History – Institute of Technical Combustion – Leibniz University Hannover

[Translate to English:] Porträt Professor Neumann

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Kurt Gustav Neumann

was appointed full professor of heat economy and combustion engines at the Technical University of Hanover and also became head of Machine Laboratory C. From 1923, he also lectured on refrigeration machines and gas liquefaction. Machine Laboratory C was renamed the Institute of Combustion Engines and Technical Thermodynamics in 1925 - the birth of the present Institute.

Head of the Institute from October 1950 to June 1967

[Translate to English:] Porträt Professor Klüsener

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Walter Otto Klüsener

was appointed full professor of piston engines in 1950. The institute was renamed the Institute of Piston Engines. Teaching and research focused on internal combustion engines, compressors, hydraulic piston engines and, for a time, steam engines. The reconstruction of the large laboratory hall, which had been destroyed in the Second World War, was essentially completed in 1956. Later, a large cold chamber facility (-20 and -60 °C) was built.

Under the direction of Prof. Klüsener, research work was carried out on topics such as mixture distribution in multi-cylinder carburetor engines, fuel injection, lubricating oil distribution and displacement path, dew point temperature determination, heat cracks in cylinder heads, unsteady flow in the injection system, vibrations in pipelines, measurements on Roots blowers and measurement of rapidly changing temperatures. In addition, the development of noise in a 4-stroke diesel engine and problems with exhaust gas purification were already being investigated at the time.

[Translate to English:] Porträt Professor Groth

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Klaus Groth

received his doctorate from the Technical University of Hanover in 1953 and, after several years in industry at MAN in Augsburg, he was appointed full professor and director of the Institute for Piston Engines in 1967, following on from Prof. Klüsener. In 1969, he set up a department for refrigeration technology at the institute, with Dr.-Ing. Horst Kruse as its head (as a result of the growing importance of the field of refrigeration technology, this department was transformed into the independent Institute of Refrigeration Technology in 1979).

Under the direction of Prof. Groth, research topics included " mixture formation, combustion, exhaust gas", "extreme engine conditions", "process calculation", "computer-aided design", "friction, oil balance, noise" and "refrigeration technology research". The noticeable shortage of oil resources in the mid-1970s also gave a strong boost to research into diesel engines.

Head of the Institute from October 1994 to September 2005

[Translate to English:] Porträt Professor Merker

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Günter Peter Merker

studied, obtained his doctorate and habilitated at the Technical University of Munich in the field of thermodynamics. From 1980 to 1986, he was Professor of Refrigeration Technology at the University of Karlsruhe. Prof. Merker then moved into industry at Motoren- und Turbinen-Union in Friedrichshafen, where he restructured and managed the calculation departments. In 1994, he was appointed Professor of Combustion Engines at the University of Hanover. The institute was completely renovated, new engine test benches were built and the facilities were brought up to the latest state of the art. The institute was renamed the "Institute for Technical Combustion" in 1997.

The research projects were mainly concerned with engine combustion process development, with a focus on atomization, mixture formation and ignition processes; combustion diagnostics of heat release and pollutant formation; modelling and simulation of combustion processes; dynamic simulation of complex process sequences as well as engine dynamics and tribology.

[Translate to English:] Porträt Professor Dinkelacker

Prof. Dr. Friedrich Dinkelacker

studied at the Technical University of Munich, obtained his doctorate in 1993 at the University of Heidelberg on laser measurement technology applications in turbulent combustion and habilitated at the University of Erlangen in 2001. From 2005 to January 2009, he was Professor of Thermodynamics and Combustion at the University of Siegen, before taking over as Head of the Institute of Technical Combustion at Leibniz University Hanover in February 2009.

The research and teaching activities here are in the areas of engine combustion technology, technical combustion, the development and application of laser measurement methods and numerical calculation methods. Research projects deal with diesel and gas engine combustion processes, the processes of high-pressure injection technology, improved friction in the engine, exhaust gas aftertreatment and the processes in turbulent flames and combustion chambers. Increasing demands on emission limits and energy efficiency require an increasingly detailed research and development approach, ranging from modeling to technical implementation. As part of the energy transition, the new approach of sustainably produced energy sources (electro-fuels) is being added.

History of the Institute

Head of the Institute from October 1920 to March 1948