Solar Institute Jülich
| Solar Institute Jülich of the FH Aachen |
|
|---|---|
| Category: | research Institute |
| Carrier: | FH Aachen |
| Legal form of the carrier: | central scientific institution |
| Facility location: | Jülich |
| Type of research: | Applied research |
| Subjects: | Engineering |
| Areas of expertise: | Renewable energies , energy system technology , training , |
| Management: | Ulf Herrmann |
| Employee: | approx. 30 |
| Homepage: | www.sij.fh-aachen.de |
The Solar Institute Jülich (SIJ) was founded in 1992 as the central scientific institution of the Aachen University of Applied Sciences .
The aim of the institute is to develop application-oriented technical solutions in the areas of regenerative and efficient energy use.
Fields of work
Developments take place in cooperation with industry as well as with national and international partners in universities and research institutions. The SIJ integrates different departments of the FH Aachen. The SIJ maintains worldwide partnerships, among other things, for the dissemination of solar technologies for developing countries.
The technology transfer takes place through the promotion of spin-offs and licensing .
Solar thermal systems
In solar thermal systems, sunlight is absorbed directly or in concentrated form and the heat generated is used. The heat can be used for space or service water heating, but also to drive refrigeration machines , to generate process steam in industry or to generate electricity . In the latter case, the sun replaces the fossil or nuclear fuel in a thermal power plant . The institute researches in particular in the fields of solar low-temperature and process heat collectors as well as high-temperature absorbers for solar thermal power plants .
The most important project in this field of work is the Jülich solar thermal demonstration and test power plant, also known as the Jülich solar tower (STJ). This is a power plant in which over 2000 mirrors first concentrate the energy of the sunlight and then emit it to the working fluid air at approx. 700 ° C using an innovative ceramic absorber. The heated air is used to generate steam that drives a turbine with an output of 1500 kW . The Jülich solar tower was initiated by the SIJ. Thanks to the exclusive access to the solar thermal demonstration and test power plant Jülich (STJ), the SIJ has a unique selling point within the German and international university landscape.
Efficient building technology
Most of our energy consumption is required for heating , cooling , ventilating and lighting our buildings. The development and implementation of innovative ideas for new and old buildings is essential for a significant reduction in our CO 2 emissions. Together with various partners, the SIJ is developing new products and new concepts for reducing CO 2 emissions from buildings. For example, demonstration buildings are tested with the measurement technology of the SIJ.
Use of porous structures
Porous structures are used in many industrial applications, especially in the areas of heat transfer , filtering and catalysis . Ceramic absorbers are developed by the SIJ for the solar high-temperature area and modified and optimized for other areas: For example, as soot particle filters for motor vehicles, as gas mixers in exhaust gas denitrification and in the cooling of gas turbines .
Water treatment
In many regions with high solar radiation there is also a great lack of water. The SIJ examines and develops systems with the help of which seawater or contaminated water can be treated with solar energy to make drinking water ( solar seawater desalination ). So far, the focus has been on small systems for supplying villages in rural regions.
System analysis and resource productivity
Which structural changes in the energy supply system are necessary in the short, medium and long term in order to achieve the social goals of sustainability and climate protection while guaranteeing security of supply? The SIJ tries to answer this central question of modern society by using complex simulation tools on behalf of government institutions and broken down into subsystems, also for industry. The effects of possible future changes in the subsystems on the sustainability goals are examined. By using different methods for life cycle assessment and resource productivity , plants for energy supply are evaluated and optimization possibilities are shown.
education
In addition to lectures, theoretical and practical exercises on the subject of “renewable energies” for engineering students , the SIJ also offers educational opportunities for schoolchildren, craftsmen and engineers.
The annual Summer School Renewable Energy z. B. offers a program to qualify students in the field of renewable energies and their application. In 2015 the Summer School Renewable Energy was awarded the German Solar Prize in the Education and Training category.
Web links
- Homepage of the Solar Institute Jülich (SIJ) of the FH Aachen
- Homepage of the solar tower power plant Jülich