Smolsys wins KIT Technology award for tritium analytics
Root LU/Karlsruhe – Smolsys, in collaboration with the project team for the «Micro-Raman System for Detecting All Six Hydrogen Isotopologues,» has won first place in the Technology Transfer category of the NEULAND innovation competition. The award is presented by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
Smolsys and the project team were honored with the KIT Technology Award for their joint development of the «Micro-Raman System for Detecting All Six Hydrogen Isotopologues.» based on a LinkedIn post.
The prize, worth 10,000 euros, recognizes the successful transfer of high-end technology into a market-ready product. Smolsys, based in the Technopark Lucerne, served as the industrial partner in the process.
According to a message of KIT, the system was developed at its Institute for Astroparticle Physics. It enables the precise analysis of hydrogen isotopes and is intended for future use in tritium monitoring in fusion reactors and in heavy water analysis.
In an explanatory video, KIT emphasizes that building demonstration plants for nuclear fusion power generation – a potential source of nearly unlimited energy – requires innovative expertise in handling tritium. The Micro-Raman system, developed in a technology transfer project with Smolsys, contributes to this effort. The key innovation lies in the precise coordination of components and KIT’s software, which automatically captures and evaluates spectral data.
Beyond fusion energy applications, the technology also shows promise for heavy water analysis and the broader hydrogen sector, making it a crucial step towards a sustainable energy future.
The NEULAND innovation competition, held annually, allows KIT researchers to present their ideas to an expert jury from the business sector. Following the awards, KIT’s innovation management team actively supports the winning projects on their path to commercialization.
