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Hochschule Karlsruhe Hochschule Karlsruhe - University of Applied Sciences Hochschule Karlsruhe Hochschule Karlsruhe - University of Applied Sciences
Hochschule Karlsruhe Hochschule Karlsruhe - University of Applied Sciences

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab at the Faculty W

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences is led by Prof. Dr. Marco Braun.

In order to transition the energy supply of the future toward a sustainable model, the integration of renewable energy sources—such as solar and wind power—is essential. Within the Faculty of Management Science and Engineering, the Solar Air Conditioning Lab is employed for the modeling, simulation, and optimization of energy systems in both research and teaching.

Contact

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marco Braun

Opening hours:
by appointment

Building K
Building Management 
Technical Room
Moltkestraße 30
76133 Karlsruhe

Equipment

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab is equipped with various energy systems that simultaneously supply part of the energy demands of Building K, which houses the Faculty of Management Science and Engineering.

The core component of the system is an adsorption chiller, which is supplied with heat generated from solar thermal energy—utilizing both flat-plate and vacuum tube collectors—for the purpose of cooling. The generated cooling capacity is used to air-condition the atrium of the faculty building, which is utilized year-round by students as a study and work space, as well as a venue for events, thereby mitigating excessive heat buildup during the summer months.

During the winter, the faculty directly uses the solar-generated heat to support the building’s heating needs.

The system is further complemented by a reversible heat pump, which enables research into aspects such as the grid-supportive operation of flexible electrical consumers.
The roof of the K-building is equipped with solar thermal collectors and a recooling plant

Courses

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab is utilized in teaching as a demonstration object in lectures, such as the course “Modeling of Technical Systems” in the Master's degree program Business Administration and Engineering (WINM). In this context, WINM students can compare simulation results of the models they have implemented with measurement data from the real system, allowing them to directly evaluate the performance of their developed models.

Moreover, the models and methods developed as part of the research activities on the system are integrated into multi-day workshops on the modeling, simulation, and optimization of energy systems, conducted in cooperation with international partners.

In addition to students from Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), participants in these workshops have included members from institutions such as the University of Brusque, Brazil, and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of international cooperation projects.

Main Research Areas

The Solar Air Conditioning Lab serves as a practical platform for the investigation of innovative model predictive control (MPC) methods for renewable energy systems.

A major challenge for renewable energy systems lies in the fluctuating availability of energy sources such as solar and wind power, which are highly dependent on weather conditions and the time of day. As a result, energy usage must be planned in advance or temporarily stored. Predictive, optimization-based control strategies hold significant potential in addressing this challenge.

Since the commissioning of the system, various algorithms and software packages have been tested—developed in the context of a cooperative doctoral project with the University of Freiburg and supported by numerous Bachelor's and Master's theses.

Research Group on Energy System Analysis and Sustainable Finance

The Research Group on Energy System Analysis and Sustainable Finance develops practice-oriented and scientifically grounded solutions for sustainable energy supply in the context of the energy transition—at the intersection of research, practical application, and green finance.

A key area of focus is the energetic, ecological, and economic optimization of the operation and design of decentralized energy supply systems for the industrial, commercial, trade, and service (ICTS) sectors, as well as for residential housing. Another core focus lies in the analysis of financing options along the entire energy value chain—an area of central importance given the substantial investment needs. In this context, the group investigates sustainable financing instruments such as green bonds, as well as citizen participation models.

To address these topics, the research group primarily employs methods of mathematical modeling, simulation, and optimization—both for structural optimization (i.e., optimal system configuration) and for the operational optimization of energy technology systems.

W - Laboratories & Further links

WINM Degree Program 
Laboratories of Faculty W
Teaching + Research
Study programs at the Faculty W
Faculty W

InfoTools (internal system of the faculty)
E-Learning platform ILIAS
(Faculty-level) Student Council W
Institute for Foreign Languages
International Office of the HKA
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