3D-USCT for multicenter study in China

3D ultrasound computer tomography (3D-USCT) is an innovative technology for medical diagnostics developed at KIT. Together with Chinese industrial partners, further USCT systems are being developed for the Chinese market, which will then be tested in the People's Republic of China in a large multicenter study with more than 1000 patients.

Cryogenic flow sensor

At KIT, a novel thermal measurement method for flow measurement of gases and liquids in pipelines has been developed. Its outstanding feature is the ability of self-calibration. Thus, calibration can be performed at any time and any place, i.e. especially during operation of a plant. This feature is particularly advantageous for cryogenic applications, since the flow sensor does not have to be calibrated by the manufacturer under real operating conditions, e.g. with cryogenic helium or hydrogen.
The IPE has taken over the development of the precise DAQ suitable for series production as well as the microcontroller firmware. This transferred the complex procedure into a stand-alone capable system.

Pipeline inspection robot

At the IPE, we have been successfully developing electronics for oil and gas pipeline inspection systems, so-called pigs, together with the company Baker Hughes (formerly PII Pipetronix GmbH) for several decades. These inspections ensure that any defects in the pipeline wall are detected at an early stage and that no escaping oil or gas contaminates or endangers the environment.

These autonomous pigging systems use magnetic and ultrasonic sensors to inspect pipelines for defects in the form of corrosion and cracks. The pigs are pumped through the pipeline with the oil or gas and therefore have to perform the inspection in real-time and very reliably. The challenging boundary conditions regarding integration, signal acquisition, signal processing and power requirements require the use of the latest technologies for the design and implementation of the electronics.

Secure home storage

At KIT, a modular, flexibly scalable battery storage system for home applications was developed in cooperation with RCT Power GmbH. This enables the efficient and economical use of the electricity generated for own requirements from photovoltaic systems. RCT's storage systems have already been classified several times in the highest efficiency class in the electricity storage inspections of the University of Applied Sciences (HTW Berlin) and were able to convince with a fast settling time and a very good system performance index. The IPE has contributed significantly to the development of the functionally safe Battery Management System (BMS).