Thomas Metz

Thomas Metz is a Research Professor at the Nuremberg Technical University Georg Simon Ohm in the Faculty of Process Engineering since 2015. He leads the Energy and Hydrogen Technology Laboratory and specializes in heat and mass transfer, energy and environmental technology. His professional background includes doctoral studies at the Technical University of Munich and 10 years of industrial experience at Siemens AG in power plant technology and gasification.

• Appointed as Professor in 2015 with teaching focus on Heat and Mass Transfer and Energy and Environmental Technology
• Transitioned to Research Professorship in 2022 with 50% teaching load
• Member of multiple research institutes including the Competence Center for Energy Technology and the Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research

Professor Metz's research focuses on the energetic use of biomass (solid fuel combustion, thermal gasification, pyrolysis, carbonization, gas purification processes) and combined heat and power systems with emphasis on thermoelectrics and gas combustion. His work addresses critical challenges in emission reduction for biomass combustion systems, particularly for residential applications like log-burning stoves. He investigates innovative solutions for minimizing fine dust particles in the nanometer range and nitrogen oxide emissions.

His publication record shows a clear trajectory toward developing practical applications of thermoelectric generators in micro-scale combined heat and power systems for residential use. The research demonstrates technical feasibility of Nano-CHP systems using thermoelectric technology as a potentially less maintenance-intensive alternative to conventional systems.

• Member of the Competence Center for Energy Technology
• Member of the scientific advisory board BayWISS, Joint College for Energy
• Member of the German Thermoelectric Society
• Member of the Institute for Energy and Buildings (ieg)
• Member of the Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research

Professor Metz actively supervises numerous student theses across bachelor's and master's programs in Energy Process Engineering, Energy and Hydrogen Technology, and Chemical Engineering. His laboratory hosts multiple research projects including the FutureStove project (innovative low-emission combustion systems), I_WESP project (particle separation in electrostatic precipitators), and Bio-SNCR project (NOx reduction in biomass boilers). He has developed experimental test benches for thermoelectric generators and multifunctional pilot plants for biomass conversion research.

His laboratory facilities include specialized equipment for investigating heat transfer phenomena, biomass conversion processes, and thermoelectric generator performance under various operating conditions. Current research directions focus on improving efficiency of residential energy systems through innovative thermal management approaches and emission control technologies.