Various institutes from Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) are showing a wide range of research exhibits during the Hannover Messe from 22 to 26 April 2024. At the joint stand for the state of Lower Saxony in hall 2, stand A10, the researchers are presenting their current projects. Also represented at other locations are the LUH’s Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum, which supports companies in developing and implementing digitalisation solutions (hall 16, stand D09), and the student racing-car project HorsePower Hannover (hall 12, stand F05). At the joint stand for Lower Saxony, visitors can learn about the following LUH research projects:
Sustainable hydrogen combustion concepts (WaVe)
The joint exhibit of the “Sustainable hydrogen combustion concepts (WaVe)” innovation laboratory from LUH’s Institute of Technical Combustion (ITV) and Jade Hochschule’s Institute for a Sustainable Energy Supply (InEV) is presenting research on the use of renewably produced “green” hydrogen, which is completely free of CO2 and therefore greenhouse-gas neutral. Hydrogen combustion is almost completely emission-free and therefore just as environmentally friendly as the use of hydrogen in fuel cells, but significantly more economical and robust depending on the area of application. Three projects from the innovation lab are being presented: a hydrogen-based combustion system for thermal power plants, a project on the substitution of natural gas with hydrogen at the Huntorf power plant and a project on low-emission and efficient hydrogen motors. As part of the WaVe project, LUH and Jade Hochschule are conducting interdisciplinary work with additional partners.
Innovative pre-treatment and recycling solutions (ReKon)
The ReKon research project from LUH’s Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy (IKK) aims to develop innovative and scalable pre-treatment and recycling solutions. The project is focused particularly on waste and input streams that are so far not industrially recyclable from the areas of automotive, energy and electronic components, as well as single-use plastics and composites from the medical/pharmaceutical field. The goal is the development and expansion of a comprehensive circular economy model within the plastic industry. Using the example of selected input streams, the project aims to examine the potential of mechanical recycling in closed-loop and open-loop recycling approaches for complex plastic components. Additional focal areas of the IKK’s recycling research are also being presented at the stand.
Production of hybrid high-performance components
The LUH’s collaborative research centre (SFB) 1153, “Process chain for the production of high-performance components through tailored forming”, is also presenting its work. In recent years, the demands made of technical components have increased steadily. This development is due to the desire for increasingly high-performance products, which in addition to having a lower weight, smaller size and increased function also exhibit a greater degree of robustness in response to particular types of stress. However, monomaterials are increasingly reaching their material-specific limits in established production processes. The overarching goal of the collaborative research centre is to examine the potential for hybrid solid components based on a newly tailored manufacturing process using joined semi-finished products. In contrast to existing production and manufacturing processes for hybrid solid components, in which the joining process does not take place until the forming process at the end of the manufacturing chain, the SFB uses tailored semi-finished products which are joined before the forming process. In future, this should make it possible to manufacture complex, highly stress-resistant solid components from different metallic materials which cannot yet be produced with existing technology.
Additional projects with LUH participation:
Fluorescence outdoor inspection system (FLOIS)
LUH is also a participant in the FLOIS project from the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin ISFH (affiliate institute of LUH) to support photovoltaic production facilities in Lower Saxony, which is being presented at the joint stand for Lower Saxony. The fluorescence outdoor inspection system (FLOIS), which has now received several prizes, can be used to identify and evaluate even the smallest performance-impacting tears in the modules of outdoor photovoltaic facilities. Compared to other systems, FLOIS can operate regardless of the weather in most cases and can be used both during the day and at night. The recording and analysis of the images produced by the system is simpler and faster than is the case with conventional electroluminescence images. As a result of the change in this fluorescence image over time, FLOIS makes it possible to date when damage to the module occurred and to identify the specific weather events that caused the damage.
LUH researchers are also participating in other projects presented at the stand that are being conducted by the Institute for Integrated Production (IPH), titled “Artificial intelligence and cobots in production”, and by the Laser Zentrum Hannover, titled “Laser system technology for sustainable production in future and individual challenges in industry”.
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