LIquid Metal Competence center Karlsruhe (LIMCKA)

Flüssigmetall-Kompetenzzentrum des KIT

The research at KIT on liquid metals as a heat transfer medium in energy and process technology combines scientific work on thermal hydraulics and technology development in a unique and comprehensive manner with liquid metal-specific material research and materials development. Our vision is to strengthen and expand on this basis the national and international leading position of KIT liquid metal research. The current and future topics are embedded in several major strategic projects and projects.

 

Potential services provided by LIMCKA

All complemented by engineering and simulation support with qualified and validated tools

  • Engineering support for component and loop design
  • Access to experimental facilities
  • Development of demonstrators and prototypes
  • System and safety assessment
  • First- principle, performance and qualification experiments
  • Material data base for LM applications

 

Industrial Customers?

Liquid metal technology requires a broad knowledge and engineering basis for successful developing new application areas such as:

  • CSP – definition of key components and technologies
  • Medicine:  providing cooling to high energy targets
  • Engineering:  providing high heat load solutions for FUSION (Divertor, FW….)
  • Training including safety provisions and LM handling

 

Competences within LIMCKA

 

Material technology Momentum/energy/mass transfer Systems & components

Structural materials

Functional materials

Protective layers and surface alloys

Material degradation

Joints – heat treatment

Fabrication

Momentum transfer

Heat transfer

Multi-phase flows

Process design

Fluid conditioning

Thermo-electric conversion

System design

Safety assessment

Operational/loop analysis

Instrumentation

Component qualification

Active liquid metal system units

 

Involvement in HGF Programs

 

MTET FUSION NUSAFE
https://www.mtet.kit.edu/ https://www.fusion.kit.edu/english/index.php https://www.nusafe.kit.edu/english/index.php

 

Infrastructures – Platforms - LIMCKA Labs

 

ITES, Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory INR, Karlsruhe Sodium Laboratory KASOLA IHM IAM-AWP
https://www.ites.kit.edu/english/140.php https://www.inr.kit.edu/english/58.php https://www.ihm.kit.edu/english/index.php https://www.iam.kit.edu/awp/english/index.php
  • HELiS (ITES) Hydrogen production Experiment in liquid tin
  • THESYS (ITES) – heat transfer experiments in PbBi flows
  • GALINKA (ITES) loop for functional verification of liquid metal measurement techniques in GaInSn
  • THEADES (ITES) test loop for prototypes of PbBi operated power components
  • ALINA  (ITES) generic free surface and duct flow studies in sodium
  • SOLTEC 1-3 (IAM-AWP, IHM, INR)- material qualification in flowing sodium and test facility for monolithic CSP receiver
  • ATEFA (INR) facility to test thermo-electric conversion units in sodium (AMTEC)
  • DITEFA (INR) – generic momentum and heat transfer in Gallium-indium tin with traversable t,u-sensors
  • KASOLA (INR) test loop for prototypical systems and components in sodium up to 150m³/h.
  • KARIFA (INR) test facility with 20 KW laser heating
  • COSTA 1-6 (IHM) Corrosion in stagnant lead and lead alloys at defined oxygen partial pressures
  • CORELLA (IHM) Corrosion-erosion in flowing Pb alloy
  • FRETHME (IHM) fretting in stagnant Pb alloy
  • GESA/ GESA - SOFIE (IHM) Pulsed electron beam facility for surface modification
  • MINIPOT (IHM)  - oxygen and impurity transport in liquid PbBi
  • CORTINA (IAM-AWP) corrosion in sodium
  • CORRIDA (IAM-AWP) corrosion in flowing PbBi
  • PICCOLO (IAM-AWP) corrosion erosion in flowing PbLi

 

Contacts

 

ITES, Karlsruhe Liquid Metal Laboratory INR IHM IAM-AWP

Prof. Dr. Thomas Wetzel

TVT, ITES

Tel.: +49 721 608-23462
E-Mail: thomas wetzel∂kit edu

Dr. Klarissa Niedermeier

ITES

Tel:  +49-721-608-26902

Email: klarissa.niedermeier2∂kit.edu

Markus Daubner

ITES

Tel: +49 721 608-23461

Email: markus.daubner∂kit.edu

Dr. Sebastian Ruck

INR

Tel.: +49 721 608-29279

E-mail: sebastian.ruck∂kit.edu

Dr. Joachim Fuchs

INR

Tel.: +49 721 608-23781

E-Mail: joachim.fuchs∂kit.edu

Dr. Alfons Weisenburger

IHM

Tel.: +49 721 608-26238

E-Mail: alfons.weisenburger∂kit.edu

Dr. Annette Heinzel 

IHM

Tel.: +49 721 608-28447

E-Mail: annette.heinzel∂kit.edu

Prof. Dr. Hans Jürgen Seifert

Tel.: +49-721-608-23895

Email: Hans.seifert∂kit.edu

Dr. Carsten Schroer

IAM-AWP

Tel: +49 721 608-24840

E-Mail: carsten.schroer∂kit.edu

Prof. Dr. Bronislava Gorr

IAM-AWP

Tel.: +49-721-608-23720

E-mail: bronislava.gorr∂kit.edu