Thermo Group
Projects
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European Projects
THUNDER
The Research Group occupies a significant position in the partnership of the project THUNDER- THERMOCHEMICAL STORAGE UTILIZATION ENABLING DATA CENTERS SEASONAL ENERGY RECOVERY. This project emerged as one of the winners of the European Call Horizon-CL5-2023-D3-01 "Waste heat reutilization from data centres."
The project focuses on the use of innovative materials (thermochemical materials) for the realization of thermal storage systems capable of storing the residual heat generated by data centre cooling systems. Subsequently, this stored heat becomes available for reuse by residential or industrial users. Thermochemical materials accumulate and release heat by exploiting specific mechanisms of mass exchange (desorption/dehydration and adsorption/hydration). The management of waste heat recovery and its proper handling are becoming increasingly important and can represent a valuable strategy in the perspective of decarbonizing various sectors. Generally speaking, the proposal aims to develop more and more efficient thermochemical storage systems that can be integrated into smart thermal networks.
In this project, the group collaborates synergistically with the Molecular and Structural Properties Group of the Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF). Both research groups will be involved in all phases of the technical-scientific development (modelling, experimentation, prototyping) of the project. Thermo Group will primarily focus on modelling heat and mass transfer phenomena occurring inside thermochemical storage systems. This will enable the development of appropriate design techniques for laboratory and prototype-scale storage systems. Additionally, it will be involved in modelling smart thermal networks that incorporate advanced thermal upgrade devices, such as high-temperature heat pumps. These smart thermal networks can serve as a reference for implementing the case study. In collaboration with the Molecular and Structural Properties Group, the Group will also conduct experimental tests at the laboratory scale.
The other partners of the project include RINA Consulting, IVL, Cartif, SteelTech, UniGE, Hiref, Veolia, Abilix, Ubitech, Setechco, 3SI, EHP, PCM.
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National projects
ATENA
The Research Group actively collaborates on the project ATENA-Accumuli Termici Innovativi tramite materiali adsorbenti (Innovative Thermal Storage through the utilisation of adsorbent materials). The project aims at developing thermal storage devices based on the use of adsorbent materials in dedicated mass and energy exchangers, whose performance is enhanced by the use of supports made with 3D printing technology.
In this project, the group collaborates with the Molecular and Structural Properties Group and Materials Engineering Group of the Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF).
Thermo Group activity will be dedicated to the modelling of heat and mass transfer phenomena occurring inside thermochemical storage systems, with a focus on the study of mass and heat transfer capacity of the adsorbent materialis depositated on the 3d printed supports. The Group will also conduct experimental tests at the laboratory scale.
CO2 mix
The Research Group occupies a significant position in the partnership of the project THUNDER-
The project's objective is to develop energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically feasible CO2-based mixture inverse cycles for residential heating and cooling, leveraging the Lorenz cycle concept. These cycles could potentially integrate with various systems, including 5th generation district heating and cooling, and renewable source inverse cycles. The investigation will target distributed inverse cycle utilization, working between fluids with finite heat capacity (i.e. low-temperature domestic hot water and space heating water) trying to minimize the irreversibilities of the system, through the proper matching of the heat capacities, providing a reduced work consumption and consequently higher sustainability.
The primary aim is to identify and analyze environmentally sustainable refrigerant mixtures suitable for advanced heat pumps and chillers. To accomplish this objective, the project adopts a dual-pronged strategy: one at the system level, concentrating on the heat pump/chiller system (thermo-economic and environmental performance optimization), and another at the component level, with a specific emphasis on examining heat transfer mechanisms within the two-phase flow in the heat exchangers.