SPP 2364:  Autonomous processes in particle technology - Research and testing of concepts for model-based control of particulate processes

• Subject Area: Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering ; Computer Science, Systems and Electrical Engineering
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 460890345

The goal of the planned priority program is the research and testing of methods for autonomous process control in particle technology. The complexity of particulate products still prevents an independent adjustment of product properties without external intervention. The originality of the proposed project consists in the coupling of material and data flows of the respective basic operations with measurement technology, process dynamics and control to form a closed loop for an autonomous process. In the first phase, the focus will be on the process control of a single unit operation, while in a second phase, entire process chains consisting of several unit operations will be considered. This will make it possible for the first time to meet the desired property profiles of particulate products, including a high energy and raw material efficiency, at a high and safe level. With the completion of the proposed priority program, a new type of 'building block of scientific tools' (methods, algorithms, models, data structures and information architectures) will be available, which will allow reliable process control and also a transformation to new processes. The objects of investigation are multiphase processes in which solids or also fluid particles are processed. In the focus are the typical technical unit operations in engineering, e.g. processes of particle synthesis (gas phase synthesis, crystallization, precipitation...), methods of particle handling (comminution, agglomeration, separation...) or also processes for product formulation (extrusion, coating, drying, fluidized bed...). The processes themselves can be batch or continuous.Solutions for the described challenges are only possible in close cooperation between particle technological, control based and computer science oriented working groups. The promotion of young and female scientists is a special concern of the SPP, which is ensured by far reaching measures along the qualification cascade from PhD to professorship. Also a close cooperation with the national research data infrastructure (NFDI) is aspired.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes

Projects

• Adaptive data-driven predictive control using behavioral approach for autonomous powder compaction (Applicants Bajcinca, Naim ;  Thommes, Markus )
• Adaptive Optimal Control of Continuous Aqueous Two-Phase Flotation (ATPF) (Applicants Diehl, Moritz ;  Nirschl, Hermann )
• ARCO-CRYSTAL: Adaptive robust predictive control of continuous slug flow cooling crystallization (Applicants Lucia Gil, Sergio ;  Wohlgemuth, Kerstin )
• Autonomous and self-adapting, high-resolution 3D additive manufacturing by high energy impacts of fine particles (Applicants Antonyuk, Sergiy ;  Palis, Stefan )
• Autonomous control of a process chain for CO2 carbonation by use of mine waste (Applicants Bajcinca, Naim ;  Gleiß, Marco ;  Sundmacher, Kai )
• Autonomous structure formation processes in spray fluidized bed agglomeration (Applicants Bück, Andreas ;  Kienle, Achim ;  Tsotsas, Evangelos )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Nirschl, Hermann )
• Formulation of dispersed systems via (melt) emulsification: Process design, in situ diagnostics and regulation (Applicants Graichen, Knut ;  Huber, Franz ;  Schmidt, Jochen )
• Model-based control of spray synthesis of structured granules with specified properties, using transfer functions derived by multivariate stochastic models and machine learning (Applicants Peuker, Urs ;  Schmidt, Volker )
• Model-based control of the dynamics during fine grinding in wet-operated stirred media mills (Applicants Kirches, Christian ;  Schilde, Carsten )
• Model-based process control for dynamic and efficient operation of liquid/liquid mixer-settler systems (Applicants Knorn, Steffi ;  Kraume, Matthias )
• Model-based Process Control for Transferred Arc Synthesis of Nanoparticles (Applicants Ding, Steven Xianchun ;  Kruis, Frank Einar )
• Model-based quality control in continuous manufacturing of pharmaceutical granules (QC4CM) (Applicants Breitkreutz, Jörg ;  Vallery, Heike )
• Optimization of Gas-Solid Fluidized Beds Operation using Machine Learning (Applicants Mostaghim, Sanaz ;  van Wachem, Ph.D., Berend )
• Synthesis of highly functional nanoparticles via a sol-gel process using X-ray scattering methods: from process development to process control (Applicants Meurer, Thomas ;  Nirschl, Hermann )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr.-Ing. Hermann Nirschl