Advanced Design Project 2026

With a total of 87 students divided into 11 teams, this year’s Advanced Design Project (ADP) set a new record for participation. Over the course of two exceptionally demanding weeks, from February 23 to March 6, the teams worked full-time on the design of a production facility for an intermediate product used in the industrial-scale synthesis of methyl methacrylate or methionine. Key aspects of the design process were addressed. In addition to concept development and flow diagrams, these included the fundamental mass balance, reaction kinetics and reactor dimensioning, the design of separation units (absorption and distillation columns), heat integration and the heat exchanger network, cost estimation, and a safety study (HAZOP).

The ADP has a strongly international focus and brings together master’s students in Technical Chemistry from TU Darmstadt with chemical engineering students from Provadis University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt-Höchst, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (USA), and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (USA). After two weeks of intensive work, the teams had the opportunity to present their overall results in detail, and the end of the course was celebrated with a pizza party.

Special thanks go to Röhm, which, as an industry partner, was always on hand to offer advice and support. A particular highlight of the course was the excursion on March 11, 2026, to a Röhm facility in Worms, which included an impressive tour of one of the company’s largest plants worldwide as well as a look inside the research and development department. During the visit, the students also had the opportunity to present and discuss their findings with company representatives, making it an extremely exciting day and a successful conclusion for everyone involved.