New research contributes to energy-efficient animal feed production
A new industrial Ph.D. project in cooperation between a private company from Vejle, Graintec, and the Faculty of Engineering is to contribute to the development of energy-efficient methods for producing feed for fish and animals.
What does fish feed have to do with mathematical modelling? Quite a lot, if you look at the new industrial Ph.D. project dealing with how to dry fish feed in the best way - with a focus on energy consumption as well as on quality.
The drying of fish feed is a demanding process in terms of energy. In fact, up to 65% of the total energy consumption in the production goes into drying. Graintec A/S is specializing in eco-friendly solutions, to which the new Ph.D. project is meant to contribute.
Analysis with mathematical modelling
The project, called "Securing technical product quality in energy-efficient warm air drying of extruded fish feed", is a joint venture involving the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, the Mads Clausen Institute and Graintec which is one of the worlds leading suppliers of plants and production lines for the production of feed for fish and pets.
”In the project we will analyse the drying process and the basic physical processes by means of mathematical modelling. The aim is to make the process more energy-efficient and at the same time contribute to a higher product quality, e.g. by increasing the durability of the feed," says Anders Fjeldbo Haubjerg, who has recently been employed as an industrial Ph.D.
Contact through innovation network
The cooperation has been established through the work in a development group for intelligent energy cost efficiencies under the national innovation network VE-net.
”We are very happy that we have succeeded in realizing the project. I find it incredibly positive, because it shows how the participation of a company in one of our national innovation networks can lead it to hire it's first industrial Ph.D.," says associate professor Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen from the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute.
The project runs for three years and is supported by the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation.
For more information contact
Industrial Ph.D. Anders Fjeldbo Haubjerg, tlf: 2124 9767, e-mail: haubjerg@mci.sdu.dk
Associate Professor Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen, tlf. 6550 3545, e-mail: bnj@mmmi.sdu.dk
Associate Professor Christian T. Veje, tlf. 6550 1607, mob. 2058 5161, e-mail: veje@mci.sdu.dk