Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg
Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg
© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

Clean Combustion and Process Heat

Low-emission combustion processes and process heat

We develop solutions for successfully shaping the heat transition both in the technical center and in on-site applications:

  • Low-emission combustion systems for biomass and waste
  • Medium and high-temperature heat storage systems

We design and optimize plant technology, processes and applications in such a way that, in addition to economic use, maximum social benefit is achieved. We accompany and support companies on their way to climate neutrality and in the development and optimization of the technologies required for this.

Our aim is to develop combustion technology with extremely low emissions (Near Zero Emission). At the same time, we are working on establishing potentially CO2-negative bioenergy solutions (Negative Emission Technologies). One focus of our work is on the flexible use of biogenic residues and other waste. We rely on innovative plant technology and online sensor technology for fuel-flexible control.

In our pilot plants, we have test benches and measuring equipment for optimizing combustion and filter systems as well as extensive online gas analysis.

In the field of storage systems, we develop, optimize and test medium and high-temperature storage systems as well as integrated solutions for industrial high-temperature applications. Our innovative solutions range from highly dynamic, metal-based latent heat storage systems to particularly efficient sugar alcohol storage systems that are also suitable for seasonal applications.

By using our storage systems, we increase the efficiency of industrial high-temperature applications. With the help of static and dynamic simulations, we find optimized solutions for the integration of the storage tanks.

Department management

Martin Meiller has been working at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Sulzbach-Rosenberg branch, since 2009. Since then, he has been researching combustion systems for solid materials, in particular biogenic residues and waste in grate firing systems.

The research field of high-temperature storage as a key to renewable energies in industry also falls within his area of responsibility.

Since March 2016, Martin Meiller has been Group Leader»Energy from Biomass & Waste«, from January 2022 he took over the management of the »Energy Technology« department and in 2023 the newly founded »Clean Combustion and Process Heat« department.

Martin Meiller is a member of the following committees:

  • ProcessNet Expert Group Waste Treatment and Resource Recovery
  • Scientific representative of Fraunhofer UMSICHT in the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance
  • Environmental Cluster Bavaria Working Group “Energy from Waste”
  • Representative of Fraunhofer UMSICHT in the DVV - German Association for Combustion Research

Services and fields of research

 

Combustion technology and emission reduction

more Info
 

© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

High-temperature storage for industrial process heat

 

 

more Info

Project highlights from the department: Clean Combustion and Process Heat

 

Research project / 14.11.2024

Results of the FlexNOx project are promising

Wood fires with up to 80% less NOx emissions

more Info
 

© Johamar, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

7.11.2023

Green steel production: from potential analysis to implementation at the Salzgitter steel works

In the »BeWiSer« project, a team from Fraunhofer UMSICHT is investigating the potential of biogenic raw and residual materials in steel production as a substitute for fossil carbon and energy sources in a work package.

more Info
 

© »hyBit«

28.2.2023

UMSICHT develops thermal management for large-scale hydrogen research project

 In the project cluster »Design of Industrial Transformation (Steelworks and Industry)«, Fraunhofer UMSICHT is responsible for the conceptual design of heat management at the industrial port of Bremen.

more Info
 

© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

19.10.2020

Electrochemical wastewater treatment generates hydrogen

A novel electrochemical purification process for highly contaminated process wastewater is to generate hydrogen at the same time. In the AECO H2+ project, a test stand with electrolysis cell is being set-up to undertake test for industrial use of the technology. 

more Info
 

12.3.2020

Biomass for sustainable brick production

Using the example of a brick plant, the »BioBrick« project shows how process heat and residues from biomass plants can be used for industrial brick production. In the project, a wood gasifier provides the heat (500 - 1000°C). The carbonaceous residues from the gasifier are used as porosification material in the brick. 

more Info
 

© GKS

12.9.2019

Predictive combustion control in waste incineration plants

Online fuel analysis enables predictive control

more Info
 

© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

5.3.2019

How efficient are electrostatic precipitators for biomass combustion systems?

more Info
 

© Fraunhofer UMSICHT

22.7.2019

Digital Fire: Biomass combustion digitized

Research project combines digitization and process engineering

more Info

Our projects

Here you will find a selection of current and completed funded projects.

Übersicht

BayGasBio

BayRezAuto

Sustainable processes for closing carbon cycles and providing sustainable energy sources based on innovative conversion technologies

Subproject A (BayGasBio)

Reduction of CO2 emissions from the Bavarian gas supply: Biomethanization of biogenic synthesis gases

Sub-project B (BayRezAuto)

High-quality, CO2-reduced recyclates for the Bavarian automotive industry

 10/2024-11/2025 Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie
CirHub CCT Follow-up project phase CIRCONOMY® Hub Circular Carbon Technologies 10/2024-09/2027 Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie
WäKo Heat at the touch of a button: subcoolable storage tanks based on phase change materials 07/2023-06/2026 Fraunhofer Gesellschaft e. V.
BioBrick2 CO2-neutral production of bricks - Holistic integration of a wood gasifier in brick production 01/2023-12/2025 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
KI Kessel  AI-supported boiler control for series-produced boilers on a scale <1 MW 11/2022-10/2025 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
NET-Fuels Increasing biomass conversion efficiency to carbon-negative sustainable biofuels by combination of thermal and bio-electrochemical processes 11/2022-10/2026 EU
E-TNV Electrothermal post-combustion for single-room fireplaces 10/2022-09/2024 Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
KliSchGa2.0 Climate protection gas from wood and biogenic residues - steps towards holistic process integration in the ceramic manufacturing process 08/2022-01/2025 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
hyBit Hydrogen for Bremen's Industrial Transformation: Sub-project heat management at the industrial port 09/2022-02/2026 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
Claire Development of a gasifier boiler with lower combustion and extreme zoning for minimized emissions 07/2022-06/2025 Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
BO2CCU Oxyfuel combustion of biogenic gases: CO2-negative processes by coupling bioenergy and electrolysis 01/2022-12/2024 Internal program SME
FlexNOx  Development of a combustion system with fuel staging - nitrogen oxide reduction and flexibilization of biomass combustion plants 2/2021 – 7/2024   Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)
Gusskohle TCR coal for use in foundries Innovation program Resilient value creation Cluster 3 07/2020-12/2020 Fraunhofer Gesellschaft e. V.
»BeWiSer« Accompanying research on hydrogen in steel production - Sub-project: By-products and secondary material and heat flows in hydrogen-based crude steel production 07/2020-06/2023 Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
BioBrick Biomass as the key to sustainable brick production - energy supply, generation of process heat and material recycling of gasifier residues 01/2020-1/2021 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)
AdOnFuelControl Adaptive online fuel characterisation of heterogeneous fuels for optimised firing control 11/2019- 10/2022 Bayerische Forschungsstiftung
Digital-Fire Joint project: Digital-Fire - Optimisation of Data Acquisition and Control Technology for Biomass Firing Systems; Subproject 1: Theoretical and Experimental Investigations, Development of Modules for Data Acquisition 9/2019- 8/2022   Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
ODH@SIZ ODH@SIZ - Open ICT ecosystem for cross-sectoral control and operational roll-out of energy infrastructure to a mulifunctional hub for mobility, production and neighbourhood supply 5/2019-5/2023 Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie
DAnkEE Demonstration of a plant for combined dedusting and denitrification -key for the environmentally friendly use of biomass residues and waste materials 09/2018- 08/2021 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)
FuelBand2 Combustion and fuel optimisation for the utilisation of residues in biomass furnaces 07/2018-06/2021 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)
KlischGa Bio-chemical climate protection gas from high-strength industrial mixed pellets for industrial gas production - Sub-project: Investigation of the gasification behaviour of the mixed pellets 09/2017 - 02/2021  Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)
eleMeMe Decentralised decoupling of power generation and energy supply by coupling onsite electrochemical methanol generation and methanol fuel cells 03/2017 – 02/2020 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi) 
MACOR Feasibility study on the reduction of CO2 emissions in the steelworks using renewable energies 06/2017 - 05/2020 Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
TheMatiK ower plant technology (load-flexible and part-load power plants) - Thermal and thermochemical energy storage in power plants  10/2016 - 09/2019  Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
FRESBI Optimisation of the fractional separation efficiency of electrostatic dust collectors for use in biomass furnaces - Subproject 1: Power range >50 kW 02/2016 - 07/2018 Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
SeMoBioEnergy SeMoBioEnergy - Semi-Mobile Bioenergy from Agricultural and Forest Residues in Chile and Beyond - Teilvorhaben: Aufbau einer semi-mobilen Biomasse Konversionsanlage 09/2015 - 01/2019 Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Project Ashes Recycling of nutrients from residues of thermo-chemical processing of bagasse 04/2015 - 12/2018 Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
Ash2Gas
 Microbial biomethane production with hydrogen from thermal gasification of biomass with nutrients from gasification residues / Share UMSICHT Proof of Concept & Evaluation (AP6&7) 12/2014 - 12/2017 Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)

Publications of the department