Nov 03, 2025
Successful doctorate by Matthias Reiche at the Chair of Energy Process Engineering
Matthias Reiche (center) and the examination board after the successful defense.
On 15 September 2025, Matthias Reiche, former Research Associate at the Chair of Energy Process Engineering at TUD Dresden University of Technology, successfully defended his dissertation entitled "Method for the in-situ characterization of coatings in steam generators" . The thesis was supervised by Dr.-Ing. Michael Beckmann (TU Dresden) and Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Franz Winter (TU Vienna). In his work, Mr. Reiche developed approaches for the precise detection and description of deposits on the walls of fossil-fired steam generators - a topic of great importance for the efficiency, operational safety and environmental compatibility of modern power plants.
About the content of the dissertation
In fossil-fired plants, deposits form on the walls of the steam generator during operation, which must be removed regularly using special cleaning systems. Precise knowledge of the type, thickness and thermal conductivity of the deposits is required for the in a targeted manner and gentle use of this online cleaning.
As part of his dissertation, Matthias Reiche presented and qualified two innovative measuring systems: the deposit sensor and the coating thickness measuring device. Both sensors make it possible to determine the layer thickness and thermal conductivity of deposits on membrane walls directly during operation (in situ). The capabilities of the sensors were demonstrated both theoretically and practically - through tests in the steam generator of a waste-to-energy plant.
By combining both systems, Mr. Reiche developed the Deposition Layer Sensor (DLS), which enables a particularly precise determination of thermal conductivity and thus supports improved online balancing. In addition, the sensor can detect changes in the structure and ageing of the deposits, which opens up new possibilities for condition monitoring.
Finally, the dissertation also highlights future development potential: With the proposed deposit layer model, the ageing of the deposits as a result of temperature gradients could be described in even greater detail and even predicted in the future.
The Chair of Energy Process Engineering would like to congratulate the future Dr.-Ing. Matthias Reiche on successfully completing his doctorate and wishes him all the best for his professional and personal future.