Contact

Dr. Natalia Shevchenko

n.shevchenkoAthzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 3313

Dr. Sven Eckert

Head Magneto­hydro­dynamics
s.eckertAthzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2132

X-ray Laboratory

X-ray radiography is a useful tool for a non-invasive, in situ visualisation and characterization of optically opaque liquid metals and systems. The MHD department has developed two X-ray experimental setups for the visualisation of various phenomena in optically opaque systems. In particular, our X-ray laboratory allows the in situ study of liquid metal batteries, flowing foams, solidification processes and two-phase flows in liquid alloys.

Microfocus X-ray source

Microfocus X-ray tube XWT-225-CT (X-RAY WorX);max. 225 kV, max. 3 mA, max. 350 W
Before May 2024 (the old setup):Phoenix X-ray XS225D-OEM; max. 225 kV, max. 3 mA, max. 320 W

The experiments were monitored by an X-ray radiographic setup delivering images with a spatial resolution of a few microns. A microfocus X-ray tube equipped with a tungsten target has been utilized. After passing the solidification cell the attenuated X-ray beam impinges an X-ray image intensifier (Thales TH9438HX 9”), where the X-rays are converted into a two-dimensional visible light distribution which is recorded by a CCD camera (Kappa CF8/1 BV-3) with a scan rate of 50 half frames per second.

Figure 1: Experimental setup for the solidification experiments: sketch of the X-ray diagnostic system and Hele-Shaw solidification cell equipped with electric system and Peltier elements.

A more detailed analysis of the specific phenomena such as the dendrite sidearm development or fragmentation requires X-ray techniques with a much better spatial resolution (below 1 μm). Synchrotron visualization experiments were performed at the beamline ID19 of the ESRF in Grenoble (France) and the beamline I12 of the Diamond Light Source in Harwell Campus (Didcot, UK).

ISOVOLT X-ray source

Industrial X-ray tube ISOVOLT 450M1/25-55 (GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies); max. 320 kV, max. 10 mA, max. 3200 W

The high power ISOVOLT X-ray source operating with a maximum voltage of 320 kV and a current of 14 mA generates a divergent polychromatic X-ray beam. A scintillation screen (SecureX HB from Applied Scintillation Technologies) is attached to the surface of the container. The non-absorbed part of the X-ray beam comes upon to this scintillation screen where its intensity is converted into visible light. The further imaging is completed with a lens system (Thalheim – Spezial - Optik) and a high-speed video camera (Pco.edge from PCO) equipped with a sCMOS-sensor.

Figure 2: Photographs of a) microfocus X-ray source XWT-225-CT b) the ISOVOLT X-ray source.

Experiments in the X-ray Laboratory

Selected publications: