To content
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Design of an impulse turbine with (variable) partial admission for high-pressure operation

Project description

The existing pressure level at the outlet of a natural gas storage station represents a possible potential for energy recovery of the thermal energy contained in the natural gas volume flow during the release process. As part of the cooperation between RWE Gas Storage West GmbH (RWE) and the Chair of Fluidics (FG FT), a natural gas expansion turbine is to be developed for energy conversion at the natural gas storage outlet. The prototype of a partially loaded, single-stage, axial impulse turbine has already been developed at FG FT for use in the low-pressure range of the natural gas network and successfully tested in a natural gas expansion plant in the power range below 10 kW.

The robust and simple functional principle is now to be adapted to high-pressure operation at the natural gas storage outlet in the first development stage. In the second development stage, a performance-optimised turbine with variable partial admission is to be designed. The variable partial admission maximises the power yield of the turbine in the partial load range.


Contact person


Cooperation / Funding

This project was carried out in cooperation with RWE Gas Storage West GmbH.