Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH)

The Waste Resource Management group of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Kerstin Kuchta is part of the Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics (IUE) at the Hamburg University of Technology. The group addresses all questions related to the resource management, waste to energy systems, polymer recycling and the  recovery of rare metals from wastes.

Sustainable Resource & Waste Managemengt Group, Photo: TUHH

The BIOTOPE (Bioresource Technology / Operation / Process Engineering) division focuses on the development of processes and procedures for establishing microalgae as a sustainable natural resource for material and energy use.The focus here is on the cultivation of microalgae, downstream processing and the use of secondary and residual material flows. The cultivation takes place primarily in field systems in the Innovation Centre in Hamburg-Reitbrook in order to be able to transfer the results obtained to commercial production plants. Depending on the question and the desired target product, different systems such as raceway ponds, tubular systems or FPA reactors (Flat Panel Airlift) can be used. In addition, different systems are available on a laboratory scale that can be used for stock keeping and preparatory examinations.

Tubular Photobioreactor in the innovation Centre Hamburg-Reitbrook, Photo: TUHH

The BIOTOPE (Bioresource Technology / Operation / Process Engineering) division focuses on the development of processes and procedures for establishing microalgae as a sustainable natural resource for material and energy use.The focus here is on the cultivation of microalgae, downstream processing and the use of secondary and residual material flows. The cultivation takes place primarily in field systems in the Innovation Centre in Hamburg-Reitbrook in order to be able to transfer the results obtained to commercial production plants. Depending on the question and the desired target product, different systems such as raceway ponds, tubular systems or FPA reactors (Flat Panel Airlift) can be used. In addition, different systems are available on a laboratory scale that can be used for stock keeping and preparatory examinations.

In the area of ​​downstream processing, the IUE primarily deals with issues in the field of algae harvesting and processing as well as the extraction and purification of specific ingredients such as fatty acids, pigments or proteins. In further steps, these products can be characterized and verified using analytical methods. To optimize the value chain and environmental balance, the full use of all secondary and residual material flows is taken into account for the processes to be developed.

Freeze drying of microalgae, Photo: TUHH
Innovation Centre in Hamburg-Reitbrook, Photo: TUHH

Hamburg University of Technology
Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics
Blohmstrasse 15
D-21079 Hamburg

www.tuhh.de/iue
aquahealth@tuhh.de