Scientific projects
Below you will find a selection of our projects.
KIMonO - AI-supported multi sample measurements for the optimization of Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storages
Energy storage systems are a useful solution to problems caused by the fluctuating nature of renewable energies. Latent heat thermal energy storages (LHTES) such as the common hand warmers permit high storage densities. However, phase change materials (PCM) with suitable application-specific melting temperatures are needed. The KIMonO project aims on the development of a new measurement technology based on AI-supported image analysis. This accelerates the development of new PCMs, reduces development costs, and makes the technology accessible also to SMEs.
Förderrichtlinie Energie und Klima - FRL EuK/2023 / Anwendungsorientierte Energie- und Klimaforschung
Duration: 09/2025 to 12/2027
SustainING. Sustainable – socially inclusive and environmentally just - Engineering
The project contributes to a contemporary science of engineering, preparing graduates for responsible leadership roles in the social transformation process in science, research, and industry by integrating social and ecological perspectives in curricula of mechanical engineering.
ESF Plus Richtlinie Hochschule und Forschung 2021-2027 / Innovative Hochschulprojekte zur Steigerung des Studienerfolgs: SustainING, 100774216.
Duration: 08/2025 to 07/2027
Predictive Screening of Working Fluid Mixtures to Increase the Energy Efficiency of Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps (SCREAM)
Since April 15, 2020, the publicly funded project "Predictive Screening of Working Fluid Mixtures to Increase the Energy Efficiency of Refrigeration Systems and Heat Pumps", short “SCREAM”, has been carried out in cooperation of the Chair of Technical Thermodynamics (TT) and the Bitzer-Chair of Refrigeration, Cryogenics and Compressor Technology (KKKT). The European Union, the European Social Fund, and the Free State of Saxony fund the project. The aim of this project is to find and experimentally validate new climate-friendly and efficient working fluids and working fluid mixtures for refrigeration systems and heat pumps. In particular, thermodynamic process parameters will be determined using the example of a heat pump dishwasher and an air conditioning split system. For these processes, optimal working fluids and working fluid mixtures will be predicted by using highly accurate equations of state and predictive mixture models. Furthermore, improvements of the calculation methods as well as an extension of the substance database are planned. The screening of the working fluids is carried out situational in the corresponding refrigerant circuits. Thermophysical properties such as vapour pressure, surface tension, mixture gaps, viscosity, density, thermal conductivity and isochoric heat capacity of promising working fluid mixtures will be investigated in the thermophysical properties laboratory of the Bitzer-Chair in order to validate the results of the predictive models. The theoretically most suitable working fluids will be tested in an adapted heat pump dishwasher and the energy efficiency will be measured according to EN 50242.
For further questions, please contact Mrs. Katharina Stöckel (KKKT) and Mr. Erik Mickoleit (TT).
