Technology Platform Decentralised Energies (TPDE)

Laboratory Technology Platform Decentralised Energies (TPDE)
The Technology Platform for Decentralised Energy (TPDE) laboratory offers the opportunity to investigate and further develop several gas turbines of different performance classes and applications simultaneously.
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Setup room of the Technology Platform Decentralised Energies (TPDE) laboratory
The Decentralised Energy Technology Platform (TPDE) has its own set-up room for the construction and conversion of systems and test benches for scientific experiments.
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Gas panel of the Technology Platform Decentralised Energies (TPDE) laboratory
The synthesis gas panel of the Technology Platform Decentralised Energies (TPDE) laboratory is used to operate systems and test benches with different fuels and their mixtures.
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The TPDE (Decentralised Energy Technology Platform) was created to test and further develop micro gas turbines that are flexible in terms of fuel and load for combined heat and power plants. However, the laboratory's infrastructure is also used for research work on aircraft engines.

The TPDE offers several spaces for micro gas turbines or complex test benches such as the Rolls Royce M250. Extensive infrastructure is available throughout the laboratory: fresh air can be drawn in from outside and pre-conditioned, hot combustion exhaust gases are discharged into the open air via several chimneys, electrical power generated in the range from a few kW to several 100 kW can be fed into the site's energy supply, and various gaseous fuels and a liquid fuel supply are available.

The scope of the research work ranges from the investigation of individual components, such as innovative burner systems, to the analysis of complete power plant and gas turbine systems, including all necessary operating and control strategies.

Micro gas turbines

The department is further developing micro gas turbine technology for a resilient, independent and climate friendly energy system.

Micro gas turbine systems

The institute has several micro gas turbine systems for research work in connection with the topics of decentralised power/heat supply and the development of jet-stabilised combustion chamber systems with recirculation.

Hybrid-electric ground demonstrator (HeBo)

Based on a Rolls-Royce engine, the institute has a test rig at its disposal as a development platform for innovative aviation propulsion concepts. 

Contact

Dr. Peter Kutne

Head of Department
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Institute of Combustion Technology
Microturbines
Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, 70569 Stuttgart