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New research center in Karlsruhe: COSMOS-H sets standards for power plant research!
On May 8, 2025, the COSMOS-H facility was opened at KIT in Karlsruhe to research complex flow phenomena under high pressure.
New research center in Karlsruhe: COSMOS-H sets standards for power plant research!
On May 8, 2025, on Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) the newest thermohydraulic test facility COSMOS-H opened. This state-of-the-art research instrument is specifically designed to study boiling and complex flow phenomena under realistic power plant conditions. With the ability to simulate pressures of up to 160 bar and temperatures of up to 360 degrees Celsius, it represents an important step in reactor safety research.
The system has an installed thermal output of 1.8 megawatts and uses advanced measurement methods to investigate thermal flow phenomena under precisely controlled boundary conditions such as pressure, temperature and heating power. Over 100 high-resolution sensors monitor the system, while a robotic system positions high-speed cameras to document the experiments.
Research application and security
Research at COSMOS-H focuses on the safety of industrial facilities, particularly nuclear reactors and solar power plants. It is operated by the Multiphase Flows department as part of the Helmholtz program NUSAFE Institute for Thermal Energy Technology and Safety (ITES). Boiling crises and heat transfer phenomena are analyzed under prototypical thermodynamic conditions.
The special focus is on critical points such as “Dryout” and “Departure from Nucleate Boiling”, which are linked to a highly developed control system that enables the heating section to be switched off quickly. These protective measures are essential to prevent possible damage to the heating system.
Scientific background and meaning
The use of COSMOS-H is supported by a variety of research projects that deal with the physics of heat transfer under high pressure conditions. The aim is to improve not only the efficiency of thermal processes in energy production, but also the safety of nuclear power plants. The Research Department for Experimental Thermohydraulics In this context, KIT is pursuing the development of experimental databases for computer-aided flow analyses, which are essential for the validation of numerical models.
The COSMOS-H system therefore represents an important tool for deepening the understanding of multiphase flows and further increasing safety standards in nuclear energy as well as in chemical and process engineering.
With around 10,000 employees and 22,800 students, KIT is one of Germany's leading universities of excellence. The commitment in future-oriented research fields such as thermal hydraulics underlines the institute's role as a pioneer in engineering science.