General Information

• Project duration: 01/2024 - 12/2026

• Projekct manager:   Dipl.-Ing. Isabell Viedt, (Stellvertreter: Prof. Dr.-Ing.-habil. Leon Urbas)

  Project contact:  Shreyas Parbat, M.Sc.

• Financing: BMWK

Project description

The excellent cooperation in the ENPRO initiative between the operator and supplier industry and various universities has paved the way for faster transfer of more flexible, energy-efficient processes to industrial production. Key elements here are the implementation of batch-to-conti at module level, the creation of intelligent and networked modules from the apparatus through to automation and the development of methods and standards for data integration.

For the further development of the ENPRO initiative, the focus will now be on implementation in the form of demonstrators in laboratories and production, as well as clarification of the associated challenges. This includes new plants and the conversion, modernization and expansion of existing plants. Accordingly, the following questions, among others, still need to be investigated:

• Integration of modules or process equipment assemblies (PEA) into existing systems
• Optimized module selection taking existing infrastructure into account
• Efficient support for the engineering of hybrid systems (modular and conventional)
• Integration of modules into existing automation and overall systems

The industry's medium-term goal is to create a comprehensive pool for PEAs in order to exchange them across companies and to minimize the time, energy, resources and costs involved in setting up modular systems.

With this focus, the continuation of the ENPRO initiative addresses key elements of the 7th Energy Research Program. These include increasing the efficiency of energy and raw material use, the transformation and modernization of existing systems by integrating PEAs and modular sub-systems as well as the consideration of life cycle information in engineering (e.g. maintenance data, emissions, resources, costs, etc.). In addition, the links to the infrastructure for development and engineering open up opportunities to leverage further cross-sector energy efficiency potential.

REUNION will focus on the realization of modules by suppliers and the clarification of the associated challenges. The following aspects, among others, will be considered:

• New and further development of energy-efficient hardware modules
• Automation using Module Type Package (MTP) and energy-efficient, service-based operation
• Transparency of energy requirements through energy KPIs and module status
• Approval of energy-efficient, modular systems based on approved modules and FAIR documentation

By involving all relevant stakeholders (operators, suppliers and approval authorities), the requirements for the modules are to be clarified and fulfilled together with the universities. There, the (continued) use of existing demonstrators and facilities enables rapid and resource-saving implementation.

The aim is to train suppliers to become module manufacturers who will be able to supply energy-efficient, automated and approvable modules in the future in order to implement more flexible, energy-efficient processes in the chemical industry.