Dr. Petersen Talks PERL Facility, Emerging Tech, and TPS 2025’s Impact on Industry

In addition to hosting the Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia (TPS) on a yearly basis, the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Laboratory is continuously engaged in high-end rotating equipment testing and research. Dr. Eric Petersen, Director of the aforementioned lab, added valuable insight on the newly opened Propulsion and Energetics Research Laboratory (PERL) and some further discussion of TPS 2025.

On the conference side, Dr. Petersen highlights a few technologies which garnered major attention at the show: supercritical CO₂ equipment and power cycles, hydrogen systems, and overall diagnostics and big data management. He also clarifies the role of TPS 2025, explaining that the conference allows participants to take lessons home, apply them, and then return in the following years with presentable results.

TURBO: Are there updates regarding the newly established PERL facility and Energy and Propulsion Research Consortium?

Petersen: In terms of the Propulsion and Energetics Research Laboratory, I’m happy to say that it went online in June of this year – just a few months ago. It’s fully standing and we’re now in the process of getting it operational. We’re doing a shakedown of the facility and installing a new control room and associated equipment. We’re also coming up with some trial projects to test out the facility, so that’s our progress so far.

TURBO: What emerging technologies or research areas are you excited to see at TPS 2025?

Petersen: I think you’ll see that the new technologies continue to garner major interest in the energy sector. Ammonia is very popular for use as an energy source or transportation (pumping) from Point A to Point B. We also have hydrogen-based systems, supercritical CO₂ and power cycles, and then advanced diagnostics, big data management, and artificial intelligence. We’re seeing these become more and more prevalent in the turbomachinery industry.