The functional principle of the PINE mobile expansion chamber is based on volume expansion, which is already known from the KIT aerosol chamber AIDA. In this process, the aerosol particles taken from the ambient air are activated inside the chamber to form mist droplets. Depending on the initial temperature of the chamber as well as the extracted air, a small part of the droplets freezes and forms larger ice crystals. Both the smaller droplets and the large ice crystals are measured with an optical particle counter to determine the concentration of ice nucleating particles (INPs) as well as the total particle concentration. PINE, unlike AIDA, is not limited to INP measurements and ice nucleation research and will function for chambers of variable size and different ranges of wall temperature and sampling pressure. This makes PINE the first instrument capable of automatically measuring long-term series of INP concentrations with high sensitivity, time resolution, and over a wide temperature range.

The Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research of KIT is working on this development together with the University of Leeds and Bilfinger Noell GmbH. Bilfinger brings a high level of competence in the field of refrigeration technology and was already intensively involved in the development of the new dynamic cloud chamber AIDA-2.

Further information: PDF Mobile Cloud Chamber PINE

Image: The project team around PINE

The availability of a cost-effective method for the early detection of breast cancer based on medical imaging techniques and thus a very early treatment option opens up the opportunity to significantly increase the survival rate of affected women. The Institute for Data Processing and Electronics (IPE) at KIT aims at developing an imaging 3D ultrasound tomography system (USCT) capable of detecting very small tumors with a diameter of up to 5 mm and enabling targeted biopsies.

Currently, the prototype 3D USCT II is being evaluated in close cooperation with the University Hospital Mannheim in a test series with approx. 200 test persons in order to verify the significance of the procedure in comparison to mammography and MRI. On the one hand, the cooperation with Realcan offers the opportunity to develop the next generation of the USCT system to market maturity. On the other hand, direct contacts to a large number of clinics via the distribution network of the Chinese pharmaceutical company can support the validation and recognition of the USCT screening method. It is planned to examine more than a thousand test subjects in parallel in several clinics in a multi-center clinical study and to use the data sets both for validation and for general acceptance and establishment of the screening method in medicine.

The USCT method is already considered an innovative alternative to mammography. It enables an early and thus better diagnosis of breast cancer without the radiation risk associated with mammography.

Image: Functional principle of the 3D ultrasound tomography system.

Since in the case of complaints or damage claims, brand manufacturers often have the difficult task of proving that the product is a counterfeit and not their original, they incur considerable costs due to product piracy. In the TT project "ParMESan", the KIT team and its industrial partner Polysecure are trying to apply a kind of fingerprint identification to the product by doping it with fluorescent markers, which is invisible to the naked eye. Only when the developed markers are irradiated (excited), for example with laser light of a specific wavelength, is a glow in fluorescent colors achieved through upconversion fluorescence. Depending on the materials used, this can glow from red through yellow and green to blue. The resulting pattern can be flawlessly identified in a tamper-proof manner and used as a viable and economical solution to ubiquitous product piracy.

Fluorescent markers can also be used to great effect in the plastics recycling sector. On the one hand, to sort materials that are very similar and cannot be easily differentiated by other methods - for example, fiber-reinforced plastics that need to be separated from identical, pure plastics. On the other hand, the fingerprint can also be used to separate a large number of plastics from each other in terms of shape and color so that they can be specifically reused - e.g. food packaging (drinking bottles) is returned to the beverage industry. This would be a great contribution to the circular economy concept. The task and competence of KIT in this project is to identify and develop new materials, optimize their quantum yield, and contribute to their industrial production.

Image: Plastic identification by means of optical detection

In Air-Liquid-Interface (ALI) exposure, cell cultures are exposed to gases or aerosols and their biological effects are subsequently investigated. The ALI technique has distinct advantages because the lung cells are treated under physiological conditions and the low particle dose is measured.

In the KALIBIO project, an automated measuring device for ALI exposure of bioassays was developed and introduced to the market. Based on campaign experience, safe-by-design solutions for operation and experiments were developed and implemented. The exposure system is now used by research institutes in Munich, Rostock, Oslo (Norway) and Bilthoven (Netherlands) to assess the toxicity of nanoparticles from industry and combustion.

Further information: PDF Vitrocell

Publications:

• Metabolic Profiling as Well as Stable Isotope Assisted Metabolic and Proteomic Analysis of RAW 264.7 Macrophages Exposed to Ship Engine Aerosol Emissions: Different Effects of Heavy Fuel Oil and Refined Diesel Fuel.
• Toxicity testing of combustion aerosols at the air-liquid interface with a self-contained and easy-to-use exposure system.
• Particulate matter from both heavy fuel oil and diesel fuel shipping emissions show strong biological effects on human lung cells at realistic and comparable in vitro exposure conditions.

The air purification system they developed uses heat and UV light to inactivate virus- and bacteria-laden aerosols in indoor spaces such as classrooms, medical practices and restaurants. From the initial idea in spring 2020, several prototypes of the virus inactivator
were built and validated in a very short time. To validate the Aerobuster, contact was also sought with well-known/leading virologists. They confirmed the project, but external factors ultimately prevented it from succeeding in the market.

Further information: PDF Aerobuster

Millions of existing buildings lack adequate earthquake protection, over 70 percent just in Germany. Conventional retrofitting is often expensive and invasive. Researchers at
KIT have teamed up with a manufacturer of technical fabrics to develop a textile reinforcement made of high-performance fibres that can be used as a building envelope to prevent wall failure by distributing forces evenly. In the event of vibrations, it holds the building together and prevents collapse – quickly, invisibly and cost-effectively. The system is being marketed worldwide through the industrial partner.

Further information: PDF earthquake wallpaper

A real mid-range car was converted into a driving simulator using the network interfaces already present in the vehicle, the steering wheel and other controls could be used just like in real driving situations. Force feedback technology and VR projections allowed the driver to experience their driving behaviour, road conditions and surroundings in real time. An integrated tutor system analysed driving behaviour, provided feedback and supported the individual learning process.

Further information: PDF DriveSim

KIT collaborated with a vending machine manufacturer to investigate how iced coffee could be dispensed directly from a machine without any loss of aroma. With the help of a micro-process cooling
unit from KIT, the coffee was cooled immediately as it flowed through, significantly reducing the loss of aroma. The production of delicious, aromatic cold coffee works excellently under laboratory conditions. For technical reasons, the machine did not reach market maturity, as the compressor required for heat dissipation was not available in a smaller version and no further development partner could be found.

Further information: PDF Iced coffee at the touch of a button

Robust, lowmaintenance systems are particularly important in public spaces. A special circuit topology developed by KIT promised significantly more economical, fail-safe and durable LED lights. The reliability of these lights is increased because if one or more LEDs are destroyed, the entire module does not fail immediately. After the development of a prototype, a test field with the new LED street lights was opened in the municipality of Maxdorf. Despite the innovation potential, market success failed to materialise because many municipalities continued to rely on existing, still functional lights or cheaper LEDs for financial reasons.

Further information: PDF Energy-efficient

Both processes aim to extract colour and tannins from the grape skins. An alternative method developed by KIT for breaking down grape mash has led to improved extraction of these substances: electroporation, i.e. the targeted opening of biological cell membranes using pulsed electric fields. This technique has made it possible to extract substances from the grape skins gently and efficiently. In addition to improved extraction for a distinctive red wine character, heating and, in the case of white wine, enzyme treatments and long maceration times were no longer necessary. The breakdown of the grapes was successfully demonstrated, but unfortunately failed at the time due to scepticism on the part of the winegrowers.

Further information: PDF Grapes

In high-performance applications, conventional steel springs reach their limits due to their weight. Fiber composite springs, made from carbon or glass fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP, GFRP), offer a lighter and more powerful alternative. Researchers at KIT have developed more powerful XFK springs that achieve optimum utilisation of the fibres across the load cross-section. X stands for the fibre variable, where the fibre type, fibre concentration and orientation within the composite can be varied to make optimum use of the material properties. This enabled more even stress distribution and more efficient load-bearing capacity of the spring. The new springs were manufactured and tested for use in sectional doors in collaboration with a company from the steel spring industry.

Further information: PDF Spring systems

Photovoltaic has laid the foundation for everyone to produce their own renewable energy using solar cells. To store this electricity safely at home, researchers at KIT have teamed up with RCT Power GmbH to develop a battery management system (BMS) for stationary home storage systems. In the transfer project, a proven BMS from KIT was adapted in a way that it can be used and operated economically in stationary home storage systems. Thanks to the experience from KIT in the field of mobile lithium-ion storage, a reliable system was realised in a short period of time.

Further information: PDF Battery management

Isolating viral RNA from patients‘ throat and nose swabs played a key role in laboratory analysis. A KIT technology for handling magnetic microparticles provided the solution to efficiently, automatically and reliably extract RNA from samples. The technology has since been used extensively in commercial laboratory systems from PerkinElmer chemagen Technologie GmbH.

Further information: PDF Magnetic psearation

In addition to the toxic emissions produced, these also cause boiler corrosion in incinerators. Several methods have been developed at KIT to reduce the combustion process and pollutant formation. In addition to intensive monitoring and control of the burnout in the combustion chamber, the researchers developed special plastic fillers made of polypropylene (PP) that absorb the dioxins from the flue gas. In combination with fine carbon particles, the fillers have a strong bond and are not released again even when temperatures fluctuate. The process is marketed by Götaverken Miljö AB and is being used successfully in several plants.

Further information: PDF Flue gas cleaning

They are used to transport oil, gas and numerous other substances over long distances, thereby making a significant contribution to energy supply and economic progress. Non-destructive testing of
these pipes is extremely important in order to detect safety-relevant damage such as corrosion or cracks at an early stage. A method developed at KIT for this purpose is ultrasonic testing, which enables precise assessment of the condition. These autonomous systems, which are pumped through the pipeline with that oil or gas, use magnetic and ultrasonic sensors to detect defects in the form of corrosion and cracks in real time. The system is distributed worldwide through an industrial partner.

Further information: PDF Inspection robots