With the successful completion of the MultiKulti reactor and the completion of the assembly work at Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU), a decisive step has been taken on the way to commissioning. What only months ago consisted of construction plans, delivery bills and various individual parts is now ready as a finished plant for the next exciting steps in the project.
The road there was long and varied
Before the final steps could be taken, countless technical, planning and practical hurdles had to be overcome. Individual components of the system had to be brought to life step by step – above all the gas chromatography, which, as the central analytical instrument, required precise commissioning. The stirrer, whose geometry was specially developed on the basis of CFD simulations, also had to be manufactured exactly to specification and installed in the reactor. This was accompanied by validation experiments, which successfully confirmed the desired flow conditions in the reactor.
At the same time, the control cabinets were assembled and equipped with the necessary control and regulation components. Cables were pulled, lines laid, peripherals connected – every detail counted. At the same time, the colleagues worked intensively on the programming: final functions had to be integrated, interfaces adapted and sequence controls tested. A leak test also had to be carried out to prepare the system for safe operation. And as if that wasn’t enough, new challenges kept cropping up during assembly, requiring flexibility, patience and, above all, team spirit.
After months of preparation, the system was put into operation at the FAU for the first time under real conditions. In an initial test setup, the growth behavior of bacteria from drinking water was investigated under controlled conditions and with precise data acquisition using the newly integrated measurement technology. Microbial growth was monitored using the TZW’s online devices (BactoSens, ColiMinder).
Looking ahead to the next steps.
An important step has been taken with the first successful commissioning. In the coming weeks, further tests will follow to characterize the system in detail before it is finally transported to its future location at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
A big thank you goes to the FAU team, who made the successful implementation possible with their great commitment and technical expertise.
