Students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering gained exciting practical insights into the Mülheim an der Ruhr location of Siemens Energy. Their excursion was part of the lectures "Innovative Insulation Systems" (Bachelor Electrical Engineering(Opens in a new tab) ) and "Energy Transport Technology" (Master Energy Systems(Opens in a new tab) ).
Siemens Energy traditionally develops and manufactures components for power plants in Mülheim, in particular generators and turbines. In recent years, new components have also been added that are needed to implement the energy transition on a large scale. These include special electrolysers that produce "green" hydrogen from surplus electricity generated from renewable sources. The latest generation of turbines is also "H2-ready", meaning that they can also be operated with hydrogen.
The participants from Fachhochschule Dortmund were welcomed by Dr. Friedhelm Pohlmann, Global Manager responsible for High Voltage Engineering & Materials Generator Engineering at Siemens Energy. He introduced the guests to the company and then took them to several stations on the factory premises. A joint lunch was also on the program.
The excursion, accompanied by Prof. Dr. Stefan Kempen and Prof. Dr. Kai Luppa, focused primarily on the insulation system (vacuum pressure impregnation) of the large generators, which are operated at voltages of up to 27 kilovolts (kV) over several decades and are exposed to a wide range of electrical, thermal and mechanical stresses. The group also gained impressions in the laboratories for high-voltage and insulating materials technology/materials technology, in the centrifugal bunker for generators and turbines and at the world's largest high-performance test field for generators.
