Project description
Reactive fluids to boost energy conversion efficiency
Thermodynamic cycles used in engines, heat pumps and refrigeration systems rely on working fluids to convert energy into useful forms such as work or heat. However, current systems using inert fluids operate far below their theoretical maximum efficiency, significantly limiting progress across multiple energy conversion applications, including waste heat recovery and renewable energy utilisation. The ERC-funded REACHER project aims to replace inert fluids with reactive ones, which can simultaneously convert thermal and chemical energy. This innovative method integrates thermodynamic and kinetic predictive tools to discover and optimise reactive fluids, thereby enhancing energy conversion processes. REACHER aims to transform our understanding of thermodynamic cycles, offering significant performance improvements for power generation, heating and refrigeration technologies.
Objective
Thermal engines, refrigeration systems and heat pumps rely on thermodynamic cycles, in which an inert working fluid converts input thermal and mechanical energies into another useful energy form (work or heat) by cyclically transforming its thermal energy content. Although the selection of the working fluid is the main lever to increase their performances, whatever the fluid is, recorded efficiencies remain far below the highest achievable ones. This deficiency is strongly affecting the exploitation of waste heat and renewable thermal energies by closed power cycles, as well as representing the main cause of the slow performance improvement of heat pumps and cooling technologies. With the aim to effectively increase the performances of thermodynamic cycles, I propose to investigate a radically new thermodynamic structure, resulting from the use of equilibrated reactive working fluids instead of inert ones. Preliminary calculations have indeed shown that the simultaneous conversion of the thermal and chemical energy of reactive fluids may result in the intensification of these energy conversion processes. This project applies an original methodology that integrates thermodynamic and kinetic predictive tools to discover and characterize suitable reactive fluids, allowing for the quantification of the effects of reaction features on cycle performance and the optimization of the cycle?s configuration. The novelty of such a solution approach and comprehensiveness of the applied methodology builds the innovative character of REACHER. Probably due to the complex multi-disciplinarity of the problem or to the negligence of this possible way to convert chemical energy in thermodynamic cycles, this field has remained substantially unexplored. The successful development of REACHER will provide the former fundamental understanding on how chemical energy can be efficiently exploited in the intensification of thermodynamic cycles for power, refrigeration and heating purposes.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
54052 Nancy Cedex
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.