Test benches – Overview

The test benches and the respective services are presented in the following:


Compressor test benches

Several compressor test benches for the refrigerants R-744, R-134a and R-1234yf and others are currently in operation. The test benches are designed for steady state and dynamic investigations of refrigerant compressors. From high-frequency compressor indexing to automated tracing of steady-state measurement points and transient load profiles, a wide range of investigations are possible:

  • Performance of refrigerant compressors
  • Long-term steady-state and transient testing
  • Measurement and control of oil circulation rate (OCR)
  • Backpressure control of scroll compressors
  • Liquid strike and startup in the two-phase-region
  • Quantitative leakage measurement

Do you have any further questions? Please feel free to contact us.


Component test benches

In addition to compressors, all other components of thermal systems can also be examined on our test benches. The spectrum of our measurements includes detailed investigations of various heat exchangers, expansion valves, receivers, the investigation of humidifier modules in fuel cell systems etc. up to the analysis of the explosive decompression of sealing materials in particular also for R-744. Subject of further investigations are among others:

  • Heat exchanger refrigerant/air, refrigerant/fluids (power, detection of icing, de-icing strategies, cooling etc.)
  • Expansion valves
  • Pumps
  • Fans/ blowers
  • Refrigerant accumulators (filling curves)
  • Leakage measurements
  • Humidifiers for fuel cells
  • Materials (explosive decompression of elastomers etc. in R-744)
  • Heat pipes for heat transfer
  • Thermal properties of battery modules
  • Temperature control of battery modules / battery packs
  • Investigation of heat conducting and insulating layers
  • Investigation of refrigerant-oil mixtures

Do you have any further special questions? Please feel free to contact us.


System test benches

Numerous questions can only be investigated in the overall system. For this purpose, we offer test benches in which systems can be examined, for example, in their original geodetic arrangement. In the field of testing complete systems we have experience and investigation possibilities for e.g.:

  • Investigation of switchable heat pumps for mobile applications (also R-744, incl. battery conditioning), filling curves, overall performance, start-up behavior, oil distribution ...
  • High temperature refrigeration cycle for butane and R-1234ze(Z)
  • Acoustic investigation of flow noise in refrigeration cycle
  • Chamber-in-chamber test bench for investigation of complete systems
  • Separate climatic chamber e.g. for long-term tests of components or e.g. for the investigation of stationary heat pumps
  • Investigation of frosting and icing of evaporators in heat pump systems
  • Support for customer-specific system design (control strategies, etc.)
  • Compact systems for mobile use

Do you have any further special questions? Please feel free to contact us.


Design and development of test bench concepts

We offer our customers the development of innovative test bench concepts, based on our many years of experience in the construction and operation of refrigeration cycle test benches. We pay special attention to high-grade control, which we develop and validate with our TIL-Suite models.

If required, we supplement the measurements carried out with comprehensive and thermodynamically based processing of the measurement data using our in-house software tools.

It is a special concern of ours to meet the wishes of our customers quickly and flexibly. According to your ideas, we realize new test benches in our test laboratory, with which we investigate your questions and acquire the measurement data you require.


If you have any questions regarding your topic, please contact:

Dr.-Ing. Nicholas Lemke

+49 / 531 / 390 76 - 12 | versuch@tlk-thermo.de

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Stulgies

+49 / 531 / 390 76 - 233 | versuch@tlk-thermo.de

If you have any questions, please consult:

Dr.-Ing. Nicholas Lemke

+49 / 531 / 390 76 - 12 | lab@tlk-thermo.com

Dipl.-Ing. Norbert Stulgies

+49 / 531 / 390 76 - 233 | lab@tlk-thermo.com