Briefing 2024

Innovative state estimation for complex industrial processes

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” (Albert Einstein)

Initial situation

Consider having a drink “on the rocks”: in a mixture of liquid water and ice, we know that temperature measurements will show always about 0°C, so, in turn, these readings don’t tell us how much ice is actually present.

While you can just have a look into the glass to see the ice, this is often not possible in an industrial setting, such as inside a reactor.

Generally, to operate a complex system efficiently, we want to accurately know the internal state in real time, but we can only measure few quantities from the outside.

We encounter these questions in thermal storages, fuel cells, reactors, and in many more applications. Measuring key quantities is of course possible, but that is typically difficult or limited: sensors are expensive, need space and interfere with the inner workings of processes, and often only provide information of a single point within the system.

It’s just these types of problems for which we have developed a solution for industrial settings.

Ice keeps water cool – a trivial example of latent-heat thermal energy storage

Our solution

We have invented, tested and patented a technology to accurately estimate the internal distribution of states in such systems, for example in latent-heat thermal energy storages. These storages store heat by melting mineral salts. Our method allows to find out how much thermal energy is stored in such a unit – i.e., to determine the state-of-charge, being able to automatically combining different measurement principles to their best use, thus maximizing estimation accuracy.

As an example, the molten and solidified regions in such a latent-heat thermal energy storage system can be predicted in real time, thus providing optimal information for control, monitoring, and optimization of dynamic storage operation.

Latent-heat thermal energy storage cell: complex phase distribution inside partially charged cell

Also, this estimation technology is already being transferred to closely monitor hydrogen fuel cells during operation. The distribution of the occurring gaseous species inside the channels is accurately estimated and brought in agreement with available boundary measurements in real time. This way, dangerous operation conditions can be safely avoided, and fuel cells can be safeguarded and operated even in a dynamic fashion.

Our challenge

We are on the lookout for future research cooperation opportunities with industry, research partners, and producers to explore the exciting possibilities that this technology can spawn. We are open to and eager to find new fields of applications, which may involve any engineering domain!

Contact

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Alexander Schirrer, Senior Scientist, Institut of Mechanics and Mechatronics, TU Wien

Daniel Rottenberg, Patent and Licence Management, TU Wien

Julian Ebner, Industry Relations Manager, TU Wien

 

On behalf of the entire team of inventors – A. Schirrer, S. Jakubek, D. Pernsteiner, R. Hofmann.

About us

Technische Universität Wien

Technische Universität Wien (TU Wien) is Austria's largest research and educational institution in the field of technology and natural sciences. With more than 4,000 scientists conducting research in five main research areas at eight faculties and over 27,000 students in 55 degree programmes, TU Wien strengthens the business location as an innovation driver under the mission statement "Technology for People", facilitates co-operation and contributes to the prosperity of society.

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