TWINNING FOR SOLAR ENERGY-DRIVEN SURFACE ENGINEERING OF METALLIC PARTS

Descripción del proyecto

Aprovechar la energía solar concentrada para modificar la superficie de piezas metálicas

La modificación de superficies, como subcampo de la ingeniería de superficies, tiene como objetivo mejorar el rendimiento y la longevidad de las piezas metálicas que funcionan en entornos adversos que implican desgaste, abrasión, erosión y cavitación. Abordar estas cuestiones es fundamental en un momento en que las industrias se esfuerzan por encontrar soluciones sostenibles en medio de las preocupaciones climáticas mundiales. En consecuencia, el equipo del proyecto TWINSOLARSURF, financiado con fondos europeos, une al Triblab de la Universidad de Ática Occidental (Grecia) con institutos punteros como el DLR (Alemania) y el CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería (España). Asimismo, en el marco del proyecto se desarrollará una innovadora vía de elaboración para reforzar superficies metálicas de grandes dimensiones aprovechando la energía solar concentrada como alternativa a los procesos convencionales de revestimientos endurecedores. Este planteamiento «verde» y eficiente desde el punto de vista energético mejora la resiliencia de los materiales en entornos agresivos y se ajusta a los objetivos europeos en materia de tecnologías ecológicas.

Objetivo

TWINSOLARSURF’s overall aim is to improve the knowledge, skills, competencies and innovation capacities of the research and administrative staff of the Laboratory of Surface Engineering (Triblab) of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of West Attica (UNI.W.A) Greece. The strategic target is the evolution of Triblab from a laboratory of a former technological institute to a unique in Greece, future-oriented research unit of an engineering school, strategically conceived as a self-sustained contact mechanics facility and eventually established as a reliable research partner for academia and industry at European level of innovation. In this perspective and in conjunction with EU and Greece’s transition into a carbon neutral economy by 2050, Triblab has partnered with two top-class EU Research Institutes, namely the Institute of Future Fuels of the German Aerospace Center/DLR and the Spanish CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almeria. The consortium will work together on a strategic plan for co-developing a capacity building programme, sharing knowledge, integrating expertise and skills of institutes during and towards their transformation and evolution and delving into new research avenues. This endeavour will run in parallel with an exploratory project on the research playground of surface processing of metallic materials for use in aggressive environments (e.g. wear, abrasion, erosion, high temperature), via exploitation of solar energy, in an ambitious, yet pragmatic and feasible workplan based on previous relevant research efforts of the partners. The overall approach is fully linked to the European Green Deal strategy for green industrial technologies of the future, further penetration of renewable energies and building the skilled research personnel capable of addressing the global societal, political and environmental challenges of our future ecosystem.