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Thermotechnical Institute

About

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Welcome to the Virtual Museum of Historical Engines at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Our laboratory of historical engines features a unique collection:

  • A 1926 twin cylinder 190 hp steam engine
  • A 1926 from producer gas converted 25 HP diesel engine
  • A 1945 original Whittle W2/700 jet engine
  • A 1950 Rolls-Royce Derwent 8 1.5 ton jet engine
  • A 1954 ORENDA 9 3 ton jet engine
and, believe it or not, all of these except our ORENDA are still in working condition. In addition, our laboratory has a nice hot air Rider type Stirling engine, a post-war CFR motor for fuel octane rating according to ASTM standards, and several 1935-1945 air-plane piston engines (B.M.W. 132, B.M.W. 801-D1 and Junkers Jumo 213-A) in store.

 

Our collection of...

Steam engines

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Our museum features 2 magnificent steam engines:

  •  a big 170 HP twin-cylinder engine
  • a small 20 HP single cylinder engine

Both date back to 1926. They are perfectly preserved and in working condition. More...

Jet engines

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Our museum features several jet engines from just after the Second World War:

  • a rare 1945 Whittle W2/700 (one of the first jet engines ever)
  • a 1950 Rolls Royce Derwent 8
  • a 1954 Orenda 9

All except the Orenda are in perfect working condition. More...

Other engines

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Our collection includes:

  • a number of 1935-1945 airplane piston engines (B.M.W. 132, B.M.W. 801-D1, Junkers Jumo 213 and 211)
  • a 1926 diesel engine which was converted from a producer gas engine. This one is still in working condition.

Furthermore, our collection features a Ryder hot-air Stirling engine, a single cylinder CFR engine, and much more...