Dürr and DLR cooperate in micro gas turbine technology

16-Apr-2012 - Germany

The mechanical and plant engineering group Dürr and the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt - DLR) will cooperate in micro gas turbine technology. The collaboration has two main thrusts. Firstly, the two partners will join forces in further developing the energy-efficient technology with a view to opening up new areas of application in decentralized energy supply. Secondly, Dürr will equip DLR’s new energy generating facility in Stuttgart-Vaihingen with three micro gas turbine systems.

Micro gas turbines are compact gas turbines that are particularly well suited for the decentralized supply of electricity, heat and cooling. They can be used with a broad spectrum of fuels. This includes various types of gas as well as liquid fuels such as diesel and methanol. Micro gas turbines produce much less harmful emissions than gas engines and do not require any costly exhaust gas treatment. Other advantages are low maintenance and operating costs, and low noise emissions.

Dürr is pursuing the further development of the micro gas turbine technology in order to broaden its offering in the area of energy efficiency. The technology is to be marketed in various sectors of industry with a view to making production processes more energy efficient. Dürr has its sights also on energy supply for large buildings.

Ralf W. Dieter, Dürr AG’s CEO, commented: “Optimizing energy efficiency in production is high on the agenda at our customers. It cuts costs and helps achieve sustainability targets. The micro gas turbine will play an important role here in the future.”

DLR is one of the foremost research institutes in Germany in the field of energy efficiency. The new energy generating facility, on which construction work will probably start in 2013, will support the efficient, own supply of electric power, heat and cooling for the DLR site in Stuttgart. As development partner, DLR will provide Dürr with the opportunity to carry out operational tests, evaluations and analyses on the micro gas turbines installed there.

Expanding the energy efficiency activities is a central goal of Dürr’s corporate strategy. To push this business, the group set up the new Clean Technology Systems division last year. Its aim is to achieve sales of over € 200 million by the year 2015. This is to be supported also by technology and company acquisitions.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/137462/duerr-and-dlr-cooperate-in-micro-gas-turbine-technology.html