At automation specialist Festo, the year 2024 is all about biologization. For example, with the "BionicHydrogenBattery" exhibit, the Swabians are presenting a unique concept for the simple storage and safe transportation of hydrogen with the help of bacteria. The company also demonstrated how industrial bioprocesses can be operated efficiently in the long term using a wide range of components and solutions from the Festo product portfolio. Festo is also committed to biologization as a field of learning: with modular learning systems, an additional IHK qualification and the development of a "Biomechatronics" degree course.

Smallest factory to be found in biological cell in future

Festo's declared aim is to provide climate-friendly solutions with its in-house automation technology and thereby contribute to improving the quality of life of present and future generations. The company is therefore working intensively on how processes can be carried out with less material consumption and more recycling and which alternative materials can be used. According to Festo, the development of biology as a field of application for automation is particularly promising. The smallest factory of the future is to be found in a biological cell.

Making biological processes economically viable

Biological processes that take a long time in nature are to be accelerated, scaled up and thus made economically viable with the help of automation technology. Thanks to the combination of many years of experience and highly developed technology, Festo is taking on a leading role and demonstrating what is possible with automation and sophisticated control and regulation technology in the field of biologization. Following the "PhotoBionicCell" (2022) and "BionicCellFactory" (2023) bioreactors, which focused on the cultivation of algae, Festo's current "BionicHydrogenBattery" project is focusing on one of the energy sources of tomorrow: hydrogen.

Safe storage and transportation of hydrogen with the help of bacteria

At present, hydrogen can only be stored and transported safely and in a space-saving manner using processes that require extremely high or low temperatures and high pressures of 150-700 bar. This requires a great deal of energy. With the fully automated biotechnological system "BionicHydrogenBattery", Festo is demonstrating a completely new approach: the volatile substance is converted into formic acid with the help of bacteria in a low-risk and energy-efficient manner - and at comparatively low temperatures of around 65 degrees Celsius and a low pressure of 1.5 bar. The acid can be easily stored and transported. At its destination, the same bacteria reverse the process and break the acid back down into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. While the latter can be used to generate electricity, the highly pure CO2 could be further utilized and used in the beverage industry, for example. In the exhibit, it is recycled in the sense of a circular economy and used again for the production of formic acid.

University basic research as the basis

The core of the biological process is the bacterium Thermoanaerobacter kivui (T. kivui). These bacteria have a special enzyme that enables them to convert hydrogen and CO2 into formic acid. This process was discovered and fundamentally researched by the team led by Prof. Dr. Volker Müller, head of the "Molecular Microbiology and Bioenergetics" department at Goethe University Frankfurt, with whom the Festo team is working closely on the project. "Hydrogen is one of the energy sources of the future, which will play an important role in the generation of clean electricity, among other things. With our concept, we are helping to make this potential economically viable," says Dr. Michael Sinsbeck, Head of Bionic Projects at Festo.

BioTech Automation: reactors for algae and bacteria

In general, bioprocesses are becoming increasingly important for industry, as they offer sustainable alternatives to conventionally manufactured products. "In addition to algae, we can also use many other organisms that produce food, biofuel or bioplastics from renewable resources, for example," says Dr. Elias Knubben, Head of Research and Innovation at Festo. In this context, Festo presented an overview of the components and solutions already available at HANNOVER MESSE 2024 using selected cultivation processes illustrated in two bioreactors: an algae reactor (FPA, Subitec) using the example of Chlorella vulgaris and a stainless steel reactor for the cultivation of microorganisms such as E. coli.

Products for the growing biologization market

"With our product portfolio, we are already able to serve the growing biologization market in many areas, particularly in gassing, liquid handling and the holistic automation of bioreactors," says Ralf Kapfhamer, responsible for Advanced Development Biotech and Process Automation at Festo. The new VTUX valve terminal, which enables the pneumatic valves on bioreactors to be controlled, plays a central role in this product portfolio.

Biologization as a learning field: new training module and degree course

In order to integrate bioprocesses into technical procedures, knowledge from the fields of electrical engineering, mechanics, computer science and biotechnology is required. This results in a new occupational profile: the biomechatronics technician. In a modular learning concept developed by Festo, the learning reactor, this knowledge is taught using a combination of hardware and software.

Additional qualification in "Climate protection and sustainable development"

However, Festo is not only meeting the new challenges in the field of biologization from a technical perspective; as a market leader in technical training and further education, the company is also keeping an eye on the qualifications required in the future. In the area of its own vocational training, Festo has therefore launched the additional qualification "Climate protection and sustainable development" together with the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Industry and Commerce. It is aimed at many training professions. For industrial-technical and commercial trainees in particular, there will be a module entitled "Automation of biological transformation". Festo will cover parts of this in its training center and will start with its own trainees.

New biomechatronics degree course

There are also concrete plans for higher education: "We are training the specialists of the future. That is why we are currently working with Reutlingen University to design a new biomechatronics course that combines biological and technical content with a focus on the cell as the world's smallest factory. Students will primarily be able to learn technical skills with us," says Stefan Dietl, Head of Training at Festo. The new learning reactor will also be used here.

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