University of Zagreb Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology
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On October 31,2023 we visited HyCentA – Hydrogen Technology Research Center Austria in Graz. The HyCentA is focused exclusively on hydrogen technologies. They conduct research and development projects on the production, distribution, storage and application of hydrogen in the energy sector.
During the conference in Palermo, Italy, from 22 to 25 October, our Department participated with a poster Design of a laboratory-scale system for the production of green hydrogen based on AEM water electrolysi s presented by dr. Herceg. The presentations on hydrogen production, safety and carbon capture and storage were a very interesting part of the conference. We discussed with potential partners about upcoming projects related to the optimal control of hydrogen production processes.
At the MSV International Engineering Fair in Brno, which took place from 10 to 13 October, the main topics were the digital factory and artificial intelligence. We saw presentations on Digital Factory 2.0, met many exhibitors and learnt about case studies and established several contacts with potential partners. One topic of Industry 4.0 was the increased networking of industrial companies and their security. Seminars were also organised on advanced and unconventional technologies used in advanced engineering.
On 12 October 2023 the CrystAPC project leader Nenad Bolf and researcher Matea Gavran gave a lecture on process analytical technology and its application in the pharmaceutical industry at the Faculty of Chemical Technology in Split, organised by the Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers – Association of Chemical Engineers and Technologists Split . Professor Bolf introduced the CrystAPC project and presented the application of process analytical technology in modern process control systems. Matea Gavran presented her research work within the project, in which she outlined the steps in the application of PAT for advanced process control, as well as the problems that can arise and how to solve them. The presentation was followed by a lively discussion on the application of artificial intelligence and the challenges that new paradigms bring to higher education.
On 21 September 2023, our team took part in the Networking@ Pharma event at Siemens City Vienna . The meeting brought together experts from the pharmaceutical industry, research institutions and start-up companies. Most of the presentations focussed on digital transformation in the pharmaceutical industry, the application of algorithms in production and the development of digital twins of pharmaceutical plants. Following the presentations , we visited the Siemens Living Lab and exchanged ideas with experts from the pharmaceutical industry, research centres and start-ups.
Nenad Bolf and Marko Sejdić took part in the 6 th ECCPM – European Consortium for Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Forum together with numerous participants from industry and science. The first day was dedicated to training on advanced pharmaceutical production and a laboratory tour with practical demonstrations (end-to-end manufacturing, cognitive automation, personalised manufacturing and SmartLab). The evening was reserved for socialising and networking. On the second day, a conference was organised with the presentations on the application of PAT and advanced control in continuous pharmaceutical production and on the application of artificial intelligence methods to simulate and control complex processes. We presented our work with the poster Process Analytical Technology (PAT) for Real-Time Control in Pharmaceutical Production .
Prof. Bolf and research assistant Josip Sacher gave a lecture at the 65 th Technical Meeting – EFCE Working Party on Fluid Separations , on June 12, 2023 at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb. The lecture dealt with the topic of process analytical technology (PAT) for real-time crystallisation control. Following the lecture, the participants of the symposium were shown the Laboratory for Automation and Measurement as well as the principle of PAT and its application on a laboratory scale in the crystallisation reactor.
Research assistant Josip Sacher attended EuroPACT 2023, European Conference on Process Analytics and Control Technology , held in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 7-10 2023. There he presented his work on monitoring supersaturation in crystallisation processes and shared his experiences with other researchers in the field. His research was presented in a paper entitled Use of process analytical technology for monitoring supersaturation during cooling crystallisation of pharmaceuticals.
Within the framework of the 28 th Croatian Meeting of Chemists and Chemical Engineers , we organized the workshop Process Analytical Technology in Real-Time Control . The workshop addressed the practical aspects of PAT and provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of its functionality and limitations. In the first part of the workshop, industry partners demonstrated the benefits of using PAT in their respective fields. In the second part of the workshop, two case studies were presented on the development and application of PAT for advanced process control. Our guest lecturers from usePAT , Siemens , Pliva/Teva , and researchers from the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology presented their research and state-of-the-art concepts. At the end of the workshop, a remote connection was established with the Siemens Living Lab in Vienna. The workshop was aimed to researchers and practitioners in the field of chemical engineering – pharmaceuticals and fine chemistry who would like to learn about the latest developments in chemometrics and process control.
In February and March, we conducted APC-1, APC-2, and APC-3 hands-on training for INA Rijeka oil refinery employees. Participants gained knowledge of basic and advanced methods of process control, as well as process diagnostics and optimization. During the courses, real examples of refinery processes were analysed interactively with advanced process control simulators. During the training, an interesting discussion developed on the specific problems encountered in industrial production. We thank the engineers of the refinery for the pleasant atmosphere.
