linde technology 2 11 gb14 43478

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RegeneRative Raw mateRials foR industRy

Green atthe source

LINDTECHNOLOGY

ssue

#2.11 Plant designPlastics made to measureCRyoteChnologyBiobanks support medical researchaluminiumIncreasing recycling efficiency

hydRogen

Going mobile with green H2

algal oil

Sustainable CO2 management

BioteCh ReseaRCh

Getting the most out of biomass

featuRed toPiC: gReen at the souRCe


2/56

LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // IMPrINT

Imprint

Publisher:Linde AG, Klosterhofstrasse 1,80331 Munich, GermanyPhone +49.89.35757-01Fax +49.89.35757-1398www.linde.com

Editorial team:Editor-in-chief: Dr Thomas Hagn, Linde AG;wissen + konzepte, Munich

Picture desk:Judith Schller, Hamburg

Layout:

wissen + konzepte, Munich;Almut Jehn, Bremen

For enquiries and requests:Linde AG, Corporate CommunicationsKlosterhofstrasse 1, 80331 Munich, Germany,or [email protected] of this magazine and other technicalpublications can be downloaded fromwww.linde.com.

No part of this publication may be reproducedor distributed electronically without priorpermission from the publisher. Unless expressly

permitted by law (and, in such instances,only when full reference is given to the source),the use of reports from Linde Technologyis prohibited.

ISSN 1612-2224, Printed in Germany 2011

#2.11

02

t r r: I f, gy

ppli d idil pdi p will

v iigly ly giv w

mil, plig d-bd mil flw

wi g i.

Picture credits:

Cove: Getty Images // Page 04: Linde AG (2), Getty Images, Sapphire Energy // Page 06/

07: Daimler AG // Page 08/09: Linde AG (3) // Page 11: Colin Cuthbert/SPL/Agentur Focus

// Page 12/13: Linde AG (2), Getty Images, plainpicture/ojo // Page 14/15: Linde AG (2),

Thomas Ernsting/Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft // Page 16: Linde AG // Page 18/19: Linde AG //

Page 20/21: Linde AG // Page 23: Sapphire Energy // Page 24/25: Sapphire Energy, Linde AG

(2) // Page 26: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft// Page 28/29: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Bayer AG //

Page 30/31: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (2) // Page 32: Corbis, AJ Photo/SPL/Agentur Focus

// Page 34/35: Linde AG, Universitres Schlafmedizinisches Zentrum Hamburg // Page 36/37:Getty Images, BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. // Page 39: International Aluminium Insti-

tute // Page 40/41: Linde AG // Page 42/43: Linde AG // Page 44: Linde AG // Page 46/47:

Getty Images, Linde AG // Page 49: Danny Gys/Reporters/SPL/Agentur Focus // Page 50/

51: Linde AG (4), Manfred Kage/SPL/Agentur Focus // Page 52/53: Ria Novosti/SPL/Agentur

Focus // Page 54: H.-B. Huber/laif

Id-No.1115028

www.bvdm-online.de


3/56

edito rial // liNde t eCHNolo GY #2

Der Reder,

The world still beats to the tune of crude oil. Utilities, transport and countless other industries relyheavily on black gold. But the growing scarcity of raw materials and the rising threat of climate change

are forcing society to rethink its energy policy. We need to use the earths limited natural riches more

economically and supplement fossil reserves with alternative and regenerative sources such as wood,

straw and plant residue.

Industries such as biotechnology have already developed the application processes to turn green

resources into valuable commodities for manufacturing, transport and energy. However, the journey from

lab to industrial-scale production is a long one and one that calls for advanced plant engineering and gas

management skills. Linde has assumed a leading role in both of these areas through its far-reaching, end-

to-end concepts. Concrete examples of our engagement here include support in constructing the Chemical-

Biotechnological Process Centre (CBP) in Leuna, Germany. The CBP aims to gradually replace crude-based

material flows with biomass chains across industry. We are also driving the development of hydrogen

as a climate-friendly mobility choice. Our pilot plant in Leuna is already producing green hydrogen from

glycerine, which occurs as a by-product of a biodiesel manufacturing process. Another example of how we

are applying our CO2 management experience and know-how is the use of algae to generate green oils

and biofuels. These microorganisms require huge volumes of carbon dioxide to produce green crude.

Our work doesnt stop with new applications. Existing industrial processes can also be made more

efficient and sustainable. Take aluminium recycling, for instance. Our gas technologies can enhance the

melting process to cut energy consumption and emissions. We were also involved in developing a process

technology that makes it more economical to produce the building blocks required for widely used plas-

tics such as polyethylene.

Natural gas is set to gain in importance in the fossil fuel mix. Compared with oil, it is a more climate-

friendly source of energy. We are working with various technology partners to advance the offshore

production and liquefaction of natural gas with state-of-the-art, custom-designed ships.

In this edition of Linde Technology, you will find numerous examples illustrating how we are making

industrial processes, mobility and energy in general more compatible with the need to protect our envi-ronment.

EDitoRial

Dr Aldo Belloni

Member of the Executive Board of Linde AG

We think they make for extremely interesting reading enjoy!

0


4/56

04LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // CONTENT s

_22

BIOfuel:Ce ge pce gee ce

MedIcIne:Cecg pp eec

AluMInIuM recyclIng:Ecec p, e

PrOcess technOlOgy:Pc e ee

_10

_38

_44


5/56

0CONTEN Ts // LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2

03 edItOrIAl

06 ecO-MOBIlIty

Hydrogen cars toured the globe

08 news

10 suB-zerO ArchIves Using cryotechnology to advance personalised medicine

16 ClEan with GlyCErinE H2 from rapeseed generating hydrogen

from renewable sources

22 GrEEn Goldfrom thE dEsErt

Algae producing green crudethrive on carbon dioxide

26 whErE ChEmistry mEEts bioloGySpeeding the transition from biomass-baselab processes to industrial maturity

30 Essay: thE PotEntial ofindustrial biotEChnoloGy

Prof. Dr Hans-Jrg Bullinger,President of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

li i a pai a o mo aiab maai ai i ioai pa

a a maam m a bioma io , o-i ommoii.

14 GrEEn at thE sourCE

32 rest Assured

Global, all-round LISA service provides relief for sleep apnoea

36 shArPer, thInner, fAster

High-tech gases for the multimedia industry

38 MAKIng Old MetAl shIne lIKe new

Aluminium recycling with flameless combustion

42 fIt fIsh

Energy-efficient gas management for aquaculture

44 PlAstIc BuIldIng BlOcKs tO MeAsure

Innovative technology for polymer components

48 suPersOnIc fIght AgAInst BActerIA

Creating antibacterial surfaces with cold spray technology

52 flOAtIng lng fActOry

Extracting natural gas from the seabed

54 sAvIng lIves wIth Oxygen

Ultralight emergency cylinder

FEaTurED TOp


6/56

LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // F-CELL WOr LD DrIv E

06

Imagesource:Daim

lerAG

1


7/56

Hdrgen

Eco-mobIlItyHorsepower on hydrogen eco-friendly mobility conquers the

extremes of the Kazakh steppe. Three B-class F-CELL hydrogen-

powered fuel-cell cars toured the globe during the first half of

2011 as part of the Mercedes Benz F-CELL World Drive. As a global

hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is not yet in place, Linde ensure

a smooth supply with its mobile refuelling unit. Each of the F-CE

cars travelled around 30,000 kilometres both on and off the beat

track. The entire tour lasted 125 days and spanned four continents

0F-CELL W OrLD DrI vE // LINDE TECH NOLOGY #2


8/56

LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // NEWS

08

newsLide is ivestig i the strategic, fast-grow-

ig Asia market. I autum 2011, for example,

the Groups secod air separatio plat wet o

stream i the South Korea district of Giheug.

The ew facility produces high-purity itroge,

oxyge ad argo. Demad for gas productsis cotiually risig, fuelled primarily by South

Koreas steel, electroics ad semicoductor

idustries, as well as by the automotive ad

petrochemical sectors. Semicoductor special-

ist Samsug is just oe of the customers Lide

supplies with high-purity itroge. The EUR 130

millio ivestmet stregthes Lides positio

i South Korea ad the regio as a whole. Asia

is a key market for Lide ad we pla to expad

our busiess here i the log term, explais

Sajiv Lamba, Member of the Executive Board of

Lide AG resposible for Asia.

Lide also has its sights firmly set o growth

i Chia. The Group is plaig to build two o-

site air separatio facilities i the East Chiese

regio of Shadog to supply the Chiese poly-

urethae maufacturer Yatai Wahua. The two

uits will produce 55,000 stadard cubic metres

of oxyge per hour. They are scheduled to go

o stream at the ed of 2013/start of 2014. I

additio to producig itroge for Yatai Wa-

hua, Lide will also maufacture liquid gases for

the regioal market.

I Idoesia, the Group has etered a log-

term agreemet with PT. KRAKATAU POSCO tosupply gases to its ew steelworks i Cilego,

100 kilometres west of Jakarta. Lide is ivest-

ig aroud EUR 88 millio i a ew air separa-

tio plat that will go o stream at the ed of 2013. With a capacity

of 2,000 toes of oxyge per day, the plat will be the largest of its

kid i Idoesia.

Thailad is aother growth market with huge potetial, ad Lide

is already the leadig gas provider here. The Group is cosolidat-

ig this positio by ivestig EUR 78 millio i a ew air separatio

uit at the Easter Idustrial Estate i Map Ta Phut. Idustrial

gases are crucial to may idustries i Thailad, from the chemical

sector through food ad beverages to the electroics ad pharma-

ceutical busiess. The air separatio plat is set to start productio

i 2013, whe it will maufacture 800 toes of liquefied gases per

day. I additio to buildig the ew air separatio plat, Lide is also

improvig the gas supply ifrastructure at Map Ta Phut. The Group is

costructig a itroge compressor ad a ew pipelie etwork to

improve gas supplies to customers.

ASIA:

Growth partners


9/56

0NEWS // LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2

GERMAnY:

promotinG medical

research

Lide has awarded the first grats uder its REALfud i

tiative. At a evet held i July 2011 i Muich, the Grouawarded a total of EUR 300,000 i research grats to fo

recipiets, who were chose from over 30 applicatio

Lides Healthcare busiess created the REALfud iiti

tive to support iovative research projects ad promo

research ito the use of gases i respiratory therapy, acu

pai maagemet ad gas-eabled woud treatmet. Eve

day, medical gases play a crucial role i the treatmet

diseases this was cofirmed by all of the experts at th

REALfud presetatio.

CO2 capture i coal-fired power plats is beig promoted

i the US. The Uited States Departmet of Eergy (DoE)

is helpig Lide advace techology i this area by pro-

vidig USD 15 millio i fudig for the costructio of a

pilot plat i Wilsoville, Alabama. Lide aims to separate

at least 90 percet of the carbo dioxide from flue gases

at the plat, while keepig ay rise i electricity costs to

just 35 percet. By compariso, previous CO2 capture pro-

cesses have led to a 80 percet rise i electricity costs.

Durig the project, Lide will apply the extesive kow-

how i carbo capture ad storage (CCS) techology that

it has gaied from the coal-fired power plat i nieder-

aussem, ear Cologe, Germay. The Group has bee work-

ig with RWE ad BASF at the site sice 2009, successfully

operatig a pilot plat for scrubbig flue gases.Lide is startig aother project i north America with

US plat maufacturer Bechtel. I future, the two compa-

ies ited to agai joi forces o ethylee egieerig

projects. Ethylee is crucial for may idustrial processes.

Ethylee producers are also plaig ew projects ad

expadig their busiess i light of the growig shale gas

market i north America. By collaboratig with Bechtel,

we will be able to offer the best ethylee techology solu-

tios for the north America petro idustry, explais Dr

Aldo Belloi, Member of the Executive Board of Lide AG.

nORTH AMERICA:

enGineerinG initiatives

Europes H2 ifrastructure is expadig. now, drivers i the UK ca

also fill up o hydroge. The first public H2 fuellig statio opeed i

autum 2011 i the tow of Swido, to the west of Lodo. The H2

project was executed by Lide Group member BOC i collaboratio

with car maker Hoda ad local ecoomic developmet compay For-

ward Swido. The statio is located o the M4 motorway betwee

Lodo ad Bristol. The hydroge fuellig pump is specially desige

for commercial use. The statio ca also be used as a blueprit f

further projects. The facility demostrates our ability to provide th

right ifrastructure for hydroge mobility, says Mike Huggo, Ma

agig Director of BOC for Great Britai ad Irelad.

Hydroge is also the perfect clea fuel solutio for public traspo

i urba eviromets. The Italia city of Mila is the latest courbatio

to see hydroge buses hit the road. Lide Gas Italia built the H2 fue

lig statio for the ew buses ad is ow resposible for ruig

Mila jois other Europea cities, such as Lodo, Oslo ad Hambur

where hydroge buses have already proved a success. The statio

Mila is part of the EUs Clea Hydroge i Europea Cities projec

UK AnD ITALY:

hydroGen refuellinG stations for europe


10/56

LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // CRYOBIOLO GY

Author:Hu

bertusBreuer

1

Imagine an ice-cold library thats exactly where many scientists

work. Medical biobanks are home to millions of human cells. Blood

samples, stem cells and tumour tissue are all kept in a cryogenic deep

sleep at a temperature of minus 196 degrees Celsius, waiting for the

day when they can be used. At such low temperatures, organic mate-

rial can be stored for decades and kept as a vital bioresource for

future generations. This is because cryogenically froen cells are still

alive. And once they have been thawed, the important information

that they store can be used to study diseases

or solve crimes. Scientists can, for example, use

tissue samples to track the different stages of a

disease, clarify the results of examinations and

develop therapies.

All this is only possible because of cryo-storage a term derived from cryos, the Greek

word for cold. Researchers have been focusing

on how organic materials react at extremely low temperatures since

the middle of the last century. When cells are cryogenically preserved,

all of their internal metabolic processes come to a halt. While fro-

en, they do not age, grow or separate. Cell activity stops completely.

Yet this can only be achieved if the cryogenic temperature is main-

tained during the entire time the cells are preserved. Cryopreser-

vation is only possible with reliable and precise cooling, explains

Peter Mawle, Global Business Manager for Cryostorage at Linde.

Liquid nitrogen provides the low temperatures, as low as minus

196 degrees Celsius, that scientists need. Linde has a wealth ofexpertise in this area, states Mawle. This know-how could play a key

role in personalised therapies. The icy bio-databases are an impor-

tant part of the equation here. Based on a patients genetic profile,

cryogenic tissue samples and analyses of those samples and the

biodata stored for that patient, medics can create a clear clinical pic-

ture of the individuals medical condition and develop a personal-

ised therapy. There are huge differences between different types of

cancer, for example. Every tumour develops in

its own particular way.

Thanks to cryo research, doctors across the

globe can now use patient tissue samples to

diagnose illnesses and develop therapies. Froen

bone marrow stem cells, for example, are used tofight leukaemia, while heart valves can be used

to save lives years after they were donated.

Froen sperm banks have already been around for a long time. Fertility

doctors are now also able to freee ova and ovarian tissue. One of the

greatest cryotechnology success stories in the field of reproductive

medicine took place back in 2004 in Louvain, Belgium, with the birth

of a baby conceived using froen ovarian tissue. This process gives

hope to women whose ova have been damaged by chemotherapy,

for example, and who would otherwise be unable to have children.

Universities and research institutes are at the forefront of these and

other medical advances.

FreezIng CAnCerCeLLS to de-

veLoP IndIvIduALtHerAPIeS.

SuB-zero ArCHIveSusi cychly aac psalis ici

The future of medical research rests in the icy repositories of biobanks. Tissue, tumour and

stem cells hold information that could lead to more exact diagnoses of diseases and the

development of individual therapies. To ensure this valuable biomaterial can be referencedin future, it must be kept froen. Linde offers cryotechnologies for the entire cold chain,

enabling samples to remain cryogenically preserved without damage for decades.

10


11/56

1CRYOBI OLOGY // LINDE T ECHNOLO GY #2

Deep freeze treasure trove:Tissue samples are archived in

biobanks. Decades later, the

frozen cells can play a key role

in medical research.


12/56

LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // CRYOBIOLO GY

However, it is not all plain sailing. Handling biological samples is

not easy. The material is extremely sensitive. Cryotechnology ena-

bles it to be transported without damage or quality impairment,

states Shivan Ahamparam, Market Segment Manager Chemicals and

Energy at Linde. Linde supplies cryobanks around the world with liq-

uid nitrogen and also offers a full range of ves-

sels, from large sample storage volumes to small

transport containers. On request, Lindes cryo

experts also deliver turnkey facilities with spe-

cially designed freeers connected to automatic

liquid nitrogen re-filling units. Building on its

biobank in the Dutch town of Hedel, Linde offers

the full range of cryoservices to university hospi-

tals, blood banks and biomedical and pharma-

ceutical companies in Belgium and the Netherlands. Our service

portfolio ranges from secure transport through material-specific stor-

age solutions to 24-hour monitoring, explains Wil l Kremers Commer-

cial Manager Hospital-/Cryocare at Linde Healthcare Benelux.We transport tissue samples and biomaterial, for example, in

special low-temperature containers, continues Mawle. The froen

material is then safely stored in the continuously monitored reposi-

tories of cryobanks. Cutting-edge technology and trained personnel

ensure that these valuable biological resources are kept at the requi-

site temperature with a continuous, automatic supply of nitrogen, and

that the entire process from freeing to sample removal can be accu-

rately traced at all times. Biobanks have become increasingly impor-

tant, and are now internationally networked. Which makes it more

crucial than ever that they comply with the same high quality stand-

ards the world over. This is the only way of ensuring that research,

science, industry and hospitals can collabo-

rate seamlessly. It therefore makes sense for

biobank operators to have cryo specialists on

site to manage storage, explains Linde expert

Ahamparam. Professional management is essen-

tial to ensure that the valuable samples are not

prematurely awakened from their cryogenic

slumber.

Linde also provides biological storage ves-

sels that use liquid nitrogen in the gas phase. The samples are evenly

cooled in the cold vapour atmosphere and are also easier to han-

dle while minimising any risks of cross contamination. DryStore

is another storage vessel used, for example, by Linde Group mem-ber BOC in its cryobank in the UK. These containers feature a dou-

ble wall that contains the ice-cold liquid nitrogen. This liquid nitrogen

jacket keeps the samples in the container cool, and reduces the

risk of coolant contamination. Linde may not be a biotech company,

explains Mawle. But our innovative technologies and in-depth know-

how on cryostorage make us the ideal port of call for biotech players,

PreCISIonFreezIng ForSenSItIve tISSueSAmPLeS.

Frozen structures under the microscope: Lis

chly abls sh pcss cycls by

abli la ps f i sa alchl.

Drug products, which are often protein

based, must remain effective not only

through the production process, but more

importantly when administered into a

patients body. These substances are

expensive, fragile, and can lose their effi-

cacy during storage. Lyophilisation

(freee-drying) is a dehydration process

for stabilising these valuable medical sub-

stances and prolonging their shelf life.

It is a relatively expensive, complex, yet

gentle procedure that involves freeing

many vials at the same time and thenremoving this froen water via sublimation.

The temperature at which a vial freees

(ice nucleation temperature) is a critical

parameter that impacts not only operating

times but also the quality of the final prod-

uct. However, there is as yet no commer-

cially feasible way of achieving uniform ice

nucleation across all vials within a batch,

leading to long operating cycles, reduced

yield and non-uniformity within a batch.

This is where Lindes cryogenic expertise

and process knowledge provides the solu-

tion, resulting in more robust lyophilisation

cycles and improved product quality,

explains Beatrice Chinh, Head of the Phar-

maceutical Industry Segment at Linde. The

company has now developed a solution

in collaboration with freee drying equip-

ment manufacturer IMA Life, formerly

BOC Edwards. The new approach uses a

sterile freeing mist (ice fog) that rap-

idly spreads throughout the lyophilisingchamber and causes all vials to freee at

the same time, and at the desired tem-

perature. The vial-to-vial uniformity in ice

nucleation promotes product homogeneity

and prevents wastage. The control of the

ice nucleation temperature produces the

preferred ice structure within the product,

leading to shorter drying times during sub-

limation. The approach is feasible for both

small-scale development and large-scale

aseptic manufacturing. Prerona Chakravar-

ty, Project Manager Pharmaceuticals, Fine

and Specialty Chemicals, maintains that

through this improvement in lyophilisation,

a crucial downstream operation, Lindes

proprietary induced nucleation technology

will help scientists and pharmaceutical

manufacturers set higher standards for

quality control in drug manufacturing.

FREEzING MIST ENHANCES PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATIONS

12


13/56

CRYOBI OLOGY // LINDE T ECHNOLO GY #2

universities and research institutes looking for advice and support in

their search for cryogenic solutions.

Cryo-Save, one of Europes leading stem cell banks, is a major

customer for Lindes cryo specialists. Stem cells, however, need to

be froen in a special way. Linde can also supply computer controlled

freeing equipment to ensure this is achieved in a precise manner.

For many medical professionals, these cells represent a great oppor-

tunity in the development of specific medical answers to diseases.

Controlled cooling for stem cells

The pharmaceutical industry also uses froen biomaterial, for exam-ple, in the search for new medicines and in high-throughput screen-

ing (HTS). HTS involves running thousands of experiments in paral-

lel to determine, for example, whether a medical compound reacts

with specific cells. Demand for high-quality tissue samples is ris-

ing, explains Stephen Thibodeau, Professor of Laboratory Medicine

at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Most sub-ero

archives are often just small freeers in a basement. However, scien-

tists are increasingly cooperating with external cryobanks that spe-

cialise in widespread diseases such as cancer or Alheimers. The

worlds largest brain bank, the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center

is located in the US at the McLean Hospital near Boston. Working

with biobanks can help doctors adopt a highly systematic approac

to determining the causes and biological roadmap of diseases in th

future. This will then give them the insights to develop more tailore

individual therapies.

Despite massive advances in cryotechnology, there are still maj

challenges to preserving life at extremely low temperatures. Enti

bodies or even organs cannot be froen for extended periods of tim

Transplant hearts are only cooled during transportation, explain

Mawle. This is because organs and larger cell structures take mu

longer to freee and also freee at a more uneven rate than red bloo

cells or stem cells. In addition, cryopreserved material cannot be usefor regular blood transfusions as not enough studies have been ca

ried out in this area. But that could change. One thing is sure: Futu

medical progress hinges on controlled freeing and cryogenic storag

as much as it does on advances in biotechnology. And we are on

just beginning to realise the potential of cryobiology.

LINK:

www.cy-sa.c

Cryogenic freezing with

nitrogen: Biaial ca b

s wih aa i

cyic sa baks a

aks il i is

(ab). All cll aciiy sps

wh sapls a sb

i liqi i a is

196 s Clsis (ih).

Sciiss ca haw h bi-

aial cas la a s i

f ical sach (lf).

1


14/56

14LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // FEaTurED TO pIC

rEGENEraTIvE maTErIaLs FOr mObILITY, ENErGY aND maNuFaCTurING

green at the SourceThe growing scarcity of fossil fuels and the rising threat of climate change are forcing society the

world over to rethink its energy policy. In the foreseeable future, energy supplies and industrial

production processes will have to increasingly rely on regenerative raw materials, replacing crude-

based material flows with green chains. We have already reached the biotech watershed

thanks in part to innovative plants and gas technologies from Linde.


15/56

1FEaTurE D TOpIC // LINDE TECH NOLOGY #2

Fuel-cell cars are kind to the environment water is the only thing that comes out of their exhaust pipes. To make the yd for

fuel-cell cars even , Lindes pilot plant in Leuna is researching hydrogen sourced from glycerine, which occurs as a by-product o

biodiesel made from rapeseed oil. Algae also have huge potential for industrial applications. Modified strains can convert CO2 into

d il, for instance. Refineries can process this bio-oil in much the same way as regular crude. Meanwhile, Linde Engineering in Dresd

has teamed up with Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft to advance the economic viability of biotechnology at the cmil-Bili-

l Pss c (cBP) i L. The aim of CBP is to bring biomass processes to industrial maturity at an even faster pace.


16/56

LIND E TECHN OLOGY #2.11 // HYDrOGE N

Green H2production:Th plot plt

L (ld low ht) fds

hydo fo wl sos to

dstl-sl H2 podto

h. Th flty ts 50

ts of hydo p ho.

16


17/56

HYDrO GEN // LINDE TE CHNOL OGY #2

Clean with glyCerineSus : l ucs

In ftre, societ needs to find better was of niting the goals of personal mobilit

and environmental protection. Hdrogen is one of the more promising answers. Bt to

create trl sstainable mobilit choices, hdrogen mst be generated with a zero or

almost-zero carbon footprint. Linde engineers have developed and are now trialling

a method of manfactring green hdrogen from biomass at the compans pilot plant

in Lena, German. Meanwhile, on the streets, the atomotive indstr is proving that

hdrogen-felled vehicles are alread fit for everda se.imesource:lndeag

autor:hennnhocrnner

11

FEaTurED TOpIC: GrEEN aT THE sOurCE1

tion and ensre the process is as climate-netral as possible

explains Dr Mathias Mostertz from Linde Innovation Managemen

The Lena pilot plant is bringing the engineers increasingl clo

to this aim. It is set to commence reglar operations from atm

2011, generating 50 cbic metres of green hdrogen per hor. Th

prodction process begins with prification

raw glcerine. It still contains approximate

17 percent water and salts at this stage, whi

an initial distillation step removes. Proreforming can then begin. This involves cracking th

desalinated glcerine molecles nder hig

pressre and at temperatres of several h

dred degrees Celsis. Like natral gas, th

resltant prolsis gas primaril consists

methane. Converting natral gas into hdrogen is a long-standin

core competence at Linde, so we can draw on established process

and development know-how here, sas Mostertz.

Following prolsis, the gas is fed into a steam reformer, whe

it is heated to generate snthesis gas. Alongside hdrogen, this st

contains large amonts of carbon monoxide. So in a final proce

One of the kes to green hdrogen is proreforming. In the small

town of Lena, arond 30 kilometres east of Leipzig, Linde engi-

neers are harnessing this technolog to establish a ke milestone

in the move to secre ftre energ spplies. The have devel-

oped a new method of prodcing green hdrogen from renew-

able resorces, which the are trialling at a

pilot plant. The process is based on glcer-

ine. This sbstance belongs to the alcohol

famil. Alongside carbon and oxgen, it con-tains several hdrogen atoms, making it ideal

for hdrogen prodction, explains Gerrit

Spremberg. A process engineer in Lindes

Gases Division, Spremberg spervises the pilot

plant at the Lena site. Glcerine is also

non-toxic, eas to handle and available all ear rond, he adds.

For a zero carbon balance, the glcerine mst be obtained from

renewable resorces. It occrs in particlarl large qantities as a

b-prodct of biodiesel manfactring, where both diesel and

glcerine are obtained from plant oils. We are tring to develop

cost-effective alternatives to conventional hdrogen prodc-

h2 from rapeSeed

fieldS: USing by-prodUCtS from thebiodieSel indUStry

aS feedStoCk.


18/56

LIND E TECHN OLOGY #2.11 // HYDrOGE N

step, the H2 constitent of the gas mixtre is frther increased. To

save costs, the snthesis gas from the pilot plant is fed into the exist-

ing prification stage of the conventional H2 prodction process. Bt

onl the flow we pipe in from the pilot plant can be termed green

hdrogen, Spremberg confirms, as onl this gas is derived from bio-

genic raw materials.

Meanwhile, H2-powered cars are alread making a contribtion

to climate protection as the motor along or roads. The onl thing

coming ot of the exhast pipe is steam. Of corse, these vehi-

cles are onl as eco-friendl as the fel that powers them, points

ot Mostertz. While hdrogen is the most abndant element in the

niverse, this soght-after sbstance onl occrs natrall within

chemical bonds, for instance in hdrocarbons sch as methane or

in water. And it takes a great deal of energ to split these highl

stable componds. If the electricit reqired to electrolse water

is generated b coal-fired power plants, the overall hdrogen pro-

dction process still releases significant amonts of CO2. Natral

gas reforming crrentl the most common method of prodcinghdrogen also emits greenhose gases. Bt if the H2 is obtained

from renewable raw materials, fel-cell vehicles rnning on this

eco-friendl gas have a carbon footprint 70 percent lower than con-

ventional diesel cars. So the development of this new technolog is

laing the fondations for sstainable mobilit. As sch, it is sbsi-

from field to fUel

HYDrOGEN DIvErsITY

Flanking research into H2 from plant-based glcer-

ine, Linde is also working on was of generating

H2 from biogenic sbstances. In ftre, organic

waste cold also be sed as a feedstock. Gasif-

ing biomass generates a methane-rich gas, which

is then converted into hdrogen. This process is

particlarl efficient, since the gasification resides

then serve as fel, providing the heat reqired for

the reaction. Solar power can also be harnessed to

prodce hdrogen. As part of the Hdrosol research

project, specialists at Germans National Research

Centre for Aeronatics and Space (DLR) are work-

ing on thermochemical ccles, which generate H2

from solar energ. The researchers are sing a fieldof solar collectors to focs snlight onto a reactor.

Inside it, water reacts with a special ceramic cata-

lst, binding oxgen and releasing hdrogen.

Lqd

ly

Pfd

ly

Sythsss

Phydo

vegetble oil, e.g.fom eeed

pifiction

pyolyi refome

G ificti

H2 tnk

Biodieel

Cde glyceine

Cde glyceinetoge

COhift

H2

18FEaTurED TOpIC: GrEEN aT THE sOurCE


19/56


dised b the German National Innovation Programme for Hdrogen

and Fel Cell Technolog (NIP) rn b the Federal Ministr of Econom-

ics and Technolog (BMWi).

Tv-cetified tinbilityTo ensre that the new technolog reall does prove an asset to the

environment, Linde called in TV SD to analse the carbon foot-

print for the entire prodction process. The cal-

clations inclde all sorces of emissions, from

deliver of the glcerine to Lena to the elec-

tricit consmed to light the pilot plant. In

commercial prodction, making better se

of waste heat will save even more energ in

ftre, notes Mostertz. In the best case sce-

nario, the engineers will be able to redce the

total CO2 emissions of hdrogen manfactring b 80 percent.

In Berlin, car drivers will soon be able to fill p on green hdrogen

Shell opened its first H2 refelling station in German, constrctedb Linde, in Jne 2011. These will be the first pmps to offer certi-

fied green fel. The facilit has sfficient capacit to refel arond

250 hdrogen vehicles a da. We are prod to be plaing an active

part in researching and developing hdrogen technologies to ena-

ble personal mobilit. As a fel, hdrogen can contribte to a lastingHydo sts hs sh

l scs g S ccs

. t c uc

s cu

redction in road traffic emissions, declares Dr Peter Blawhoff, CE

of Detsche Shell Holding, speaking at the opening in Berlin. Mo

refelling stations are set to follow in the near ftre. As Blawho

went on to point ot: In order for hdrogen to assme a great

role, we need to ensre there are enogh H2 vehicles on or road

Indstr has alread made major advances in this area. Fel spp

ers, car manfactrers, eqipment providers and polic-makers m

all work closel together to ct costs and reali

the economic potential of hdrogen. The Fren

grop Total alread operates three pblic hdr

gen felling stations in German and is workin

on several projects for frther locations. Bt th

benefits of hdrogen extend far beond fel.

is also an ideal bffer to store peaks in elect

cal energ generated from renewable sorc

sch as wind and solar, and feed this power back into the grid o

demand, explains Totals fel expert Dr Ralf Stckel, Head of Sstai

able Development New Energies.

Green hdrogen is made

sing crde glcerine, a

b-prodct of rapeseed-

based biodiesel prodction.

Once it has been prified,

the glcerine is converted

to a hdrogen-rich snthesis

gas in a prolsis reactorand steam reformer. The

sbseqent CO shift reaction

increases the percentage

of H2 in the gas mixtre.

The hdrogen is processed

in frther prification steps

ntil it reaches the level

of qalit needed for fel-

cell cars and bses.

h2 in berlin:firSt refUellingStation forgreen hydrogen.



20/56

LIND E TECHN OLOGY #2.11 // HYDrO GEN

To expedite the spporting H2 infrastrctre, Linde, Shell, Total and

other companies are collaborating within the Clean Energ Partner-

ship (CEP). Together, these plaers are demonstrating the viabilit of

hdrogen as an everda fel and establishing a network of H2 fel-

ling stations. The cit of Hambrg is also making an active contri-btion to hdrogen-powered eco-friendl road traffic. Since smmer

2011, for fel-cell hbrid bses have been in reglar service there,

with three more set to follow in 2012. The benefits of hdrogen are

especiall evident with large vehicles that clock p man miles each

da. Bses in particlar emit large amonts of CO2 in stop-and-go

traffic arond town.

H2 eie c on the mket fom 2014 onwdHdrogen is the new oil, Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG, was

pleased to annonce at the 2011 International Motor Show (IAA).

The German car-maker is set to lanch its first series-prodction vehi-

cle with fel cell drive as soon as 2014 a ear earlier than origi-

nall planned. Althogh nmeros manfactrers showcased batterelectric vehicles (BEVs) at this leading atomotive trade fair, inds-

tr insiders are not et certain which drive technolog will ltimatel

prevail. Man car-makers are ths adopting a two-pronged approach,

developing both BEVs and H2/fel-cell vehicles. Small, batter-pow-

ered cars are ideal for short inner-cit trips, while the fel-cell ver-

sions are well sited to longer jornes. In contrast to BEVs, hdrogen

fel-cell vehicles have no distance limitations and can be refelled

almost as qickl as petrol or diesel cars, i.e. in arond three min-

tes. Hdrogen cars can crrentl travel over 400 kilometres on a

single tank. Indeed, the Mercedes F125 concept vehicle, presented

at the IAA, is eqipped with a lithim-ion batter pack as well as a

expanding the h2 refUelling network

Linde is working with indstrial and politi-

cal partners to pt a comprehensive H2

infrastrctre in place and la the fonda-

tion for the sccess of this sstainable

fel. H2-powered fel cells have a ke role

to pla in advancing electromobilit. In

addition to developing innovative hdro-

gen prodction and storage technologies,

indstr leaders are also focsing on ex-

panding the infrastrctre for hdrogen-powered fel-cell vehicles. Together with

Daimler, Linde intends to set p a frther

20 hdrogen refelling stations in German

over the next three ears, ensring that

the steadil growing nmber of fel-cell

vehicles can be spplied with H2 gener-

ated solel from renewable resorces. This

project forms a bridge between the estab-

lished H2 Mobilit and CEP infrastrctre

projects, which are sponsored b the

German National Innovation Programme

for Hdrogen and Fel Cell Technolog

(NIP). The Linde and Daimler initiative, in-

volving an investment in the doble-digitmillion ero range, will more than triple

the nmber of pblic hdrogen refelling

stations in German. The new facilities

are planned for the existing hdrogen hbs

of Stttgart, Berlin and Hambrg, as well

as along new, end-to-end north-soth

and east-west corridors (see below). The

aim is to make se of existing, easil

accessible locations belonging to varios

petrolem companies. These corridors

will then make it possible to travel an-

where in German with a fel-cell vehicle.

In combination with or green hdrogen

from Lena, this is a pioneering refellingconcept for sstainable mobilit, states

Olaf Reckenhofer, Managing Director of

the Linde Gases Division in German, As-

tria and Switzerland.

ON THE MOVE WITH HyDROGEN

GROWING H2 INFRASTRuCTuRE

Hamburg

berLinHnoe

rHine-ruHr

Nembeg

Kel

municH

STuTTgarTKlhe

FrankFurT

Leizig

h cuss u ss

Cus ccs



21/56


NaTuraL FuEL CELLs

Hmans are not the onl creatres to obtain energ

from hdrogen. Researchers from the Max Planck

Institte for Marine Microbiolog and the universit

of Bremen have now discovered deep-sea bacteria

that oxidise H2 to gain energ and ntrition similarto fel cells. The hdrogen enters the sea via deep-

ocean hdrothermal vents known as black smokers.

These hot springs occr in areas where tectonic

plates meet. Seawater comes into contact with hot

magma, heats p and washes ntrients into the sea.

Since no snlight penetrates these depths, organisms

have to rel on other sorces of energ and these

bacterial fel cells form the basis of an ecosstem

located near the black smokers.

fel cell, and shold be able to manage p to 1,000 kilometres. The

series prodction of this concept is expected to start b 2025. How-

ever, efficient, large-scale sppl of green hdrogen for motor vehi-

cles will reqire a radical increase in the availabilit of this energ

carrier. Or method is ver close to reaching economic viabilit,reports Mostertz. The Linde expert goes on to explain that frther

progress will reqire larger facilities than the Lena pilot plant: For eco-

nomicall sstainable prodction, the plants hdrogen otpt needs

to increase b at least a factor of 60. The next step, then, is to refin

the technolog frther, making it even more cost-effective to deplo

Fo geene tomoow

Efforts are also nderwa to widen feedstock choices for eco-friendH2 prodction beond glcerine. Linde developers are alread

researching gasification of biomass and electrolsis of water wi

srpls electricit from renewable energ sorces. Crde oil crrent

dominates or transportation and econom. In ftre, however, w

wont be looking at one single sorce of energ. Hdrogen will pla

a major role, and there will be several was to prodce it, explai

innovation manager Mostertz. Frthermore, these new technologi

will no longer operate on the large scale of todas crde oil refinerie

Hdrogen will be generated locall, wherever the raw materials a

available. It wold simpl be a waste of energ to transport glce

ine hndreds of kilometres from different biodiesel refineries for H

prodction, Mostertz declares.

Lindes engineers are steadil advancing towards an eco-friendftre, crrentl planning indstrial-scale prodction of green hdr

gen at a capacit of 500 cbic metres per hor. Gases speciali

Spremberg is convinced that the new technolog will pla an en

bling role in climate-netral H2: We now have the opportnit

help shape or ftre energ landscape and to make the world a b

greener in the process.

H2 pp

bls Shs-

d: ru

s us

s s s s

s u

qu us.

Link:

.cs.



22/56

22LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // ALGAL OI L

Author:UteKehse

1

GrEEn Gold fromthE dESErt

Aga i Co2 ecg ees susaiabe eeg cai

Algae may help us resolve the challenges presented by dwindling oil reserves and risinggreenhouse gas emissions. They can turn carbon dioide into valuable green crude. Refineries

can process this bio-oil in the same way as regular crude oil. Woring with Sapphire Energy

eperts, Linde is developing CO2 delivery technologies for tomorrows algae farms.

The desert of New Meico is home to amazingly prolific pools of

algae. These veritable turbo chemists only need a few wees to do

something that normally taes Mother Nature millions of years. The

end result is algal oil which the eperts are calling green crude.

This hydrocarbon miture can easily replace petroleum oil, as it

contains the same type of molecules. With regular crude oil, dead cells

are deposited on the seabed, slowly compressed by ilometre-thic

layers of mud under etreme pressure and ultimately converted into

a heavy liquid hydrocarbon miture through the high temperatures

prevailing in the depths of the deposits. To fast-trac this process,

researchers from Sapphire Energy are using algae to turbo-produce

green crude. The Sapphire pilot facility near Las Cruces in New Meico

only needs 14 days until the algae living in the open salt-water ponds

produce the purest crude oil. And refineries can purify this algal oil

in eactly the same way as regular crude, says Cynthia Warner,

President, Sapphire Energy. The biomass can even be refined into

high-density jet fuel something that was not feasible with conven-

tional clean technologies available until now.

The green crude production chain fits neatly into the current

energy infrastructure and is therefore an eceptionally promising, envi-

ronmentally friendly raw material for industry, eplains Dr Mathias

Mostertz, Head of the Clean Energy Technology Biomass Programme

at Linde Innovation Management. Fossil-based crude oil is not just

refined into fuels such as diesel, petrol and jet fuel. It is also used to

mae important base chemicals required across a variety of industries

to manufacture plastics, for eample, such as polyethylene, polyester

and polyurethane. Countless petroleum-based products have becomeindispensable parts of our everyday lives. Linde engineers and the

Sapphire Energy eperts share a vision to produce green crude.

We have signed a cooperation agreement and have been wor-

ing together since May 2011 to bring this algae-based technology

to maret maturity, adds Mostertz.

Linde is responsible for supplying the tiny algae with powerfood

carbon dioide in this case. The inhabitants of the open, 20cm-

deep salt-water ponds in the Chihuahua desert of New Meico are

microscopic, single-cell organisms. These green and blue algae use

the energy from the sun to photosynthesise the carbon dioide into

hydrocarbons. They need 600 ilos of CO2 to mae 1 barrel of green

NEW MARkETS FOR CARBON DIOxIDE

Many eperts have flagged algae-sourced biofuels as

the most promising replacement for fossil fuels as wemove forward. These algae can grow in relatively com-

pact water ponds and yield massive volumes of green

crude. Supplying commercial algae farms with carbon

dioide is a promising business opportunity. Linde is

woring closely with leading algae companies to ad-

vance the enabling technologies. CO2 eperts at Linde

are optimising the entire CO2 supply infrastructure. Linde

is collaborating with Sapphire Energy and Algenol Bio-

fuels in this area. Algenol produces bioethanol in closed

photosynthesis-based bioreactors (see article in Linde

Technology 1/2010).

FEATurED TOpIC: GrEEN AT THE sOurCE


23/56

Saubere Zukunft im Blick:Die Ad tio corper ilissit niate volor

suscil eugait amcor adio do

2ALGAL OI L // LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2

Where the journey to green crude begins:

Different algae strains are grown

under artificial sunlight, their cells producing

high-quality crude oil for biofuel.


24/56

24LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // ALGAL OI L FEATurED TOpIC: GrEEN AT THE sOurCE

crude (1 barrel = 159 l itres). Algae are particularly effective at pho-

tosynthesis, so they can grow etremely quicly, comments Michael

Mendez, one of the founders of Sapphire Energy. That is why these

single-cell organisms yield around 100 times more biomass for a given

surface area than other fuel crops such as soya beans or maize. The

added bonus of algae is that they do not conflict with the human food

chain as they are not dependent on valuable farmland or fresh water.

Biologists are still woring to optimise the process chain. The

microorganisms should reproduce as quicly as possible, while storing

large quantities of oil reserves in their cells. At present, around half

of the harvested algae biomass consists of oil. Sapphire Energy wants

to increase this figure. The company is aiming for commercial maturity

by 2018, and plans to produce up to 10,000 barrels of green crude a

day by then. One of the big challenges, however, lies in managing CO2

delivery for commercial-scale production. Until now, the CO2 used in

the eisting merchant beverage and refrigerant maret came from

natural, underground sources. It was liquefied and transported by

truc to customers. However, the planned yield of an algae farmwould require up to 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every day in other words,

one third of the total merchant volume per day in the US. As Mostertz

eplains, That simply isnt feasible with the current infrastructure

we need new supply solutions.

Cabon dioxide fom indtial fle gaeAt the end of the day, the green crude must not be more epensive

than regular crude oil. And the CO2 supply is one of the biggest cost

factors. Carbon dioide currently accounts for almost one third of the

total price, eplains Mostertz. Compared with other gases such as

oygen or nitrogen, the merchant maret for CO2 has remained rela-

tively small to date. But that could soon change. Mostertz and a team

of eperienced CO2 managers from Linde are looing at the devel-

opment of cost-effective and environment-friendly solutions solu-

tions that also help to protect the climate. Ultimately, CO2 is released

everywhere coal, natural gas and crude oil are combusted, and is

generally regarded as the biggest threat to our climate. If algae could

be used to convert this greenhouse gas bac to oil, they have the

potential to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 80 percent comparedto fossil fuel.

Green diversity in the laboratory: reseaces a Saie Eeg eve ew agae sais eve a (e). fwig a seies ab ess

(, ig), isig caiaes ae cuivae i secia asic bags i geeuses (b, ig).


25/56

FEATurED TOpIC: GrEEN AT THE sOurCE2

ALGAL OI L // LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2

Linde engineers have already gained etensive eperience in recy-

cling industrial CO2

emissions. In the Netherlands, for instance, the

company supplies hundreds of greenhouses near Amsterdam with CO2

captured from a local refinery. The gas acts lie a fertiliser, encourag-

ing plant growth in the greenhouses. It has a similar effect on grass.

Carbon emissions from power plants, refineries

and industrial plants could theoretically be fed

to algae farms. Carbon capture technologies,

which separate the CO2 stream from indus-

trial emissions, are still in their infancy, adds

Mostertz. So he and his colleagues are looing

for other ways to capture the gaseous power-

food as cost-effectively as possible. The CO2

eperts from Linde also have to find ways of cost-effectively transporting

the CO2 from the emitter to the algae farm. This covers everythingfrom picing the most appropriate materials for the pipelines to

pre-transport compression, so the gas can bubble vigorously through

the salt-water ponds at a pressure of only a few bars.

In addition to optimising these typical lins in the supply chain,

Linde engineers also have to develop totally new solutions for the

algae farm. For instance, the CO2 flow must adapt to the natural

rhythm of the algae. They can only consume CO2 during the day

when the sun is shining. Regular power plants and refineries wor

around the cloc, however. So either we need storage solutions or

we need to buffer the culture with chemical additives so that we do

not rely on the diurnal variations, continues Mostertz.

If this algae farm proves a true success, it could convert the hars

Chihuahua desert into a green reference project. We need to pr

duce a million barrels a day if we want to have a significant impa

on the current energy mi, says Jason Pyle, CEO, Sapphire Energ

It seems lie an ambitious plan, but it could wor. Simply becaus

the more difficult it gets to etract dwindlin

fossil oil reserves from the earth, the mo

attractive green crude will become as an alte

native to blac gold. And lie petroleum,

can also be used as a raw material for gree

car seats, shoes, plastic pacaging or hom

insulation. Green crude could go one ste

further and revolutionise air travel. In 200

Sapphire successfully produced 91-octane petrol from algae. One ye

later, the biofuel eperts from New Meico too part in a test flight which a dual-engine Boeing 737-800 was powered by algae-source

jet fuel. Sapphires vision is to use technology to ach ieve a gree

energy mi and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And CO2 manage

at Linde are playing an enabling role in achieving that vision.

Harvesting

algae cells

Power plant, industry,

refinery

Open algae ponds, cultivation Petrol, diesel,

jet fuel

CO2

Cltivation refining

Extaction

Cab ixie is a b-uc a iusia cesses. Saie Eegs agae as ca u is gee-

use gas g use. te gee ces ae cuivae i e s. te absb Co2 a, i e esece

suig, cve i gee cue. lies exes ae essibe iisig e Co2 su. Ae aves

ig, e vauabe aw aeia is seaae e agae biass. reieies ca cess e gee cue i

exac e sae wa as ssi cue i a use i uce ues suc as e, iese a je ue.

tUrnInG Co2 Into AlGAl oIl

LINK:

www.saieeeg.c

ClImAtE hElpErS:AlGAE fArmS Con-SUmE 10,000 tonnESof Co2 EACh dAy.


26/56

26LINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // BIOTECHN OLOGY

Buried treasure:The straw in these tubes

contains valuable sugar compounds

that can be converted to beneficial chemical

building blocks in biorefineries.


27/56

FEaTurED TOpIC: GrEEN aT THE sOurCE BIOTEC HNOLO GY // LINDE TECH NOLOGY #2

as a basis for textiles or as a basic component for insulation an

pacaging. Vegetable oils can be processed to create surfactants f

detergents. Maize and potato starch can be found not only in biod

gradable materials such as yoghurt pots, but also in adhesives an

pharmaceutical products. Currently only around 13 percent of fee

stoc for the chemical industry is sourced from regenerative ra

materials. This share of the sourcing mix has to rise. Today, almo

all companies are looing to base more of their production pro

esses on regenerative raw materials, explai

Uwe Welteroth, Director Biotechnology Plants

Linde Engineering Dresden GmbH. Biotechn

logical processes play a crucial role in processin

and converting biomass to chemical productscontinues Welteroth.

Industrial biotechnology, also nown

white biotechnology, uses microorganisms su

as bacteria, fungi and special enzymes to eff

ciently brea down plant raw materials, turning cellulose, starch, o

and sugar, for instance, into smaller components or new, more com

plex molecules. These tiny, natural chemical factories and molec

lar vehicles produce substances such as lactic acid, amino acids an

alcohols. These platform chemicals can then be used by the chem

ical industry to produce plastics and other chemical products. Bio

technological processes are increasingly being merged with physica

Crude oil maes the world go round. It is the most important raw

material for the global economy and is synonymous with prosperity

and progress. It powers cars, planes and ships, and is the feedstoc

for the production of base chemicals, plastics, paints and many other

products in our everyday lives. The secret to crude oils success is its

high carbon content. Carbon, a chemical element with the symbol C,

can be used to create almost all chemical compounds, maing it the most

important building bloc for the chemical industry. No other chemi-

cal compound can be used to produce such an

extensive variety of molecular architectures,

including infinitely long chains, rings and 3D

networs. Carbon is therefore crucial to industrial

production. And with 85 to 90 percent carboncontent, crude oil has a lot to offer. However,

carbon is also present in natural raw materials,

explains Prof. Thomas Hirth, Head of the Fraun-

hofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and

Biotechnology (IGB) in Stuttgart. Vegetable oils and fats comprise

around 76 percent carbon. And lignocellulose the main component

of wood also boasts 50 percent carbon content. Industry must now

learn to capitalise on natures carbon potential, continues the chem-

ist. Especially now that the era of blac gold is coming to an end.

Plant-based raw materials already contain the right substances

and structures for many products. Fibres, for example, can be used

Where chemistrymeets biology

l Ff-gf l

Crude oil is not only used to power cars and heating systems, it is also indispensable in thechemical industry. Regenerative raw materials have the potential to replace fossil resources. To

transition biomass-based processes more quicly from the laboratory to industrial production,

researchers at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft are building the Chemical-Biotechnological Process Centre

(CBP) in Leuna. Linde Engineering Dresden is the main contractor for the new centre.

biotechnology:Putting

natures carbonreserves touse in industry.

imesoure:Frunhofer-gesellshft

author:crolneZrlen

11

2


28/56

FEaTurED TOpIC: GrEEN aT THE sOurCELINDE T ECHNO LOGY #2.11 // BIOTECHN OLOGY

chemical and thermal processes. Ethylene, for example, is a base chem-

ical used for a wide range of applications, including the large-scale

manufacture of plastics around the world. One innovative method for

producing this compound involves a number of different steps, includ-

ing thermal conversion of regenerative raw materials to gas, biotech-

nological processes for converting this gas to liquid

alcohol and subsequent physical-catalytic steps.

Tlent hb in chemicl kYet many processes based on renewable raw

materials often get stuc in the laboratory and

pilot stage and never mae it to industrial devel-

opment, says Hirth. The experts at Fraunhofer want to change this.

Following a Europe-wide tender, Fraunhofer commissioned Linde

Engineering Dresden to design and construct the Chemical-Biotech-

nological Process Centre (CBP) in Leuna. The centre is designed to

help small and medium-size businesses transfer biotech processes

from the laboratory to industrial-scale production. Larger compa-nies will also benefit from the facilities at the CBP. Many compa-

nies do not have the financial or technical means to scale up their

processes, explains Dr Marus Wolperdinger, Head of Business

Development Biotechnology Plants at Linde Engineering Dresden.

The CBPs main aims are therefore to help businesses scale up tech-

nologies and develop processes. Chemical-biotechnological proc-

esses and plant modules that harness and convert regenerative

raw materials can be developed and optimised at the centre. They

can then be integrated directly into existing crude oil refineries as

green production units, explains Hirth.

The objective is to gradually replace fossil-

based material flows with biogenic flows. According

to Wolperdinger, the centres location gives it a

great advantage: The CBP Leuna is located in the

heart of an established chemical cluster, giving it

direct access to industry and a diverse range of

products, he says. It is therefore ideally placed to

pioneer the transition to an integrated hub, capable of processing both

fossil and regenerative raw materials. This is a ey step towards a

bioeconomy and sustainable production, confirms Hirth. The CBP is lie

a microcosm of a bioeconomy. The centre is also part of the German

Research and Science Networ, giving it strong cross-regional pull.

The project is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfa-cial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB) and the Fraunhofer Institute

for Chemical Technology (ICT). As the main contractor, Linde Engineer-

ing Dresden is responsible for the various process units. To harness

the full energy and material potential of plant-based biomass, we will

use cascading process chains similar to those used by a biorefinery,

explains Welteroth. To create an optimum infrastructure comprising

pilot and mini plants, Linde Engineering is thus building five process

plants for the development and up-scaling of industrial biotechnology

methods. For the entire system to wor efficiently and economically,

the individual units must be fully interoperable so they can maxim-

ise the material and energy flows, adds Wolperdinger. Experts from

Linde Engineering Dresden are also collaborating as research partnersat the CBP, investigating individual projects such as the use of indus-

trial gases (such as hydrogen) in refineries and the development of

plants to generate bioethylene from innovative biomass conversion

processes.

Mking the mot of tw, wood nd wteConstruction on the CBP Leuna officially got underway at the end of

2010. However, the first projects with major companies, small and

medium-sized partners, universities and non-academic research

institutions started bac in 2009. Over 20 industrial companies and

15 universities and research organisations have thus far agreed to

collaborate on projects or are already actively involved. Together with

his project partners, Hirth and his team started to lay the foundationsfor the CBP almost four years ago. We involved all relevant players

from industry, business and politics right from the word go so that we

could start our research activities before the building had been con-

structed, recalls Hirth.

One of the ey projects at the CBP involves lignocellulose, the

primary component of wood. For some years now, scientists at the

Fraunhofer IGB laboratories have been woring on the thermal

conversion of this highly prized feedstoc, and developing tailored

decomposition and separation methods to harness all of the materials

in lignocellulose. To date, there is neither a technical process nor an

integrated plant concept for lignocellulose. Once the CBP is finished

Smart algae: c p p

f p, f f.

suPPortinga sustainablebioeconomy.

28


29/56

FEaTurED TOpIC: GrEEN aT THE sOurCE BIOTEC HNOLO GY // LINDE TECH NOLOGY #2

WHY USE REGENERATIVE RAW MATERIALS AS INDUSTRIA

FEEDSTOCk?

Renewable raw materials mae sense if they enable energ

savings across the entire product lifecycle and mae produ

tion processes more sustainable. The technical criteria go

erning the choice of raw material depend on the actual pu

pose of the final product.

HOW DO REGENERATIVE RAW MATERIALS COMPARE

WITH CONVENTIONAL PETROCHEMICAL SOURCES FROM

A COST PERSPECTIVE?

A lot of development wor still has to be done to crea

regeneratively sourced products that can match the cha

acteristics of conventional petrochemical-based product

Were taling long term here. If industrial-scale productio

is possible and demand exists, then bio-based materials w

be economically viable.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN

CONVERTING BIOMASS TO GREEN COMMODITIES?

We feel that the availability of biomass and an enablin

logistics chain are two ey issues. A successful maret bu

on bio-based products would also require a completely ne

value chain extending from the agricultural landholdto the end manufacturer, for example, a sports shoe man

facturer. New production processes also have to be deve

oped and scaled up from the lab to industrial maturity th

can be a critical step. This is sometimes the hurdle whe

researchers realise that the transition to industrial-scale pr

duction is not feasible for technical or financial reasons.

sustainable Feedstock Forthe chemical industry

A BRIEF CHAT

l t p w d g

b, i m

nw b p (

w ) b m

s, p

.

in the summer of 2012, the biotech experts intend to establish a

sustainable, demonstration-scale process at the centre and thus lay

the foundations for future industrial-scale production of synthesis

compounds and polymers from wood. They will be focusing in par-

ticular on ramping up processes that harness biogenic waste streams

in other words raw materials that are suitable as food sources

to industrial-scale production. With plants, technologies, labora-

tories, offices and storage space spread over an area in excess of

2,000 square metres, the CBP wil l provide the perfect all-round plat-

form for the development of industrial biotechnology processes. The

CBP receives funding from several German ministries, including the

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV), and

is also supported by the State of Saxony-Anhalt. This is truly some-

thing special and a testament to our commitment to a bioecon-

omy, maintains Fraunhofer expert Hirth, who, together with other

partners, has accompanied the Chemical Biotechnological Process

Centre project every step of the way, from financing to realisation.

Centres such as the CBP are crucial to intensify research into theinds of renewable raw materials that have the potential to power

a forward-thining, sustainable future.

LINK:

www.p.ff./.

1

1

1

BIOMass* IN INDusTrY

Chemicals

Oleochemicals

Paper and pulp

Textiles

Pharmaceuticals

and cosmetics

Others

* Does not include wood

Source:n i

47 %

28 %

4 %18 %

1 %

2 %

2


30/56

Featured topic: Green at the source30Linde techno LoGY # 2.11 // essaY

Sustainability is now a top priority. Yet sustainability means tak-

ing a radical step away from conventional business practices based

on spiralling resource consumption. Step by step, we need to start

replacing fossil fuels such as crude oil with renewable raw materi-

als. Crude oil has been our most important

energy carrier for the past 100 years, and is the

most common chemicals feedstock. Dwindlingresources and rising prices, however, are forc-

ing industries to rethink their dependency on

crude oil. And although there may be many

alternative sources of energy, the same cannot

be said for the chemicals industry, which relies

on carbon-based feedstock for its production processes. In fact, the

only alternative to petrochemistry is to source carbon from plants.

In theory, regenerative raw materials are available in sufficient

quantities and distributed evenly across the globe. Increased demand for

this type of feedstock, however, is fuelling intense competition for land

between raw material producers, food manufacturers and companies

in the bioenergy industry. In light of the rising global population, only

those technologies that avoid any conflict with food production will

prove to be sustainable options for the future. Biogenic surplus prod-

ucts such as wood and straw from agriculture and forestry, as well as

efficient biomass plants such as Chinese silver

grass, prairie grass and algae offer a way out of

the food versus fuel dilemma.In recent years, white biotechnology has

completely redefined the application spectrum

of renewable raw materials. Modern biotechnol-

ogy is set to pave the way for new production

processes and products such as fine and base

chemicals, bioplastics and food additives as well as agricultural and

pharmaceutical materials. All leading chemical companies across the

globe have identified white biotechnology as a key technology for

the 21st Century and positioned it accordingly on their agendas. It is

an area that holds great promise and potential for further research.

Eight Fraunhofer institutes anticipated this potential many years ago,

Natures owNchemical factoriesare chaNgiNg theface of iNdustry.

the poteNtialof iNdustrialbiotechNologyFrom climate change through water and raw material shortages to soil

degradation and dwindling oil reserves the planet is facing several

major challenges. Biotechnological processes that harness regenerative

raw materials are becoming increasingly important for industry. They arekey enablers in helping us move from petrochemistry to biorefineries.

e

Prof. Dr Hans-Jrg Bullinger,

President of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft


31/56

Featured topic: Green at the source essaY // Lind e tech noLoGY #2

3

Greenhouse dandelions: r fn in (ime)

n .

leading them to team up and consolidate their expertise under the

umbrella of an initiative called Industrial biotechnology natures

own chemical factory.

In Germany, the prospects for renewable raw materials are

extremely favourable compared with the rest of Europe and the US.

Biomass already accounts for over ten percent of all raw materials

used by the chemical industry. Vegetable oils

and carbohydrates such as sugar, starch and cel-

lulose are the main feedstock here. Renewable

supplies are not just being used for their material

properties, they are also increasingly being

converted into biofuels and bioenergy carriers

in Europe and the US. By 2020, around 20 per-

cent of all fuels are to be produced using bio-

genic raw materials in Europe. The US has set itself the national goal

of producing around 10 percent of oils and fuels and 25 percent of

chemical products from biological feedstock by 2030.

hg vlbl w mlNature provides a huge spectrum of chemical compounds that we

have only just begun to explore each one offering great poten-

tial for the chemical, pharmaceutical, paper and textile industries.

Products such as polymers, surfactants, solvents, dyes, odorants,

active pharmaceutical ingredients, cosmetics, fuels, lubricants and

fibres are already being produced from regenerative raw materi-

als. In the future, we must learn to fully utilise natures synthesis

capabilities in order to harness all of these valuable materials. The

ligneous parts of plants, for example, are also composed of valuable

sugar molecules and polymers. Lignocellulose is the main structural

component of plant cells, and is the most commonly occurring

renewable raw material. Lignocellulose accounts for two thirds of

biomass and mainly comprises cellulose and hemicellulose sugars

as well as the biopolymer lignin. This makes it the ideal feedstoc

for the production of platform chemicals such as ethanol, lact

acid or succinic acid, substances that can be used to develop enti

families of key industrial chemicals.

Our ability to obtain basic chemical elements is crucial for th

future of industrial biotechnology. Which is why Fraunhofer inst

tutes have been focusing on ways of unlockin

these valuable substances. Lignocellulose h

an extremely robust structure, and can only b

broken down into the building blocks needed

create secondary chemical products using ne

methods. In order to transition these method

from the laboratory to industrial-scale produ

tion, the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Eng

neering and Biotechnology (IGB) and the Fraunhofer Institute f

Chemical Technology (ICT) constructed the Chemical-Biotechnologic

Process Centre (CBP) in Leuna. The institutes aim to convert and u

various raw materials containing lignocellulose in full on an industrscale, and have even built their own lignocellulose biorefinery f

this purpose. The unique research centre enables cooperation par

ners from research and industry to develop and scale up biotechn

logical and chemical processes aimed at harnessing renewable ra

materials.

Intensive research is also being carried out into optimising pla

properties and preparing them so the raw materials can be used mo

effectively. The Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applie

Ecology (IME), for example, has cultivated a potato that produces pu

amylopectin, a starch required by the paper, textile and food indu

tries. Another project focuses on obtaining rubber from dandelion

The IGB breeds microalgae in a flat-panel airlift reactor to produfatty acids and carotenoids. Both institutes are systematically lookin

for new microorganisms and enzymes that are suitable for industr

use, and are optimising them for highly specific applications.

The next generation of biotechnological processes is alread

under development. Known as cell-free biotechnology, these pro

esses use biochemical and molecular biological processes indepen

ently of cells or microorganisms. They can be used to create hig

purity proteins, thus eliminating the costly protein purification ste

required with conventional production procedures.

These new biotechnological processes open up extremely prom

ising opportunities for the development of more efficient, enviro

mentally sound and resource-friendly production processes in th

chemical, pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industries.

improved starchthaNks totargeted potatocultivatioN.

imaesource:fraunhoer-gesellschat

1

LINK:

.n.


32/56

Recharging the bodys batteries:

Proper rest at night is essential to

stay healthy. Sleep laborator ies

help explain why some people still

feel tired after a full nights sleep.

32LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // SLEEP APN OEA


33/56

3SLEEP APN OEA // LINDE T ECHNOLO GY #2

at Lide Healthcare. I the log-term, apoea episodes are dagero

ad are detrimetal to patiets health ad wellbeig. We ow ko

that obstructie sleep apoea is associated with high blood pressu

ad other cardioascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes a

cardiac arrhthmias, sas Krger. Patiets also ote suer rom mi

depressio without kowig wh. I additio, OSA puts a strai o

relatioships. Accordig to Boduelle, Most patiets are set to the

doctors b their wies, who id their parters loud sorig irrita

ig ad are worried b irregular breathig patters. The episod

occur whe suerers sleep o their back ad the muscles ad tissu

Sometimes the brai seds a emergec sigal i the middle o the

ight. This ca happe, or example, to people who sore i the stop

breathig or a dagerous legth o time. The leel o oxge i the

sleepers blood alls quickl, causig the bods respirator cetre

to sed a wake-up call. The brais cotrol cetre reacts immedi-

atel, quickeig the pulse ad icreasig blood pressure. I these

measures are successul, the sleeper gasps or air, usuall with a loud

sorig soud, ad oxge eters the bod. The sleepers airwas

are ree agai, eablig them to retur to a rhthmic sorig patter

util the ext disruptie pause i breathig. I some cases, this ca

happe up to 6o times a hour.

These repeated pauses i breathig are also kow as apoea

episodes. Ad the put the bod uder extreme stress, explais

Pro. Christia Krger, sleep disorder phsicia at the Uiersit Sleep

Research Cetre i Hamburg. He regularl treats patiets suerig

rom this sleep disorder, kow i medical circles as obstructie sleep

apoea (OSA) sdrome. Experts i the US estimate that our percet o

me ad two percet o wome i middle age are aected. Suerers

are usuall ot aware o what is happeig to them at ight. The extmorig, howeer, the wake up eelig tired with a dr mouth ad com-

plaiig o headaches. The also experiece diicult cocetratig.

OSA patiets do ot hae breathig diiculties durig the da, ad the

sleep or suiciet periods o time at ight. B triggerig the bods wake-

up relex, howeer, apoea episodes stop suerers rom allig ito the

deep sleep that is so ital or the bod to reew itsel, explais Krger.

Lide Healthcare has bee actiel supportig people with sleep

apoea sice the ed o the 1980s. Our Leadig Idepedet Sleep

Aide (LISA) programme proides optimum support or each patiet,

at eer step o the process rom diagosis through treatmet to ol-

low-up checks, explais Gildas Boduelle, Busiess Maager Sleep

Rest assuRedGlbl, ll-rn LIsa ric pri rlif fr lp pn

People who do ot rest well at ight ote eel exhausted the ollowig da. Suerers o

obstructie sleep apoea (OSA) experiece regular pauses i breathig while sleepig, ad

this ca hae a serious impact o their health. The LISA (Leadig Idepedet Sleep Aide)

therap programme rom Lide Healthcare proides all-roud support or suerers, rom

screeig to ollow-up checks patiet traiig, medical equipmet ad therap icluded.

The all-embracig ature o this serice reduces the risk o patiets abadoig therap.Imgeourc

e:Corbi,

aJPhoto/sPL/agenturFocu

author:Clrsteffen

11

SLEEP LAb DIAGNOSIS

I suspected cases o obstructie sleep apoea (OSA), th

patiet is gie a portable machie b his or her phsi-

cia. The machie measures the patiets breathig, hea

rate ad blood oxge leels at home while he or she issleepig. It also records sorig patters ad the sleepi

positio. I OSA is diagosed, the patiet is reerred to a

sleep laborator, where specialists use recordig deice

ad ideo cameras to moitor sleep patters. The results

proide iormatio o the dieret stages o sleep.

The experts ca also determie how ote people with

OSA stop breathig ad how log these iterruptios las

To determie the right therap, experts must also id

at what stage the apoea episodes occur ad how the

impact the cardioascular sstem ad oxge leels i

the blood.


34/56

t t

34LINDE TECHNO LOGY #2.11 // SLEEP APN OEA

Hlh ppl inhl ir in hir bi ih n rricin (lf). If, hr, h cl in h pl n hr rl, h cn blck h ir n inrrp

brhing. th ngr p r knn pn pi (il). th b n lngr rci fficin gn, hich c h rpirr cnr n

k-p cll. dring CPaP hrp (righ), cninl ppl f ir i pp in pin hr i k. thi cr pii prr h kp h ir fr.

aLL CLeaR FoR tHe aIRways

NOrmAL brEATHING INTErruPTED brEATHING (APNOEA) CPAP THErAPY

Respiratory

centre

Air Air and positive

pressure

Breathing

mask

Regular respiration curve Interrupted respiration curve Regular respiration curve

i the palate ad throat relax. These muscles lutter like a lag i the

breeze whe the sleeper breathes through the mouth, causig them

to sore. I the palate tissue or togue alls urther back dow the

throat, the airwa could become totall blocked, makig it impossible

to breathe. It usuall takes a log time or suerers to seek medical

help, accept their disease ad start therap.

Its a particularl good sig i both the suerer ad his or her

parter wat to lear how to deal with sleep disruptio, sas Bo-

duelle. Tes o thousads o patiets i 20 coutries (aboe all i

Europe, South America ad Australia) are alread eelig the bee-

its o Lides LISA programme. The compa iteds to roll out the

serice to urther markets such as Asia.

Support is tailored to each patiets requiremets. Carers, ther-

apists ad doctors ca isit patiets at home or proide support i

hospitals or sleep laboratories. The LISA oerig is split ito our

categories eable, motiate, assess ad progress. Durig the ea-

ble phase, LISA therapists proide iormatio o the illess ad

treatmet optios. Iormatio is the ke to success or us. Toda,

ma doctors simpl do ot hae the time to proide i-depth ior-

matio, explais the Lide sleep expert. I group sessios, patiets

lear that the risk o deelopig OSA icreases with age ad thatexcess weight ad excessie alcohol cosumptio ca aggraate the

coditio. The sot tissue o ma suerers palates is ote particu-

larl slack or thicker tha ormal. Howeer, a small lower jaw, small

sot palate ad obstructed asal passages are all actors that ca co-

tribute to sorig ad breathig diiculties.

Positie airwa pressure is a stadard therap, cotiues Krger.

The patiet receies a cotiuous positie airwa pressure (CPAP)

deice, which is roughl the size o a shoe box, ad icludes a tube

attached to a mask. The CPAP machie cotiuall pumps ambiet air

ito the patiets throat ia the mask. This stead stream keeps the

airwas ree. Seeig the machie o our bedside table ca be dis-

A reliable partner:

LIsa pr hlp

pin ch n fi

CPaP k. th l

pri ppr

hrgh h hrp.


35/56

3

LOTS Of PEOPLE SnORE AT nIGHT. SHOULD THEy REALLy

HAvE TO vISIT THEIR DOCTOR fOR THIS?

Sorig is uhealth. Aoe who sores should i

out wh because it ca also trigger the sleep apoea s

drome. Cotiuous ibratio damages the muscles i th

throat. I some cases, sorig ca be a direct smptom

sleep apoea.

BUT MAny SLEEP APnOEA PATIEnTS fEEL fInE AnD DO

nOT REALISE THAT THEIR BREATHInG IS InTERRUPTED...

Thats true. Patiets are ot actiel aware that the a

wakig up. But i the are ot breathig, the are ot taki

i air: the leel o oxge i the sleepers blood alls quick

This causes the bod to sed a wake-up sigal, which rais

the sleepers pulse ad blood pressure. I the log term

this puts the etire bod uder a great deal o stress duri

the ight, icreasig the risk o a stroke, heart attack a

circulator disorders.

WHAT THERAPIES ARE AvAILABLE TO COMBAT THIS?

Patiets with a mild orm o sleep apoea which ol occu

or example, whe the sleep o their back, ca lear

sleep i dieret positios i special traiig sessios.

special brace is also aailable that pushes the lower jaorward ad keeps airwas ree. CPAP therap remais th

most eectie approach, howeer. We hae see excelle

results with it. Despite iitial misgiigs, a aerage 90 pe

cet o our patiets respod er well to the therap.

1

1

1

dIsRuPtIve sLeeP IsextRemeLy stRessFuL

A BRIEf CHAT

Lin tchnlg pk ih lp

irr pr Prf. Chriin Krg

inrni n h f h lp

lbrr h uniri slp

Rrch Cnr in Hbrg.

SLEEP APN OEA // LINDE T ECHNOLO GY #2

cocertig ad put people o, explais Boduelle. But studies show

that CPAP therap ca reduce blood pressure i the log term as well

as sigiicatl icrease qualit o lie ad thereore lie expectac.

Intensive sppot keeps patients coitted to theapyChoosig rom a wide portolio sourced rom a umber o dieret

mauacturers, LISA experts help patiets choose the right deice

ad adapt the mask or a perect it. Beore a ew deice ca be added

to the Lide Healthcare portolio, a risk assessmet is perormed ad

qualit ad saet tests are coducted at Lides applicatio techolog

cetre i viea. At the CPAP traiig cetre, LISA participats lear

how to operate their ew deices correctl. We wat to empower

patiets ad eable them to take resposibilit or their therap,

states Boduelle. I collaboratio with a pschologist, Boduelle ad

his team hae created a ideo that patiets ca also iew at home.

Cliical studies hae proe that clearl structured ideo messages

help patiets remai committed to the therap, outlies Boduelle.

Gettig patiets to uderstad the beeits o therap is the irstimportat step. CPAP is a log-term therap. Regular motiatio ad

check-ups are thereore crucial, explais Boduelle. Which is wh

LISA motiate ad progress actio items ocus o cotiued

iteractio with patiets. Carers ask patiets i the are experiecig

a problems at regular iterals ad ot just ater the irst ight.

Aual therap check-ups proide a urther opportuit or Lide

experts to collab

linde technology 2 11 gb14 43478

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