BayWater

Water is essential for a multitude of industrial processes - from mechanical engineering to food production to the pharmaceutical industry. However, water treatment and purification remains energy and cost intensive. Additionally, when different water streams merge, it creates complex mixtures with a wide range of impurities, which are often very costly to dispose of.

The BayWater joint research project, which is funded with two million euros from the Bavarian Research Foundation, has been established to work on these challenges. Until the end of 2027, a consortium of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the OTH Regensburg (OTH), the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm (Ohm), and 25 partners from industry will develop innovative treatment methods.

These methods will include modern membrane technologies, advanced oxidation technologies, precise sensors, and new approaches to process control to enable an efficient and sustainable water re-use in various industries.

The POF-AC Institute is pleased to be part of the BayWater project by contributing expertise from the fields of fibre optics and optical technologies in the sub-project, “UV oxidation technology”.

In the sub-project, innovative UV-LED technology will be used to research biochemical treatment processes for industrial wastewater. POF-AC is also involved in the sub-project, “Smart sensors and controlling” to enable systems to use fibre optical sensors to detect earlier and prevent undesired inorganic and biological deposits on water filtration membranes.

ERDI

Wind engines are subject to heavy mechanical loads. This can cause, for example, blade bearings that are used to regulate wind flow (see picture, above left) to crack over time. Such cracks in blade bearings are particularly problematic, as they put the entire system at risk of damage. The situation could lead to the loss of the rotor blade and repair costs of one to one and a half million euros. Which is why the estimated turbine service life of over 25 years poses major challenges for wind turbine operators. In general, accidents in large facilities and critical infrastructure such as cranes, bridges, tunnels, and wind turbines entail high cost risks. To detect damage early and minimise economic consequences, effective sensory technology is necessary. Until now, wind turbines have been monitored using temperature measurements or mechanical vibration analysis. In a previous collaborative project with the company elotec, an innovative fibre optic fissure detector was developed.

Based on this preliminary work, a new type of combined fissure and strain sensor will be designed and tested in a wind force-specific application in this project. Another aim is to develop a fully digitised sensor data analysis system that can be used to monitor changing strain loads on large structures. This will enable early detection of damage and loss prevention. The intended applications will open the door to other industrial and technological sectors. More about this project (project profile in German)

DuraFuelCell

DuraFuelCell, a collaborative research project at the Ohm, received a 5-year grant of around 5 million euros from the new German Research Foundation (DFG) Research Impulse funding scheme. The funding instrument is designed to support universities of applied sciences (UASs) in developing their research strengths and raising their scientific profiles. The Ohm’s proposal was the only successful one from Bavaria and is one of ten German UASs in the DFG programme. In DuraFuelCell researchers from seven Ohm Faculties are collaborating with partners in research and industry to pursue important results relevant for advancing hydrogen fuel cell technologies. (Press release, in German)

At the POF-AC Institute, we’re researching novel fibre optic sensors to monitor operating conditions and degradation within fuel cells using dynamic measurement of temperature and humidity, for example. In addition, rapidly tunable laser diodes will be used to spectroscopically analyse the concentration, temperature, and pressure of relevant operating gases. The optical sensor technology developed at the POF-AC has wide-ranging impact on DuraFuelCell as it will be used in several sub-projects.

OptiMaSyQ - Optical Materials and Systems for Quantum Technologies (EFRE 21-27)

Optical quantum technologies are currently the subject of intense research. To be employed in future industrial settings, practicable solutions for optical system technologies, micro-optics, and fibre optics are needed.

The aim of this project is to advance the Ohm’s expertise in the sectors of measurement technology, development, and realisation of optical materials, light sources, and optical systems and make it available to Bavarian SMEs. More on this project (project profile in German)

Quantum research

The Ohm has established a funded professorship in quantum research making it an important part of Bavaria’s quantum initiative. Optical quantum systems research and teaching is informed by interdisciplinary and experimental activity to advance product-related development. (Press release I and press release II, in German)