Research Projects
Research projects at the IMP
Many successful research projects have been carried out at IMP over the past 20 years. Among others, every second user of network analyzers now uses the GSOLT method to perform multiport measurements accurately. Many other works have been included in the two books "High Frequency Technology" and "Microwave Technology". The IMP work of a complete development of an industrial RFID system gives the necessary practical relevance to the related chapter in the next edition of the radio frequency book.
In general, the two basic technologies microwave plasma technology and mixed-frequency measurement technology were developed and expanded at the IMP. One application based on mixed-frequency measurement technology is a new maritime rescue system, the description of which can be downloaded as an open-access paper: dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1759078721000520 . Both basic technologies are described in detail in the book "Microwave Technology" by Prof. Heuermann. Students and employees of the FH Aachen can download the book via the FH Aachen VPN here.
Microwave Plasmas
Project Overview
In general, microwave (MW) or GHz plasma technology, which has been developed at the IMP over the last 16 years, is a similar basic technology to laser technology, which allows many interdisciplinary applications. We often work closely in this research area on an interdisciplinary basis with the specialists for the various special applications and are open to further projects. Recent work is increasingly moving into the industrial sector at powers of 6000W for one processing area. Publications on successful carbonisations, among others, will appear soon.
For more information on our completed and ongoing research projects, see the slide set under Microwave Plasmas.
Further information can be found in the microwave book by Prof. H. Heuermann, in the chapter microwave plasmas.
Additional information and novel products on plasma jets can also be found on the homepage of our spin-off company: Heuermann HF-Technik: www.hhft.de .
Microwave Plasma Jets and Chambers
These plasma jets and chambers have a significantly higher energy efficiency than hydrogen burners
The photo shows the world's most powerful plasma jet, in which the gas is heated 100% only by the plasma. Other plasma jets have the disadvantage that they produce a lot of ozone. This is not the case with the MW plasma jet.
This purchasable MW plasma jet was developed at the IMP. It is capable of converting 2500W into plasma in continuous operation and can realise significantly higher pulse powers.
The efficiency of the necessary magnetron sources is 85%, which makes this solution much more efficient than a hydrogen burner in which the hydrogen is produced via electrolysis.
Novel plasma chambers developed at IMP are increasingly replacing furnace processes, savingCO2, installation space and process time.
This technology helps many companies to become climate-neutral without the diversions via hydrogen.
Microwave Plasma Spark Plugs
The picture shows generation 2b of the spark plug for car engines currently under development at FH Aachen. The development of this second generation includes support for lean-mix engines, has already been successfully tested under starting pressures at 40 bar plus 12m/s wind speed as well as in the engine.
On 06.12.2018, this new technology was presented to the expert community at the associated international IAV symposium on an exhibition stand in operation.
This development was funded for almost 2 years until 04.2019 via the EFRE-NRW programme from EU funds. A cooperation partner for the mass market (passenger cars) is still being sought.
The IMP is building on hydrogen combustion engine technology for the quasi-emission-free energy turnaround in the vehicle and also power generation sector, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasserstoffverbrennungsmotor .
The IMP's GHz spark plug technology is intended to improve the efficiency of these engines, which is already over 40%, and to ensure a robust and durable solution for operation.
Measurement Series for AI Radar
Measurement Data for a New AI Radar for Free Evaluation
Introduction:
Imaging methods generate an image from measured variables of a real object, whereby the measured variable or information derived from it is visualized in a spatially resolved manner and encoded via brightness values or colors. In the following it will be presented which basic technology the IMP has built up for this purpose and how one arrives at imaging procedures by means of cooperation from this basic technology.
In addition to microwave plasma technology, a second basic technology has been developed at the IMP over the last 16 years. This so-called mixed-frequency measurement technology allows the improvement and partly even the development of the following applications: Maritime as well as mountain emergency rescue, cat's eye2.0, indoor and outdoor localization, automated checkouts, object and material measurement, MF-S parameter component measurement technology, vectorial PIM measurement technology.
In a recent open access publication (DOI: 10.3390/rs13245088) of the IMP over 23 pages, the general complex transfer function of this MF measurement technique for a harmonic radar measurement was presented and verified. Furthermore, a compact hardware solution for inline conveyor belt measurements with a matrix arrangement of 3*5 individually activatable transponders was presented and demonstrated over stationary measurements for the simplest material and position detection. In addition, there is a reference to conveyor belt measurements that have now been made freely available on the web.
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371531176_Report_IMP-SIMO-AI-Project_06_2023
These open conveyor measurements have now been performed and are the basis for collaboration between the IMP (hardware part) and an AI research group (evaluation part).The overall goal of this project is to obtain an imaging and material recognition evaluation procedure over a larger number of training measurements, which another AI research group is working on.Based on several measurement campaigns with partly known objects for training/self-verification and partly unknown objects for certified verification (by us) this shall be performed.
Evaluations have already been built up by other scientists using more complex measurement systems, specialized on SAR methods (imaging from radar measurements of overflights) on the one hand and also very general and state-of-the-art AI methods on the other hand. The expected 3D representations resembles SAR from a large number of overflights.As with SAR images, one can see the outer outlines on the one hand and the inner material on the other hand via a false color representation.In this project, new conveyor track measurements announced in the article were released for training and self-verification.
In this project, new conveyor measurements announced in the article were released for training and self-verification.
In this project, funded by the K2 Commission of the FH Aachen, missing parts for the conveyor belt were procured in the first step and the conveyor belt was built in the second part. The IMP built the core assembly of a conveyor belt and performed measurements. The transmitting and receiving electronics including the antennas for the frequency range from 2.4 to 5.0 GHz were mechanically mounted above the conveyor belt and the tag or transponder matrix was mounted below the conveyor belt with low vibration.
After that, the conveyor track was combined electronically with the existing MF measurement direction. This more complex work block included the control of the stepper motors and the synchronized communication of the MF measurement technology.
This is followed by the various measurement series and their detailed documentation.Here, a large amount of measurements are to be performed over a multi-dimensional matrix field with the parameters object geometries, object materials, object positions and the conveyor track speed.
These are all included in the SIMO-IMP links above.
Automotive Wheel Sensors
FH Aachen has filed an invention disclosure from IMP on a non-contact wheel sensor. This microwave sensor has the following features:
- Electronic module in the detent box (behind the plastic protection) and passive tag on the rim.
- Measures steering angle, spring deflection depth, wheel speed, tyre pressure, wheel surface humidity
- Steering angle measurement helps "drive by wire".
- Performs nail detection in the tyre.
- Costs approx. 2€ as a mass product.
Preliminary work has already been done. An industrial partner is being sought for this prospective research project.
Miniatur-Mikrowellenplasmaöfen
Erdgasbrenner dominieren aufgrund ihrer Einfachheit, Zuverlässigkeit und präzisen Temperaturregelung die industrielle und medizinische Glasformung, obwohl sie CO₂ und NOₓ ausstoßen. Neben der Dekarbonisierung bietet das Mikrowellenplasma weitere Vorteile, wie höhere Energieeffizienz, geringere Kontamination und verbesserte Prozesssteuerung in fortschrittlichen Glasformungsanwendungen. Der Einsatz dieser fortschrittlichen Produktionsmethode stärkt die Führungsrolle der EU bei nachhaltigen industriellen Prozessen.
