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Quantum computers: CASUS project successful in Germany-wide tender

qFLOW aims to enable better simulations of complex flow processes – a boon for environmental, water, and climate research

The Helmholtz Association’s (HGF) Quantum Use Challenge aims to explore the potential of quantum technologies in new areas of application. The funding program, open to all 18 Helmholtz centers in Germany, aims to make a significant contribution to the transfer of research results. At the end of the application phase, the HGF selected four projects that will be realized. The Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) is involved in two of them – as coordinator for qFLOW and as project partner for QT-BATT. The two selected projects aim to use quantum technologies for real-world applications in the fields of earth and environment as well as energy. They will start on January 1, 2026, and run for three years. The CASUS share of the funding amounts to 600,000 euros for qFLOW and 350,000 euros for QT-BATT.

qFLOW stands for Quantum-Accelerated Solutions for Fluid Dynamics and Environmental Systems. “The main objective of the project is to develop an open-source software suite that allows users to perform simulations of complex flow processes using this type of computer, even without expert knowledge of quantum computing,” says qFLOW coordinator Werner Dobrautz.

“qFLOW is one of four projects that have prevailed in a Germany-wide competition. This success shows that Görlitz is on a par with Germany’s major urban centers when it comes to excellence in quantum computing,” says CASUS Director Prof. Thomas D. Kühne. “The smart mind behind qFLOW is Dr. Werner Dobrautz, whom we were able to recruit as a Young Investigator a year ago. I am convinced that he and his team will achieve exciting and application-relevant results in the course of the project.”

Additional information:

Dr. Werner Dobrautz

Young Investigator
Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR

w.dobrautz@hzdr.de

Press contact:

Dr. Martin Laqua

Officer Communications, Press and Public Relations
Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR

m.laqua@hzdr.de

Tiny radiation sources for individual photons are used for novel applications of quantum technology. With such single-photon sources the photon’s timing, wavelength, polarization, and quantum state can be precisely controlled. Possible applications range from quantum communication and quantum computing to quantum sensing. Image: Blaurock

Better simulations of complex flow processes can help overcome challenges in areas such as climate adaptation, clean energy, and water security. Such simulations are central to hydrology, environmental sciences, and energy technologies, but in many application scenarios they exceed the capabilities of today’s high-performance computers. Quantum computers can be helpful in certain scenarios. However, in order to exploit this potential, digital solutions must first be developed so that quantum computers can deal with fluid dynamics problems in general. This is where qFLOW breaks new ground. The software suite developed within qFLOW is intended to be used for various simulations, including simulations of groundwater flows and reservoir-based hydrological models, as well as multiphase flows, including bubble flows and bubble oscillations at interfaces.

qFLOW thus lays the foundation for quantum-assisted digital twins of complex fluid dynamics and environmental systems. But the hoped-for benefits of the project go even further: ideally, it can be used as a blueprint for integrating quantum-based methods into other applications in the Helmholtz research areas of Earth and Environment as well as Energy.

Batteries focus of second project with CASUS involvement

The QT-BATT project, Quantum Technologies for Batteries, is coordinated by Forschungszentrum Jülich and supported on the CASUS side by the Dobrautz group AI 4 Quantum. The project focuses on next-generation battery technologies, as global demand is growing for powerful, safe, and durable batteries that enable fast charging and high-performance conditions. A variety of new battery materials and concepts are being discussed. However, conventional calculation methods and sensor technologies are reaching their limits when it comes to modeling complex electrochemical systems and detecting the smallest fluctuations in battery performance, respectively. Within the framework of QT-BATT, algorithms for quantum computers tailored to battery-related simulations are to be developed. At the same time, quantum sensor platforms are being further advanced so that they can be embedded in battery architectures for real-time diagnostics. This dual approach will improve the predictive accuracy of models for completely new battery systems and provide high-resolution insights into degradation and failure mechanisms.

HZDR team coordinates cancer diagnostics project

Among the four projects selected for funding through the Quantum Use Challenge is QuBiopsy, another project from the HZDR. CASUS is not involved in this project. QuBiopsy is coordinated by Dr. Georgy Astakhov from the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research. The acronym stands for Quantum Biopsy for Cancer Visualization on Macro and Micro Scales. The goal is to improve early cancer detection for both initial diagnosis and metastases and recurrences through better diagnostics of tissue and liquid biopsies.

The Scientific Director of the HZDR, Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt, emphasizes the HZDR’s expertise in the field of quantum technologies: “This is an extraordinary success for the HZDR and shows once again that our scientists always have in mind the potential applications of their research. With these approved projects, the HZDR can contribute to creating a network for the sustainable anchoring of expertise in the development and application of quantum technologies across all research areas. We therefore regard ourselves as an important player in the German government’s High-Tech Agenda.”