24th colloquium on high-voltage and systems engineering

The 24th Colloquium on High-Voltage and Power Systems Engineering took place from July 14 to 16, 2016. This year’s host and organizer was the High-Voltage Engineering Department, led by Prof. Stefan Kornhuber, at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences—Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Forty research associates and their professors gathered at the St. Marienthal International Meeting Center for a professional exchange with their hosts. During the four scientific sessions, participants presented and discussed current topics and challenges related to the energy transition, as well as future research developments in the fields of materials, high-voltage direct current transmission, switchgear technology, and other components of power engineering.
The Department of High-Voltage Engineering at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences presented two scientific lectures on the long-term stability of nano- and microstructured polymer surfaces (Diplom-Ing. Heike Herzig) and approaches for evaluating the external-layer breakdown voltage of glass-cap insulators with a defined non-uniform silicone coating (Diplom-Ingenieur (FH) Stefan Kühnel).
In addition to the many interesting presentations, followed by lively discussions and an exchange of experiences, the program also included a laboratory tour featuring a visit to the high voltage facility as well as other laboratories of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Zittau campus. In addition, excursions were organized to Bogatynia (PL) to visit Polskie Pomidory and Lake Berzdorf. On the one hand, participants were able to tour the technical facilities of the impressive tomato farm (10.2 hectares under glass) and learn about its technical collaboration with the Turow power plant (the adjacent power plant supplies the necessary electricity and heat) and, on the other hand, the difficulties of reclamation following lignite surface mining at Lake Berzdorf were explained as part of a very informative presentation by Lausitz und Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH.
The colloquium was founded in 1993 by Prof. Dr.-Ing. König (TU Darmstadt) to provide research assistants and doctoral students with the opportunity for scientific and personal exchange in various subfields of electrical power engineering. Since its inception, it has been held once a year at one of the five participating universities or

universities:

• TU Darmstadt / Department of High-Voltage Engineering,
• TU Dresden / Institute for Electrical Power Supply and High-Voltage Engineering,
• TU Ilmenau / Department of Electrical Equipment and Systems,
• Technical University of Munich / Chair of High-Voltage and Power Systems Engineering,
• Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences / Department of High-Voltage Engineering / Materials for Electrical Engineering / Theoretical Electrical Engineering.

A continuation of this colloquium, which has become a tradition, is planned for next year as its 25th edition—an anniversary event—at TU Ilmenau. The Department of High-Voltage Engineering at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will continue this long-standing tradition of scientific exchange and contribute with its recognized research focuses in the field of high-voltage and power systems engineering.