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Activity Funded

Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center

Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos

Reference
UIDP/04077/2020
Project Start Date
2020-01-01
Project End Date
2024-12-31
Principal Investigator
Funding Program
Concurso de avaliação no âmbito do Programa Plurianual de Financiamento de Unidades de I&D (2017/2018) - Financiamento Programático

Abstract

10.2 Summary in English for general dissemination purposes From a critical analysis of the European Strategic document, known as Horizon 2020, it is clear that sustainability is a core concept for the near future development, to assure a sustainable use of resources and energy as well as a sustainable development of products and processes and to achieve a sustainable environment. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) anticipates that mechanical engineering “will evolve and collaborate as a global profession over the next 20 years through a shared vision to develop engineering solutions that foster a cleaner, healthier, safer and sustainable world by developing new technologies to address energy, environment, food, housing, water, transportation, safety, and health”. Mechanical Engineering should play a key role in shaping the future. It requires a refocusing of its objectives, bringing new competences to solving problems and challenges in a multidisciplinary manner. In brief, Mechanical engineers are critical to technologies that serve people. The Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs) mission is to provide technical solutions for a cleaner, safer and sustainable world and we aim to be a leading institution in this field. The center presently includes 61 integrated members (IM) from the University of Minho and New University of Lisbon. 24 of them hold PhD. There is a third participating institution, the Center for Residues Valorization. The number of PhD students is currently 46. As of 2017 the center had a budget of 1.8 M€ secured from competitive sources. The research activities are organized along 4 research topics: Energy Conversion; Advanced Engineering Systems; Structures and Vehicle Engineering; Food Technology and Wellbeing. In following these topics of action the center commits to improve its productivity in key indicators such as publications and project development. In addition it will provide opportunities for the new generations of graduates to experience new technologies, understand the benefit ok knowledge and develop their skills. This is an important role of our mission. Being a center where knowledge creation is exploited for product development and innovation, there are material benefits to the society and the nation. In pursuing such objectives, we will keep present a certain set of guides and values: a) Promote excellence in research. b) Develop advanced training for future generations and help them find an environment where they can be productive to the society. c) Promote the dissemination of knowledge by taking it to the society as a product or idea and by opening our doors to both younger generations and professionals. d) Impact on society by creating knowledge and bring it to the society. e) Internal cohesion and inclusion of our community. f) Obey ethical principles that value openness, truth, rigor and freedom. 10.3 Summary in English for evaluation From a critical analysis of the European Strategic document, known as Horizon 2020, it is clear that sustainability is a core concept for the near future development, to assure a sustainable use of resources and energy as well as a sustainable development of products and processes and to achieve a sustainable environment. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) anticipates that mechanical engineering “will evolve and collaborate as a global profession over the next 20 years through a shared vision to develop engineering solutions that foster a cleaner, healthier, safer and sustainable world by developing new technologies to address energy, environment, food, housing, water, transportation, safety, and health”. Mechanical Engineering should play a key role in shaping the future. It requires a refocusing of its objectives, bringing new competences to solving problems and challenges in a multidisciplinary manner. In brief, Mechanical engineers are critical to technologies that serve people. The Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Center (MEtRICs) mission is to provide technical solutions for a cleaner, safer and sustainable world and we aim to be a leading institution in this field. The center presently includes 24 integrated members (IM) with PhD from two managing institutions, with a third participating institution. The number of PhD students has been increasing and currently 46 students are supervised by integrated members. In 2017 the publication ratio in journals was over 2.1/IM. The number of publications in conferenced yielded a ratio of 4.9 in 2017. Over the period of analysis, the total number of completed PhD was 32 and a total of over 370 MSc theses were awarded. The funding secured for 2018 amounts to 1.5 M€. The research activities are organized along 4 research topics: Energy Conversion; Advanced Engineering Systems; Structures and Vehicle Engineering; Food Technology and Wellbeing. Energy conversion. The work will be oriented in the development of processes of energy production; valorization of biomass and wastes; bioremediation of soils and effluents; sustainable production of crops to bioenergy and biomaterials in marginal land, to limit the land use. Biomass combustion will focus on optimization of air supply staging while preventing or mitigating the ash sintering through the temperature control in the fuel grate and on the devolatization mechanisms of biomass. Furthermore a project is being organized to develop a gasification reactor combined with torrefaction. Enhanced heat transfer through jet impingement and the application of nano-fluids (NF’s) in heat transfer for both the electronics cooling and energy systems will be developed by using NFs from "green routes" or biosynthesis. Optimization concerns the development of thermodynamic and economic models coupled with optimization techniques of energy systems. Food Technology and Wellbeing. Food Technology will focus on innovation on food preservation: substitution of synthetic additives by natural ingredients; improvement of the mechanical and bioactive properties of biodegradable polymers; plant mechanisms designed to counteract fungus in order to prevent fungal infections. The effects of the different technologies applied to the food quality and safety, will be studied. Wellbeing will consist on the mechatronic design, development and production of assistive products, instruments, devices, equipment and systems useful for elderly and disabled persons, where the main goal is the improvement of their quality of life. Advanced Engineering Systems. Highly skilled researchers in mechanical, mechatronic, fluidic and microfluidic systems design will develop their work on Advanced Engineering Systems mainly studying modelling, simulation, behavior analysis, development and construction of Cyber-Physical systems, on the context of Industry 4.0. Additionally, advanced micro/macro-cooling systems based on innovative NFs and acoustic streaming will be developed to accelerate the translation of NFs to many industries including microelectronics, transportation and renewable energy. Structures and Vehicle Engineering. The research topic on vehicle engineering and structural development will focus on light-weight applications wherein weight reduction contributes to lower fuel consumption and reduction of emissions. Such approach encompasses a variety of studies dealing with: advanced numerical simulation tools, light-alloys, cellular materials, innovative cooling systems, high-strength steel and its applications; conventional, hybrid and electric vehicle development; vehicle-road modeling and simulation; accident reconstruction; development of hybrid and electric vehicles, namely through the use of computer models for vehicle simulation; development of computational tools for the assessment of accident reconstruction; development of devices to aid accident reconstruction; improvement of powertrain efficiency by waste heat recovery. The main objectives are: a) Maintain the competitive external founding above 1.5 M€/year; b) By 2022 to increase the scientific production by 50% over the current levels; c) To produce up to 6 patents during this period; d) Complete, on average, 12 PhD/year over the 5 year period; e) Reach, by 2022, 60 students enrolled in the PhD programs; f) maintain 5 pos doc supported by externally founded projects supplemented by 5 others supported by FCT. The strategic implementation includes: internationalization with key partners; Foster the collaboration with industry; Promote a balance between fundamental research, applied technologies and dissemination; dissemination and networking. The center seeks programmatic funding for additional 5 pos-doc scholarships (384 k€), laboratory equipment (714.8 k€), networking (32.5 k€) and building retrofitting at UNL (50 k€). This budget is to be distributed through the duration of the project.

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos (MEtRICs)
  • Universidade do Minho (UMinho)

Other Institutions

  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL)
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT (NOVA.ID.FCT)

Funding 280.000,00 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

280.000,00 €