries. This is precisely where the Performance Center DYNAFLEX® takes part and develops sustainable solutions with the direction of Fraunhofer UMSICHT. A pilot site is currently being built in Bad Langensalza, which will serve as a pioneer for cross-industrial networks and open up new value chains.