I am head of the two laboratories Thermodynamics and Power Engineering in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Regensburg.

The laboratory Thermodynamics consists of the machines, test rigs and measuring instruments, listed below.

• Fuel cell: The operational behaviour of fuel cells (PEMFC) can be analysed with a fuel cell test rig. The stack used is built up of 30 fuel cells with an electric power of about 500 W at 55 °C. Hydrogen is used as fuel.
• Biomass-fired Stirling engine: A Stirling engine with an electric power of 1 kW is heated by a biomass-fired central-heating boiler with a thermal output of 23 kW. The result of the combined heat and power production is the very high efficiency of the system.
• Solar Stirling engine: A Stirling engine with an electric power of 350 W is heated by a concentrating solar power system. The diameter of the paraboloidal concentrator is about 2 m.
• Photovoltaic solar power: On the roof of the laboratory building solar cells are located with a size of approximately 35 m² and an electric power of 4,5 kW_p. The modules are orientated to the south. The global solar radiation as well as the electric power of the system are measured.
• Catalytic heater: The catalytic heater, which was tested by the company Solar-Wasserstoff GmbH in Neunburg vorm Wald, is set up as an exhibit in the laboratory.
• Combustion engine: A combustion engine (Otto cycle) with variable compression is fired with gas. The engine can be operated as Diesel cycle too after several modifications.
• Refrigeration machine: The two refrigeration machines in the laboratory are working with the refrigerants R134a and R22. The performance of both machines is 11 kW (refrigerant R134a) and 14 kW (refrigerant R22).
• Philips cycle: The Philips cycle, which is working like the reversal of a Stirling cycle, achieves in two stages temperatures of 80 K or 20K.
• Liquefaction of nitrogen: The cryogenic system produces liquid nitrogen by rectification of the ambient air at very low temperature and atmospheric pressure. The machine produces about 6 litres of liquid nitrogen per hour with a purity of 99,5 %.
• Vortex tube: In the vortex tube compressed air expands to ambient pressure. At one end of the vortex tube cold air pours out, the air at the other end of the tube is heated up. The air temperature at both ends of the vortex tube can be measured as a function of the compressed air pressure.
• Calorific value of gases: The calorific value of gases can be determined by 5 calorimeters.
• Viscosity of liquids: The viscosity of liquids can be measured by different types of viscosimeters.
• Friction factor: The friction factor (with and without lubricating film) can be determined as a function of force and velocity.
• Thermal conductivity of insulation materials: A special test rig enables the measurement of the thermal conductivity of insulation materials according to DIN 52612.
• Critical point: The behaviour of fluids at the critical point can be demonstrated with SF₆ (critical temperature: 45,5 °C; critical pressure: 37,6 bar).
• Thermographic system: A portable thermographic camera makes precise measurement in a large range of temperatures possible. This camera can be used in the fields of building service engineering, materials, electronics and many further types of problems.
• Measuring instruments: In the laboratory measuring instruments are available for the determination of temperature, pressure, flow rate, solar radiation, ambient pressure, wind speed and wind direction.

The laboratory Power Engineering consists of a gas-fired steam boiler with steam turbine, various measuring instruments as well as software for the calculation of thermodynamic cycles.

• Steam boiler and steam turbine: The power plant, consisting of a gas-fired steam boiler, steam turbine with generator, condenser, water treatment, feed water tank and other equipment produces an electric power output of 150 kW.
• Composition of flue gas: The content of O₂, CO, CO₂, SO₂, NO und NO₂ as well as the soot number in the flue gas can be measured.
• Analysis of feed water: By means of different devices the content of phosphate, copper, silicic acid and iron as well as water hardness, electrical conductivity and pH-value in the feed water of the steam boiler can be determined.
• Analysis of thermodynamic cycles: A special software enables the analysis of various thermodynamic cycles (example: power plant with steam boiler and steam turbine).
• Analysis of solar heating: Different software packages enable the analysis of solar heating systems.
• Properties of water and steam: The properties of water and steam can be calculated with a special software according to the latest formulation IAPWS-IF97.