ForMaT Project I

Project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Duration: November 2008 - April 2009




Special Sensors for the Process Industry

Institute of Safety Research

Experimental Thermal Fluid Dynamics Division


Motivation

Measurement and sensor technologies are considered to be crucial for successful process control and optimization. Customers expect better product quality. Companies are seeking higher process efficiency, lower energy consumption, as well as higher availability of equipment. These increasing requirements can only be met through special sensor systems. Referring to the process industry, the following trends can be identified:

  • Optimization of existing and new equipment,
  • Capturing of trend and intermediate data,
  • Measurement of spatial distribution of process data,
  • Determination of phases and interfaces,

These aspects play a major role in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in the areas of oil, energy, paper, water and food. Only in this way can competitiveness be kept and developed. The Experimental Thermal Fluid Division of the Institute of Safety Research at Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V. (FZD) specializes in the experimental research of multiphase flows. The institute has developed strong expertise in the development and deployment of special sensors suitable for rough conditions, as high pressure and high temperature. In this context, sensors and measuring systems were developed for the acquisition and the visualization of several parameters of flowing multiphase mixtures.



Scope of the Project

Through the ForMaT-project (research in team for the market) that is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Institute of Safety Research at Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V. (FZD) wants to evaluate the market potentials of research projects. More precisely, at an early stage we want to understand to what extent the transfer of sensor technologies to marketable solutions is possible. In this process, the understanding of customer needs and market requirements is significant. Thus, the utilization of knowledge from public research centers will be improved. For that reason, a team of FZD engineers, as well as of business graduates of the Dresden University of Technology, was established. In the current stage of the project, promising fields of research are identified in close collaboration with potential customers.



How can you help us

In order to approach to a considerably funded second project phase focusing on sensor development for the industrial market we need to define applications and needs as well as necessary product development stages. This we want to do in interviews with industrial partners, which should answer the following questions:

  • Could our sensor technologies be applied in your company/technology field?
  • How can they help to improve your processes?
  • What are the requirements and specifications?
  • Where do you see problems and constraints?
  • What are the cost issues?

We would be very glad to discuss these issues in form of a short interview. Contact us!



Special sensors at FZD


Needle probes


Wire-mesh sensors


Tomography

  • Sensor concepts in development
  • Multiphase flow meter
    Temperature field measurement
    Velocity field measurement
    Autonomous process sensor

  • A presentation about our sensor technology is available for download through the following link


Team

PD Dr. Uwe Hampel, Head of Division

Tobias Hauptmann, MBE project assistant



Contact

Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V.
Institute of Safety Research
Experimental Thermal Fluid Dynamics Division
Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden
Phone: (0351) 260-2037 / Fax: (0351) 260-2383
E-Mail: format(a)fzd.de