05 December 2023 | TU Bergakademie Freiberg and the Köppern Group are intensifying their research efforts into the processing and recycling of raw materials for the energy transition. The future collaboration will focus on processes and machines for the processing of iron ore for the production of green steel.
Since November, the Köppern Group’s site in Freiberg has been known as the “Institute at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg”. The Freiberg branch is part of the owner-managed mechanical and plant engineering company Köppern, which can look back on 125 years of tradition. Köppern develops, builds and sells systems and heavy machinery for industrial processes in various sectors worldwide, including fertilisers, building materials, mining, metallurgy and recycling.
The Köppern Group’s site is located right next to the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, which operates a test facility for briquetting, compacting, high-pressure crushing and wear measurement for the Köppern Group.
Joint research projects for the energy transition
The long-standing collaboration between TU Bergakademie Freiberg and Köppern in the field of mechanical and plant engineering is being intensified by a new contract. As a result, Köppern Aufbereitungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG becomes a so-called affiliated institute of the university. Affiliated institutes are independent research facilities that cooperate with TU Bergakademie Freiberg on a long-term basis and supplement the university’s teaching and research programmes. They are recognised as affiliated institutes in accordance with the Saxon Higher Education Act.
A joint research project is focussing on the development of briquettes made from iron ore that can be processed into green steel in hydrogen-powered furnaces.
Prof Georg Unland explains that technical universities – and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg in particular due to its profile – have a special responsibility when it comes to technical and technological upheavals. This is because scientific findings need to be put into practice as quickly as possible in order to ensure the competitiveness of German industry. This could be achieved through joint research projects with companies, spin-offs or staff exchanges.
“All of this strengthens the attractiveness of Freiberg as a business location,” says Unland.
Christopher Schäfer, Managing Partner of the Köppern Group, explains further:
“Processes and machines, starting with the crushing of the ore and the ‘refinement’ of the iron ore concentrate for the production of suitable pellets for the direct reduction process, through to the hot briquetting of the sponge iron produced, can be further developed together with the TU Bergakademie and even mapped on a semi-industrial scale. State-of-the-art test facilities are available for this purpose at the Institute for Processing Machines and Recycling Systems Technology.”
Köppern is involved in student training
An ongoing research project is also dedicated to the use of AI-supported processes for the further development of potash processing plants for the production of fertilisers. This is part of Köppern’s commitment to developing innovative solutions for the sustainable processing of primary and secondary raw materials together with the TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
The collaboration is organised by the Institute for Processing Machines and Recycling Systems Technology (IART), which is also involved in student training. Prof Holger Lieberwirth from IART points out that over 50 joint student projects have already been supported during the existing collaboration. This cooperation will now be intensified by the new affiliated institute.
Signing of the cooperation agreement, from left to right: Prof Holger Lieberwirth, Christopher Schäfer, Managing Partner of the Köppern Group, Rector Prof Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht, Prof Georg Unland