Project
Title
Energieoptimierte Trocknung von Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzen. Teilvorhaben 2: Energieoptimierte Regelung (ERTRAG)
Acronym
ERTRAG
Start
01.11.2018
End
31.07.2021
Coordinating Institute
Universität Hohenheim
Coordinator
Joachim Müller
Contact
Allocated to research program
Summary
The cultivation of medicinal plants represents an economically interesting niche for agricultural production. The joint project pursues two main objectives in order to provide interested agricultural companies and manufacturers of drying systems access to the production of medicinal plants:
Subproject 1, Uni Hohenheim: Development of a modular dryer for beginners in the cultivation of medicinal plants (ETEA);
Subproject 2, ATB: Energy-saving control of the drying of medicinal and spice plants (ERTRAG).
Within the scope of subproject 2, a thermodynamically and experimentally founded analysis, development and testing of energy-saving control systems shall be carried out. The scientific and technical objectives include modeling and simulation of batch-type dryers, optimization of heat pump assisted drying processes, and exemplary transfer of the results into practice. The technical and economic potentials of economically feasible plant configurations are evaluated based on variation calculations, experimental investigations, random quality analyses, and practical measurements.
To ensure a high product quality, optimized process control is indispensable. It is expected that comparatively low investment costs for control systems lead to short amortization periods due to high savings of energy costs.
Funding
Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL)
Funding agency
Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR)
Grant agreement number
22009418 bzw. 18NR094