The Energy Park in the Prittwitzstrasse campus is unique among German universities. It reflects engineering skills as well as the benefits and opportunities associated with different types of power generation processes. Its industrial-sized exhibits guide the visitor through physical examples of historical development. With succinct information on functional principles and a neutral classification of the potential benefits, the aim is to stimulate debate. The exhibits provide an important cross-section of today's spectrum of power generation technology, which is nowadays supplemented by the ubiquitous solar cells and wind turbines.
The Energy Park is open to all interested members of the public. You can request a free brochure with a map and information on the individual exhibits and their inventors and developers. Click on the link to view an excerpt from the brochure. Ulm University of Applied Sciences also offers tours for schools ("Lessons on the campus/Unterricht auf dem Campus") and other interested groups upon request.If you are interested, please contact:
The idea and its sponsors
From the moment we discovered fire and invented the wheel, humankind has been committed to technical progress. Today technology defines our everyday lives more than ever – usually without us being conscious of the fact or the development effort involved.
The Energy Park was first conceived in 1999, when we received a gigantic gift: parts of a turbine from the Gundremmingen nuclear power station. These arrived as the result of an EU-sponsored research project to trial the low-risk dismantling of a nuclear power station. Existing large items such as the portable engine and the turbine rotors in the courtyard awakened aspirations for a technology collection which is unique on a university campus, providing excellent perspective for the engineers of tomorrow. Contributions from a range of foundations and donors mean that on the campus today we have, for example, representations of all the four types of turbines which engineers have come up with so far.
Energy is synonymous with progress. To view the Energy Park brochure, please click here.
Our concept convinced the following organizations and individuals to become donors or sponsors. We thank the following donors for their financial support and donations in kind:
E.ON Energie AG, München
Eugen und Irmgard Hahn-Stiftung, Esslingen
EvoBus GmbH, Ulm
Prof.Dr. Albert Haug, Neu-Ulm
Hefele, Blaustein
RWE Power AG, Essen
SIEMENS AG, Ulm/Stuttgart office
SWU Energie GmbH, Ulm
Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co KG, Laupheim
Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation GmbH & Co KG, Heidenheim
Wieland-Werke AG, Ulm
Are you interested? If you too would like to become a donor or a sponsor, please contact us at rektorat@hs-ulm.de
The forces of time are permanently gnawing away at our exhibits, so the THU is always delighted to receive any contributions from the private sector for maintenance.
The exhibits
Energy from water power
The Pelton turbine
This type of turbine can deliver a maximum performance of 100 kW to 400 MW in a matter of minutes, with the water falling from heights of 100 - 2000 m. The cup-shaped blades are typical. Each consists of two "half-cups" with a drainage divide in the center. Location: main approach.
The Kaplan turbine
This type of turbine is used for low, variable drop heights of 2 - 80 m. The power range is between 100 kW and 80 MW, with an efficiency of up to 95 per cent. The blades of the impeller and guide wheel are adjustable. Location: in front of Building "A"
The Francis turbine Versatile turbine for pumped-storage power stations with drop heights of 15 - 850 m and powers of 110 kW - 880 MW, with an efficiency of more than 95 per cent. The impeller blades are fixed and those of the guide wheel are free to move. Location: in the courtyard.
Energy from steam
The pump wheel After the water/steam cycle, the pump circulates the condensed water vapor. The exhibit comes from the dismantled Block A of the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant. Location: in the Mensa
The portable engine This portable engine is a rather late example, built in 1909 by the 'Vereinigte Fabriken landwirtschaftlicher Maschinen' in Augsburg. It can generate power of 7.4 kW. It was used as a threshing machine in Jungingen, Ulm. Location: in the foyer of Building “B”.
The steam turbine In 1917 the rotor belonged to the world's largest turbo generator, probably built by AEG for RWE. It was able to supply a power of 50,000 kW. The live steam had a pressure of 16 bar and a temperature of 325 degrees Celsius. Location: in the courtyard.
Energy from nuclear power
The low-pressure turbine The half rotor and longitudinal section through the rotor of this extremely powerful turbine type comes from the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant. The steam generated by nuclear energy flows into the turbine with a higher pressure and temperature than when it exits. Location: between the Mensa and Building "B"
The Laboratory for Radiation Measurement With its teaching reactor and its nuclear engineering training, THU has been contributing to the high safety standards in Germany for decades now. A post in the Energy Park commemorates the laboratory. Location: in Building "H".
Energy from sunlight
The solar cells The classic silicon solar cells generate electricity without noise or pollution, by directly converting radiant energy into electrical energy. The laboratory building F is fully-covered by a high-performance photovoltaic system.
Energy from wind power
The wind turbine Wind turbines convert the wind's energy of motion into electric current. Due to their size, there is no example exhibit on campus. Rotor diameter up to 128 m, hub height up to 140 m, power generation up to 7.5 MW.
