Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) - RWTH Aachen University

What Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) - RWTH Aachen University does

The Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) is an academic research chair within the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (Fakultät 4 - Maschinenwesen) at RWTH Aachen University, a public higher education institution in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. IST conducts experimental and numerical research in turbomachinery, jet propulsion, and aerospace, operating what it characterizes as the largest turbomachinery research infrastructure in Germany: seven large-scale test rigs (covering axial turbines and compressors, industrial and transonic centrifugal compressors, a propulsor test bench, process gas and fuel cell centrifugal compressors, and an engine centrifugal compressor) plus four wind tunnels on 1,200 m² of laboratory space. Approximately 30 doctoral candidates pursue research in aerodynamics, heat transfer, aeroelasticity, and aeroacoustics, supported by access to the RWTH Compute Cluster and national HPC centers.

IST does not sell commercial products. Its outputs take four forms: (i) academic publications and conference presentations at venues such as ASME Turbo Expo, GPPS, ISUAAAT, and DLRK; (ii) freely licensed open experimental test cases (RadiVer, RadiVer 2, Aachen Turbine, plus DLR rocket propulsion cases HF-1/4, HF-6, HF-7, HT-1, IN-1) used globally for CFD validation; (iii) collaborative co-development of the TRACE CFD solver with DLR's Institute for Propulsion Technology; and (iv) trained engineering graduates entering the aerospace and turbomachinery workforce. Revenue is institutional, sourced from public university funding, industry research grants (notably a long-standing partnership with MTU Aero Engines AG as the "Kompetenzzentrum Verdichter" / Compressor Competence Center, in place since 2007), and government research grants via bodies such as AiF.

IST's strategic focus spans conventional aircraft engine compressor and turbine technology, rocket propulsion (via DLR Lampoldshausen collaboration), zero-emission aviation energy conversion systems, and quiet propulsion for urban air mobility. The institute is led by Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Jeschke and operates as a core node in the German aerospace propulsion R&D ecosystem, with its primary external partners being MTU Aero Engines AG and DLR.

Name

Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) - RWTH Aachen University

Legal name

Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) - RWTH Aachen University

Website

https://ist.rwth-aachen.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) is a publicly funded RWTH Aachen University research chair conducting experimental and numerical research in turbomachinery, jet propulsion, and rocket propulsion for aerospace industry partners including MTU Aero Engines and DLR.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Engineering Research

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABADAN

Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Aerospace Engines & Propulsion Systems

SECONDARYIMABALAJ

NDT/Inspection & Testing Services (Aviation)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Aerospace MRO, Repair & Overhaul (Aftermarket)

SECONDARYIMABACAK

Spacecraft Integration, Assembly & Test (IAT)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Spacecraft & Launch Vehicle Manufacturing

Keywords

• Turbomachinery research
• Jet propulsion research
• Aerospace engineering research
• Compressor testing
• CFD simulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Public University Funding: As a department of RWTH Aachen University, a public institution, IST receives government funding for basic research and education activities.
2. Industry Research Grants: Research collaborations with industry partners such as MTU Aero Engines AG, funded through joint research projects with minimum 3-year durations.
3. Government Research Grants: Funded research through organizations such as AiF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen) and other public funding bodies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IST conducts experimental and numerical research in turbomachinery and jet propulsion, operating 7 large-scale test rigs and 4 wind tunnels across 1,200 m² of laboratory space. The institute provides industry-funded joint research on compressors, turbines and rocket propulsion, maintains open test datasets for CFD validation, and co-develops the TRACE CFD solver with DLR. It also offers doctoral research programs and undergraduate/graduate teaching in jet propulsion and turbomachinery.

Product overview

The Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) at RWTH Aachen University is a research and educational institution offering a portfolio of research infrastructure, open test datasets, and CFD software development. The core offerings include seven large-scale test benches and four wind tunnels for turbomachinery research, open test cases (RadiVer, RadiVer 2, Aachen Turbine for IST; HF-1/4, HF-6, HF-7, HT-1, IN-1 for DLR) made available under license agreements, and collaborative development of the TRACE CFD solver with DLR. Additionally, the institute maintains a historical engine exhibits collection for educational purposes. The institute does not offer commercial software products but provides research datasets and computational tools to the academic and industrial research community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RadiVer Test Case Open experimental test case of a highly loaded centrifugal compressor (RadiVer) with semi-open impeller and 15 backward curved solid blades, with optional vaneless or variable vane diffuser configurations. Distributed under license to CFD researchers for validation purposes.
• RadiVer 2 Test Case Extended open test case for the RadiVer centrifugal compressor, including Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements investigating the diffuser clearance effect. Distributed for CFD validation.
• Aachen Turbine Test Case (ERCOFTAC) ERCOFTAC-recognized open test case of a single-stage axial turbine with exact geometry, experimental measurement data, and stationary/transient comparative calculations for CFD validation.
• DLR Rocket Propulsion Open Test Cases (HF-1/4, HF-6, HF-7, HT-1, IN-1) Bundled open test cases for DLR rocket propulsion research, covering acoustic attenuation in lambda/4 absorbers (HF-1/4), thermo-acoustic interactions under LOX/H2 (HF-6), self-excited combustion instabilities (HF-7), regenerative cooling channel heat transfer (HT-1), and cryogenic flash-boiling nitrogen spray droplet characterization (IN-1). Distributed for CFD validation.
• Large-Scale Test Benches (7 rigs) Seven large-scale experimental test rigs covering axial turbine, axial compressor, industrial/transonic centrifugal compressor, propulsor test bench, process gas centrifugal compressor, fuel cell centrifugal compressor, and engine centrifugal compressor. Made available for joint industry research projects and doctoral research.
• Wind Tunnels (4 tunnels) Four experimental wind tunnels: planar cascade wind tunnel, annular cascade wind tunnel, hot gas cascade wind tunnel, and free jet calibration tunnel. Used for cascade measurements and calibration in turbomachinery research and made available through joint research projects.
• TRACE CFD Solver Development Joint development (with DLR) of the TRACE (Turbomachinery Research Aerodynamic Computational Environment) CFD solver for 3D unsteady flow simulation in multi-stage compressors and turbines, with focus on aeroelasticity, aeroacoustics, aerothermodynamics, and turbulence modeling.
• Academic Programs (Lectures, Theses, Doctoral Research) Academic teaching program covering lectures and exercises in jet propulsion and turbomachinery, supervision of bachelor/master theses and student research projects, and a structured doctoral research program with approximately 30 PhD candidates, serving mechanical, aerospace and energy engineering students at RWTH Aachen University.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MTU Aero Engines AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIST serves as the 'Kompetenzzentrum Verdichter' (Compressor Competence Center) for MTU Aero Engines, conducting joint research and development on compressor technology for next-generation aircraft engines. Since 2007, numerous research projects have been conducted on aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, and aeroacoustics of compressors.
• DLR (German Aerospace Center) - Institute for Space PropulsioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with DLR's Institute for Space Propulsion in Lampoldshausen. IST contributes to the development of TRACE CFD software and provides open test cases including rocket propulsion test cases (HF-1/4, HF-6, HF-7, HT-1, IN-1) for numerical simulation validation.
• DLR - Institute for Propulsion TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIST collaborates with DLR's Institute for Propulsion Technology on the development and enhancement of the TRACE (Turbomachinery Research Aerodynamic Computational Environment) CFD solver. Development focuses on aeroelasticity, aeroacoustics, aerothermodynamics, and turbulence modeling.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre network: Rolls-Royce operates multiple university technology centres for propulsion research worldwide; represents the broader industrial-academic model that mirrors IST's MTU relationship.
• Safran Tech / Safran Aircraft Engines: French aerospace propulsion major with extensive in-house and academic research collaborations on compressor and turbine technology. Sets the European competitive benchmark for the kind of applied propulsion research IST conducts.

Direct peers

• von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics: Belgian postgraduate research and training center for aerodynamics and propulsion. Comparable mission of advanced turbomachinery/aerospace training, test facility operation, and industry collaboration.
• Stanford Center for Turbomachinery Research: Stanford-affiliated research center focused on unsteady aerodynamics and noise in turbomachinery. Shares IST's research areas in aeroelasticity, aeroacoustics, and compressor/turbine flows.
• MIT Gas Turbine Laboratory: MIT research group operating test rigs and CFD research for turbomachinery and aircraft engines. Closest US academic peer in experimental compressor/turbine research and graduate training.
• Technical University of Munich - Institute for Flight Propulsion: TUM's flight propulsion institute runs complementary test rigs for aircraft engines and collaborates with MTU and GEnx engine programs; competes for the same German aerospace doctoral talent pool as IST.
• DLR Institute for Propulsion Technology: Germany's national aerospace propulsion research center and IST's primary collaboration partner on the TRACE CFD solver and rocket propulsion test cases. Operates comparable scale test infrastructure for aero engines and space propulsion.
• TU Berlin - Hermann-Föttinger-Institut für Strömungsmechanik: German academic institute focused on turbomachinery aerodynamics and experimental fluid mechanics. Closest national academic peer to IST, sharing research scope in compressor/turbine flows and doctoral training.
• University of Cambridge - Whittle Laboratory: World-leading academic turbomachinery lab focused on compressor/turbine aerodynamics and low-emission propulsion. Comparable experimental/numerical research portfolio and industry co-development model.

Regional players

• MTU Aero Engines AG: IST's primary industry partner and Germany's largest aircraft engine OEM. Not a direct competitor but a strategic sponsor and eventual employer of IST graduates; relevant as the principal counterparty shaping IST's research agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-jet-propulsion-and-turbomachinery-rwth-aachen-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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