The Institute for Power Plant Technology, Steam and Gas Turbines (IKDG) works on the analysis and assessment of energy conversion systems as well as on the investigation and optimization of steam and gas turbines and valves for power plant applications and their integration into the power plant process. The IKDG has several large test rigs, in which combustion processes in gas turbine combustion chambers or flow phenomena in steam and gas turbines, such as secondary flows in the blade channel, leakage flows in the shroud cavity and their interaction, can be investigated. The aim of this research is the optimization of the turbine aerodynamics and characterization of loss mechanisms. The increasing power plants efficiencies are associated with the increase of the process parameters of turbines which requires the application of porous materials for improved cooling technologies. These topics have been in the focus of research at the Institute for a long time. The investigations of combustion processes aim at reducing pollutant emissions and combustion instabilities. The latter induce combustion noise in dry low NOx and lean-premixed burners which is a threat to the safe operation of the gas turbine plant. Furthermore the institute is specilized on energy system and power plant simulations. The interaction of the individual components in a complex energy conversion system is analyzed in order to derive strategies for the optimization of the overall system. Besides, decentralized and hybrid technologies can be evaluated.
