RWTH Delighted to Receive Donation from Siemens
Siemens has donated a power plant simulator to the RWTH Institute of Power Plant Engineering, Steam and Gas Turbines. The simulator, which comes equipped with Siemens’s SPPA-T3000 Control System, can be used to model and comprehend the processes in a combined-cycle gas and steam turbine power plant (CCGT): in a virtual control room, the students can be familiarized with the operating and control behavior of the plant and understand the impact of interventions into the system.
"We are very happy about Siemens’s valuable contribution,” said Institute Director Prof. Manfred Christian Wirsum. He explains: “Due to Germany’s rapid transition to sustainable energy, we need highly efficient and flexible power stations that can adapt to the availability of renewable energies. Our students must understand complex power plant systems in detail.“
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen contributes 17400 euros from its Teaching Quality Improvement Funds for the development of teaching units using the simulator.
Understanding Complex Power Plant Systems
The simulator makes it possible for students to familiarize themselves with the operation of a CCGT power plant: to start the turbines, initiate load shifts, or resolve simulated malfunctions. This representation of plant in its entirety provides the students with an overview of the different plant components and their interrelations. Furthermore, self-directed work with the simulator offers an intensive learning experience. The integration of the simulator in teaching and learning also makes the Energy Engineering degree program more attractive.
After handing over the donation, Dr. Nicolas Vortmeyer, Chief Technology Officer of the Fossil Power Generation Division at Siemens Energy, remarked that “all parties involved will benefit from a closer integration of research, teaching, and industrial practice. For this reason, Siemens seeks to systematically enhance its interaction with students.”