The Sustainable Fuel Conversion Technologies (SFCT) research group investigates how biogenic raw and residual materials can be efficiently converted into sustainable energy carriers and valuable products. The focus lies on thermochemical conversion processes and their integration into current and future energy and production systems, considering renewable electricity, gas, and heat streams. Through experimental and simulation-based approaches, new technologies are developed, evaluated, and prepared for large-scale application.

Research Focus Areas:
• Thermochemical conversion of biogenic raw and residual materials
 – Hydrothermal carbonization
 – Fluidized bed gasification and combustion
 – Gas cleaning and upgrading, gas conversion and synthesis

• Development and operation of laboratory and pilot-scale facilities
 – Hydrothermal carbonization in batch reactors (0.6 L and 20 L scale)
 – 20 kW fuel thermal input: bubbling fluidized bed reactor
 – 50 kW fuel thermal input: dual fluidized bed reactor

• Process simulation for design, validation, and technical evaluation, including scale-up considerations for conversion systems

Head of Working Group

Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing.Dr. Florian Benedikt
Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing.Dr. Florian Benedikt

Deputy Head of Working Group

Dipl.-Ing. B.Sc. Theresa Brunauer
Dipl.-Ing. B.Sc. Theresa Brunauer

Current Projects

IO-Gas

Integration and optimization of the production of renewable gas from biogenic residues