On May 8, the status seminar on current research projects at the Zittau Power Plant Laboratory (ZKWL) of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences took place at the Stadtwerke Zittau GmbH site in the presence of the Sächsische AufbauBank (SAB), the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport (SMWA) and Stadtwerke Zittau. 

Following the seminar, Mr. Florian Schäfer, Head of the Energy Division at the SMWA, opened the Europe Week 2017. In his speech, he emphasized the special importance of the European Union for the promotion of research projects in the Free State of Saxony. 

The participants then visited the ZKWL test facilities. Project staff from the respective facilities explained the functions and possibilities of the thermal energy storage facility (THERESA), the magnetic and trapping bearing test rig (MFLP) and the thermochemical test field (TCV). 

The THERESA test facility is used to simulate and analyse thermal cycle processes with regard to scientific issues concerning the flexibilization of thermal energy systems. 

The MFLP trainer is used to investigate the behavior of a magnetically levitated rotor under operating conditions in steam atmospheres up to 3 bar and 250 °C. The magnetic bearing enables a significant reduction in friction losses, which have to be dissipated by oil coolers in hydrodynamic bearings. 

The TCV test field consists of a heat and cold storage test facility with a total of three test stations (1x cold storage and 2x heat storage). The installed cold accumulator is used for tests on a wide variety of bulk materials and for recording volume flow, inlet and outlet temperatures, pressure loss and temperatures within the bulk material.

During Europe Week (09.05.-12.05.17), the Zittau power plant laboratory was very busy with visitors. Among others, Birgit Benz and Dr. Gretel Wittenburg from the Central EU Service Facility Saxony (ZEUSS) were guests. Furthermore, Mr. Steve Kazalla from the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Arts (SMWK), Ms. Mandy Schipke and Mr. Lukas Rohleder from Energy Saxony e. V., the participants of the Central German Regional Conference of the Junior Chamber of Commerce MiRKo 2017 and interested citizens were welcomed.

There were also guided tours of the power plant laboratory for students, former and current employees of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and students from the Chinese-German University of Applied Sciences (CDHAW).

In addition to the tours of the test facilities, a number of interesting discussions took place on the fringes of Europe Week, which are of key importance for the future activities of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, particularly for research and development in the field of energy efficiency.

A particular highlight of Europe Week was the visit by the "Kleine Stadtentdecker" kindergarten. The water-steam process was playfully explained using a small steam engine. The little ones showed great interest in the experimental equipment and curiously asked the project staff questions. Our scientist Christian Vogel, who had prepared automated Lego Mindstorms vehicles for the nursery group, showed that the day-to-day work of engineers is not as boring as you might think. After so many interesting impressions, we may have aroused interest in studying STEM subjects at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

The IPM, as the organizer of the Europe Week in the Zittau power plant laboratory, would like to thank all visitors and all supporters who contributed to the interesting exchange.