Data Science and Optimization

StarchSub aims to develop a resource-efficient bio-process for the direct enzymatic preparation of corrugated cardboard adhesive from different types of flour. The approach replaces the conventional Stein‑Hall process, which relies on the energy- and water-intensive isolation and modification of starch prior to adhesive production.

By eliminating starch isolation and enabling direct flour conversion, StarchSub has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of corrugated cardboard manufacturing by eliminating the energy consumption and water demand of starch production.

The StarchSub process is designed to be retrofitted into existing industrial corrugated cardboard plants currently equipped with Stein‑Hall processing units, thereby minimizing capital investment and facilitating rapid industrial adoption.

StarchSub is a ZIM-funded collaborative project between TUM Campus Straubing professorship for Bioprocess Engineering (TUMCS BVT) and Bauer‑Verfahrenstechnik GmbH (BVG). TUMCS BVT is responsible for developing tailored enzyme mixtures for flour-based adhesive production and for establishing a predictive model that determines the optimal enzyme formulation based on flour type and composition. BVG will design the overall process architecture and construct a pilot-scale processing unit to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the process under industrially relevant conditions.

Various industries, such as the personal care and cleaning products industries, heavily rely on so-called rheological modifiers, such as polyacrylates, to regulate the flow properties of their products. 

The overarching goal of this research project is to replace these polyacrylates, which are currently derived from fossil-based sources and are therefore difficult to biodegrade, with natural biopolymers, such as polysaccharides.

Therefore, this research project focuses on the fermentative production of these exopolysaccharides using a bacterial microorganism. Furthermore, this process is to be scaled up to a larger scale, and a product purification process is to be developed to replace the current cost- and energy-intensive method.

Contact: Melissa Grundwürmer M. Sc.

MEC-2G BIO is a research project focusing on the development of scalable multi-enzyme cocktails for the efficient production of biobased products. The project combines statistical process optimization, and industrial biotechnology to improve enzyme performance, stability, and production efficiency. Within the project, TUM BVT is responsible for the development, scale-up, and optimization of fermentation and downstream processing technologies from laboratory to pilot scale, including pilot-scale production at the TUM Bio Scale-Up Center.

Pioneering higher efficiency wastewater treatment

Project NEON is a research initiative funded by the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment that focuses on further improving wastewater treatment efficiency. At the TUM Campus Straubing, in partnership with the Straubing wastewater treatment plant (SER), we are investigating innovative methods to repurpose existing urban water management facilities into more sustainable and cost-effective systems.

By applying our expertise in process engineering, we aim to further decrease the nitrogen content in water to mitigate its negative environmental impacts. To achieve this, we research innovative physical and electrochemical means to remove unwanted oxygen carryover during the denitrification process. Ultimately, Project NEON will establish the foundation for new approaches to address the technical challenge of adapting existing facilities to more ambitious environmental standards while decreasing costs and energy consumption.

Contact: Hernan Alejandro Rosero Vega M. Sc. 

The development of bacterial strains and process methods to produce isobutanol from industrial waste streams, specifically using wheat straw hydrolysate is one of the aspects of the project. The purpose of the work is to develop a more sustainable route for isobutanol production using different strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Additionally, testing, development and establishing of in-situ product removal methods is another aspect of the project. 

Contact: Jennifer Borger M. Sc.

The research focuses on having optimal control of industrial fermentation processes that are affected by batch-to-batch fluctuations when using hydrolysates derived from agricultural residues. Unlocking the full potential of bioprocess data, enabling faster troubleshooting, enhancing process automation and reducing the need for time-consuming and costly offline measurements by development of continuously trained, validated and improved hybrid model-based soft-sensors is the key objective. The process control involves the combination of real-time data from hardware sensors with specifically designed models to predict non-measurable parameters online.

Contact: Nico Geisler M. Sc.

This research project deals with the production, scale-up and downstream processing of biopolymers and exopolysaccharides from different microbial strains for various applications involving sustainable materials or methods. Development of such products has certain hurdles like downstream process of the viscous broth, sensitivity of the products to water and environmental conditions, scale-up, etc. when considering commercial application currently. Overcoming such hurdles and development of sustainable biodegradable materials is the main aim of the research.

Contact: Venessa Dsouza M. Sc.

Specific biotechnological production processes experience a viscosity increase of the reaction media as the product concentration increases. This is especially important for microbial biopolymer production where oxygen transfer becomes limiting as the fermentation reaction advances. The aim of this research project is to improve and innovate conventional reactor systems for such applications by use of additive manufacturing (AM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as testing platforms. The work focuses on specific stage optimization including final product recovery, while prioritizing the economic viability of the whole manufacturing process.

Contact: Juan Mariño Jara M. Sc.

The aim of this project is to convert methanol, which can be produced from CO₂, into antioxidant substances in the form of a fermentative process. These are particularly important for the feed industry to stabilise feed with increased fat content. The aim of this research is to develop and optimise a methanol-based production process, which consists of fermentation with the microorganism Yarrowia lipolytica and the subsequent processing of the target substances. The project includes economic feasibility studies from the beginning to ensure economic viability.

Contact: Ulf Stegemeyer M. Sc. 

The Transfer network for Boosting Industrial Bioeconomy (TransBIB), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) aims to reduce Germany’s dependence on non-renewable resources by facilitating faster transfer of biotechnological production processes from the lab into industrial scale. BVT supports TransBIB by generating process simulations for the up-scaling of biotechnological production processes. In addition, a database on capital and operating costs of industrial scale facilities will be established. Finally, the project aims to support start-ups and small and medium enterprises in scaling up by sharing information on the necessary permits, procedures and timelines to be considered when designing and building such facilities.

Contact: Estelle van der Walt M. Sc.

CirculH2 project, funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA), aims to demonstrate the successful development of one or more highly robust and scalable hydrogenases for the use of H₂ that selectively drives biotransformation of bio-based materials to specialty and commodity chemicals in an industrial environment. The technology aims to replace the heavily used conventional chemical production methods and enable the decarbonization of industrial biotechnology. BVT develops the industrial-scale production of FeFe-hydrogenase within the CirculH2 project. This will involve upscaling the fermentation of E. coli, which serves as the source of our resilient hydrogenase enzyme. 

Contact: Gelda Bogran M. Sc.