Prof. Dr. Roland Dückershoff from TH Mittelhessen received an award at the International Conference on Mechanical Engineering of the Thai Society of Mechanical Engineers. The professor of fluid dynamics received the “Best Paper Award” in the “Renewable Energies” category together with colleagues from the University of Cottbus-Senftenberg. The topic of her contribution in Bangkok was the combination of a high-temperature fuel cell with a turbomachine.

Unlike internal combustion engines, fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy. The detour via the generation of thermal energy through combustion is no longer necessary. As a result, the fuel cell uses the output energy more efficiently and achieves an efficiency of around 60 percent. In the award-winning publication, the scientists examine the connection of a high-temperature fuel cell operated with methane to a turbomachine. This puts the fuel cell under increased pressure and thus increases its energy efficiency by up to 80 percent. Dückershoff sees possible uses of the technology in decentralized energy conversion in building technology and in electrically operated vehicles, for example in rail traffic.

In further research, the scientists from Friedberg and Cottbus want to work together with colleagues from Thailand, especially in the field of driving thermal machines using renewable energies. In addition to the joint development of machines for sustainable energy management, the international exchange of students and lecturers is also being sought. Dückershoff already gave a series of lectures on microturbines at King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok last year. His stay in Thailand was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service.