Research for a new generation of power plants

This website is your point of access to the latest research on power plants.
You can browse information on the fundamentals using the upper bar or else find out about current research projects by using the box on the right.

opinion / 2013-04-22

Epple: “CO2 reduction costs ten euros per tonne”

Researchers at the Technische Universität Darmstadt are hoping to discover emission-free ways of burning natural gas or coal. The technology is based on flame-free combustion. Prof. Dr. Bernd Epple, head of the department of energy systems and energy technology at the TU Darmstadt, explains the ECLAIR project. His team in the research partnership is investigating the “Emission Free Chemical Looping Coal Combustion Process”. Read more

news / 2013-02-25

IGCC: Understanding gasification processes

The gasifiers in IGCC power plants have almost been a “black box” in terms of power plant research. By means of measurements, experiments and simulations, the joint “HotVeGas” project is now revealing the processes. Their aim is to optimise gasifiers. Coupled with other processes, such as the production of hydrogen, this results in synergy effects. Read more

news / 2013-01-07

Filter technology: A lung for a power plant

Across the world, the human lung is used as a model for filter technology. Researchers are producing synthetic membranes which, like the lung, capture CO2. Polymer membranes are already being used in the industry for treating natural and biogas. A research team is currently studying their suitability for capturing CO2 in the flue gas produced by power plants. Read more

news / 2012-11-12

Materials for the new power plant generation

Higher steam parameters in power plants enable energy conversion which is more efficient, with lower CO2 levels. The next generation of power plants is designed to withstand steam temperatures of over 700 °C. This is not possible when standard materials are used. For this reason, researchers at the Mannheim power plant are now testing thick-walled components made of nickel alloys. Read more

news / 2011-05-19

Combined power plant achieves efficiency of 60.75%

Ten years after the launch of the publicly funded research programme for the new gas turbine generation, the Irsching 4 power plant with H-class turbines has set a new efficiency world record: in May 2011, engineers from the Siemens technology group measured an efficiency of 60.75% during test operation. With an output of 578 megawatts, the power plant therefore easily surpassed the targeted efficiency benchmark “above 60%”. Read more

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