The gasification of hydrocarbon-containing residues and waste materials into synthesis gas is an important technology for the circular economy. Especially for mixed residues and composite materials, there is often no market-ready solution for material recycling. The use of plasmas in gasification processes helps to substitute combustion processes and to produce a high-quality syngas with low percentages of carbon dioxide, tar and other impurities. Syngas is an universal feedstock for the chemical industry. Its production from residues replaces the use of fossil raw materials such as crude oil. In the case of certain residues, the use of plasma can also support the recovery of other substances (metals, glass). However, there are still a number of technological challenges to be solved before it can be used on the market.

The dissociative effect of plasmas suggests an efficient use for the cracking of molecular gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen or ammonia, for example, as required among others in hydrogen economy processes. Non-thermal plasmas promise high energy efficiency, while only thermal plasmas are conceivable for large-scale use. In order to achieve marketable solutions, coupling with chemical-catalytic processes and plasma operation at high pressures will be necessary.  Our aim is to better understand the physical aspects of the plasma-catalyst interaction and to relate them to chemical conversion. To this end, pulsed and sinusoidal barrier or spark discharges are investigated with regard to breakdown behaviour and the essential plasma parameters.

A promising and novel approach to substitute coal and avoid emissions in metal production is hydrogen-plasma smelting reduction. In this process, a plasma in a hydrogen atmosphere takes over the heating, dissociation and ionization of hydrogen, which enables an efficient reduction of metal oxides such as iron ore. The simultaneous melting of the metal when using a thermal plasma enables process steps to be merged.

Natural gas burners are used in many industries, especially for thermal forming processes, and have so far been a cost-effective option. To avoid fossil fuels and CO2 emissions, substitution with plasma torches is a good option. The generally higher temperatures and gas velocities of plasma torches require an adaptation of the plasma torch technology. Current studies focus on applications in the glass industry.

Vacuum switches are based on the formation of arcs in vacuum and the subsequent insulating effect of a vacuum gap after the arc has been extinguished. So far, they have been limited to medium-voltage applications. Gas current breakers containing the climate-damaging gas sulphur hexafluoride and other fluorine-containing components are currently used for current interruption in high-voltage systems. Replacement with vacuum current breakers is one solution option. This requires innovative switching devices, for example with coupling of several vacuum sections in one system.

Both for the transformation of our energy supply system and in the field of electromobility, DC voltage systems and components are increasingly playing a key role. Due to the absence of a natural current zero crossing in DC systems, efficient switching or safe current interruption remains a major challenge. Hybrid systems are currently being developed for this purpose, which combine the advantages of semiconductor switching elements and mechanical contacts. There is an acute need for research, especially for the development of fast and effective switchgear technology.

PlasmaArc4Green is a joint project with international participation, coordinated by the Austrian partner K1MET. It is dedicated to the development of technological solutions for CO2-emission-free production of metals by reducing ores in the hydrogen plasma smelting process. Specifically, numerical models and experimental monitoring methods for the plasma reduction processes and gas flows are being developed. The INP participates with experiments and diagnostics for the analysis of high-current arcs and their interactions with electrodes and melt pool for the iron ore reduction process.

The project is funded as part of the Austrian research programme COMET and runs from 2024 to 2028.

Further details can be found at the following link: https://www.k1-met.com/modul_plasmarc4green

The joint project PLAS4PLAS, funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, aims to develop an innovative method for the sustainable recycling of glass-fibre reinforced plastics (GRP). In cooperation with the Institute for Environment & Energy, Technology & Analytics (IUTA) and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the research team is working on an emission-free and residue-free recycling process based on thermal plasma. The planned process relies on a gasification process supported by a thermal plasma. In this process, working gas is heated to several thousand degrees Celsius and serves as an extremely hot medium that breaks down the composite material into its components. In contrast to conventional combustion, the required energy is supplied via the plasma as electrical energy from the outside. The plastic content is gently converted into syngas, which can be used as a raw material for the production of new plastics.

At the same time, the extent to which the remaining glass content and other recoverable elements are suitable for the production of other products is being investigated A central goal of the project is the optimization of thermal plasma technology for the specific requirements of the recycling of GRP waste. The recycling process is assessed both ecologically and economically to ensure its sustainability and efficiency. In addition, the technical basis for scaling the process and the development of a large-scale GRP gasification reactor is being developed. In addition to the technical implementation, the project also investigates the long-term potentials of plasma technology for the supply of raw materials for fiber-reinforced plastics as well as the social acceptance of the new technologies as a prerequisite for broad implementation.

The project is funded by the Volkswagenstiftung and runs from 2025 to 2029.

The integration of renewable energies into the energy system requires continuous adaptation of energy grids and their technologies. DC technologies can play an essential role in this transformation thanks to their flexibility and efficiency. The scientific focus of the project is on medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) grids, which play a key role in the direct integration of renewable energies and the coupling of sectors. Particularly with regard to the integration, operation and safety of MVDC grids, there is a lack of technologically sophisticated solutions for components such as for voltages in the range of 10 to 20 kV DC. The use of new and cost-efficient technologies is necessary for the construction of hybrid grids with multiple connection points and providers (multipolar) as well as for the integration of high-voltage and medium-voltage areas as well as of energy islands. Due to the complexity of the physical phenomena acting during the current flow and their interaction with adjacent materials and components, a holistic approach is to be pursued for the technological development of new control and protection technology in the MVDC, which combines physical and electrotechnical aspects.

The aim of this project is to prepare and submit a joint application in Horizon Europe of the INP Greifswald, the University of Belgrade in Serbia, the University of Brno in the Czech Republic, the University of the Basque Country in Spain and other European partners from science and industry.

The project is funded by the EU and runs from 2025 to 2027.

The TAILCHEM project aims to find out whether a higher selectivity of plasma-chemical processes at high pressures is possible by changing the high-voltage waveform. The applied voltage waveform is intended to change the reduced electric field strength over time in such a way, that different electron impact processes dominate in the different development phases of a gas discharge and thus couple the energy in a more tailored way. The model system in the project is the formation of nitrogen oxides in air, which is also of industrial importance for so-called nitrogen fixation. The selective generation of reactive nitrogen species is to be achieved in particular by vibrationally excited nitrogen in the ground state. In addition to gas conversion, this task also requires high-end plasma diagnostics in order to correlate the discharge physics with this.

The project is funded by the EU under Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Actions and runs from 2024 to 2026.