Energy research

A sustainable energy supply and efficient resource management are currently the focus of research into the core media of electricity and heat.

In the field of energy-efficient storage systems, thermal storage devices for stationary and mobile applications are designed and manufactured. Fundamental research is carried out on materials and systems, for example measurement of the storage capacity, the kinetics of energy storage and withdrawal behavior under defined process conditions, and the analysis of heat flow and thermal conductivity. Based on the material data of the thermochemical and latent storage materials, simulations are designed and verified experimentally. Test stands are available for the measurement of power dynamics.

Service portfolio

• Material characterization and qualification
• Experimental system development and optimization
• Storage and use of processing heat
• Improving energy efficiency
• Modeling and simulation

Process technology and the handling of reactive materials require the assessment of possible hazards. Closely connected with these hazards are the effects of a potential reaction on the environment, which can be investigated in so-called worst case evaluations using process-specific test models, from small-scale through to real-scale.

Service portfolio

• Safety and security research
• Safety analysis studies on system and technical safety
• Experimental investigations from laboratory through to industrial real-scale
• High-temperature electrolysis
• Duration of experiments of 10,000h and more
• Aging behavior of SOFCs, material compatibility testing

In the field of high-temperature material systems, mainly materials are characterized with regard to oxidation, corrosion and structural stability for high-temperature applications. The aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanisms. These findings will then be used to determine appropriate countermeasures to minimize or avoid damage mechanisms.

Service portfolio

• Development of coatings based on micro- and nano-metal particles for high-temperature applications, e.g. steam electrolysis, fuel cells, turbines, ...
• Behavior of high-temperature materials under pressure in controlled atmospheres (H₂, O₂, water vapor)
• Examination of damage mechanisms (oxidation, corrosion, structural stability) and countermeasures

• Zeolite flow test bench
• PCM flow test bench
• Experimental set-up for the temperature control
  of structures
• Adsorption chiller unit
• 5l/400bar H₂-high-pressure storage tube with bursting disks
• 1600bar H₂-compressor
• X-ray diffractometer with high- and low-temperature chambers (-50° to + 1400°C)
• High-temperature ovens (e.g. 300 bar at 65°C,
  50 bar at 600°C) - some can be operated
  with different atmospheres
• FEM-REM, Wolfram-REM, EDAX-EDX