Laboratories for Circular Economy

Laboratories

Three laboratories are available for teaching and research in the circular economy, where waste samples can be prepared and analysed.

1. Technical centre: Waste sorting analyses

workplaces	student working group
Equipment	Sorting table / container
courses and projects	Modul 4.2, 3.1, 4.1
location	Faculty 2, Dept. of Building and Environment Neustadtswall 27b, UB building, basement, room 14

2. Laboratory: Sample preparation

workplaces	student working group
equipment	Coarse shredder (Bomatic), Cutting mill SM 2000 (Retsch), ball mill S100 (Retsch) for sample size reduction Sieve shaker Tyo Vibrio (Retsch), sieve shaker (Allgaier) and cross cone divider for sample division Jaw crusher (BB200) for sample comminution
courses and projects	Modul 4.2, 3.1, 4.1
location	Faculty 2, Dept. of Building and Environment Neustadtswall 27b, UB building, basement, room 14

3. Laboratory: Waste analysis

workplaces	student working group
equipement	Calorimeter for calorific value determination (IKA Labortechnik) Schöninger Appartur (pistons and ignition devices) Measuring instruments (pH meter, NIR spectrometer, drum gas meter, GFM mass flow meter...)
courses and projects	Modul 4.2, 3.1, 4.1
location	Faculty 2, Dept. of Building and Environment Neustadtswall 27b, UB building, 1st floor, R. 125

Teaching integration

In module 4.2 of the Internationalen Studiengangs Umwelttechnik B.Sc., the laboratories of the circular economy are used in the practical course for waste characterisation. Students learn how the composition and the chemical-physical parameters of waste mixtures determine their recovery and treatment processes. For this purpose, various methods for the preparation of solid samples (sorting, classifying and comminution technologies, digestion processes) and analyses of waste parameters are carried out, and the basics of the technical structure and design of aggregates and plants are made comprehensible.

The integration of the laboratories also takes place via projects of students with current reference to research topics or company participations in the project modules 3.1 and 4.1.

Research

Research on recycling processes of plastic waste mixtures (project application KuRT).
3D Art: Plastic Recycling - From Waste to Product: The plan is to develop a closed process cycle at Bremen University of Applied Sciences for the processing of post-consumer plastic waste towards new applications in 3D printing.
The circular economy laboratories are additionally used by the Institute for Energy and Circular Economy (IEKrW) for various research projects.