New efficient processes and compact equipment will be necessary for the conversion and use of small natural gas resources from remote areas as well as for biomass utilisation. These technologies, will allow economic storage and transport of valuable products with high specific energy density.

Furthermore, biomass plants should fit to the landscape by limiting the plant dimension. Natural gas, obtained from oil platforms as byproduct of oil production, should not be burned to minimize the greenhouse effect as usually done (Methane has a greenhouse effect 20 times higher than the CO₂, which is generated in course of the combustion).

Microreactors create an ideal situation for removing mass and heat transport limitations in synthesis reactions for production of useful fuels or chemicals.

Having in mind a production range of chemicals from several 100m³/h syngas, the Institute of Micro Process Engineering is focused on topics of catalyst integration into micro-reactors, optimization of reaction conditions as well as scaling up reactors from laboratory to a pilot plant size.

In the case of Methanol synthesis also the optimisation of the reaction control is under development. The reaction can be performed at a forced temperature gradient along the catalyst bed. So, this topic is connected to oxidation of SO₂.

Top view on a microstructure with catalyst filling covered by glass (catalyst concept is used for Methanol- or DME synthesis)