Minerva Micro Turbine Powered Energy Systems Center

Mission

The Minerva Center for Micro Turbine Powered Energy Systems (MTPES) was established in 2014 as a long-term effort for a number of scientists to concentrate on a micro gas turbine research field, which was not yet well established in Israel and did not attract grants. Challenges associated with distributed power generation through micro-gas turbines is an emerging global field of study and the national Israeli knowledge base, associated with the hot section of gas turbine design, is still at its infancy. Along these lines, the MTPES has been focusing its efforts on creating national expertise in novel turbine component development, addressing the size-specific challenges of small air breathing gas turbine engines and contributing to bridge the global scientific gap towards wide-spread implementation of this technology. During its years of operation, Minerva MTPES Center has been supporting numerous efforts, developing state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities, building scientific networks in the respective field, and integrating young academics and German scholars into its activities.

Center Contribution

At its outset, the scientific aims of the center were geared to fill the void of scientific development in the fields of:

  • Advanced High/Low Pressure Turbine Designs for Micro Gas Turbines
  • Size Constrained Fuel Flexible Combustor Design Theory and Implementation
  • Advanced Micro Gas Turbine Cycle Development and Optimization

This set of directions were foreseen to speed up the wider usage of the micro GT technology by creating major impact on the efficiency of modern micro gas turbine cycle. This will be achieved through a set of research tasks that would allow more efficient thermal management, tip clearance reduction, conduction losses minimization, aero-thermal coupling assessment, and fuel flexibility. During Center’s operation, these topics were further extended and are being addressed in a range of scientific efforts that resulted in establishment of numerous state-of-the-art research facilities, development of analysis, design and control tools specifically relevant to a range of micro gas turbine components and systems, and conceptualization of novel micro gas turbine architectures. After the first 6 years of operation, the Center has gained the necessary infrastructure, research and supportive staff, and experience to reach a point where future research challenges can be addressed in a truly multi-disciplinary approach that would couple all relevant areas of science.

Principal Investigators

The principal investigators of the Minerva Center are:

Yeshayahou Levy Photo

Prof. Em. Yeshayahou Levy

E-Mail: levyyattechnion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Liquid Fuel Atomization
  • Optical Diagnostics
  • Low NOx Combustion Systems

Beni Cukurel Photo

Assoc. Prof. Beni Cukurel

E-Mail: beniatcukurel.org
Website
Research Fields:

  • Turbomachinery
  • Heat Transfer
  • Measurement Techniques Development

Eran Sher Photo

Prof. Em. Eran Sher

E-Mail: sherattx.technion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Fuel Injection
  • Flash-Boiling
  • Alternative Thermodynamic Cycles

Dan Zelazo Photo

Assoc. Prof. Daniel Zelazo

E-Mail: dzelazoattechnion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Economic Dispatch and Unit Commitment
  • Dynamical Systems
  • Graph Theory

Ian Jacobi Photo

Joseph Lefkowitz Photo

Alexandros Terzis Photo

Assoc. Prof. Ian Jacobi

E-Mail: : ijacobiattechnion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Fluid Mechanics and Turbulence
  • Scalar Transport
  • Coherent Structures and Flow Control

Asst. Prof. Joseph Lefkowitz

E-Mail: joseph.lefattechnion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Combustion Science
  • Flame and Plasma Chemistry
  • Diagnostics

Asst. Prof. Alexandros Terzis

E-Mail: : aterzisattechnion.ac.il
Website
Research Fields:

  • Interface-Driven Transport Processes
  • Interfacial Thermodynamics
  • Wall-Bounded Flows

What is a Minerva Center?

The Minerva Foundation is a part of the German Max Planck Society, and is dedicated to promoting and intensifying the research cooperation between the states of Germany and Israel. In order to foster the scientific work in certain emerging topics, the foundation endows Minerva Centers on multidisciplinary subjects that are innovative and of special interest to the research communities in both countries. While the Minerva Centers are located in the Israeli academia, the centers serve as a binational and bilateral scientific platform for the research effort which is carried out in close cooperation with German research partners. The program aims at bridging scientific gaps, training young scientists and building synergetic networks in the respective field of research.

 

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