Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HARMoNIC (HierARchical Multiscale NanoInterfaces for enhanced Condensation processes)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2019-10-01 do 2022-07-31
This project focuses on key water-related challenges facing human society: continuously increasing global demands for electricity, as well as potable drinking water. Our long-term vision consists of developing solutions related to water utilization for significant enhancement in efficiency of thermal power generation and water harvesting to reduce the shortfall in global fresh water supply. The novel concepts that we propose rely on the realization of:
1. Engineering rationally, hierarchical interface nanotextures, also with controllable directionality.
2. Introducing a new norm of random biphilicity in the above interfaces at the submicron level.
3. Realizing novel superhydrophobic membranes through controlled coating of commercial hollow fiber membranes.
4. Novel computational concepts: a) methods of nanometrology to precisely and rationally describe the fabricated complex interfaces, and b) introducing new simulation concepts to understand and predict drop wise condensation phenomena on textured surfaces
Concept 1 is related to heat transfer via dropwise condensation, where we target lifetime performance relevant to industrial surface condensers, while significantly improving their heat transfer coefficient. By employing concept 2 we target novel material systems focusing on dew water harvesting in humid environments. Concept 3 targets new surface modification approaches for commercial membranes to achieve high efficiency in water desalination while ensuring anti-biofouling. For the first three concepts described above, a key component of our work will be to ensure economic scalability, of the precisely controlled textures, to large surface areas so that they can be converted to industrial products. For achieving optimal design, quantification and repeatable manufacturability of the aforementioned interfaces, we will employ novel metrology methods for hierarchical surfaces (concept 4a), as well as novel simulation approaches (concept 4b) which will provide important theoretical feedback and understanding of the influence of critical surface structural parameters, through the entire project.
1. Engineering rationally, hierarchical interface nanotextures, also with controllable directionality.
2. Introducing a new norm of random biphilicity in the above interfaces at the submicron level.
3. Realizing novel superhydrophobic membranes through controlled coating of commercial hollow fiber membranes.
4. Novel computational concepts: a) methods of nanometrology to precisely and rationally describe the fabricated complex interfaces, and b) introducing new simulation concepts to understand and predict drop wise condensation phenomena on textured surfaces
Concept 1 is related to heat transfer via dropwise condensation, where we target lifetime performance relevant to industrial surface condensers, while significantly improving their heat transfer coefficient. By employing concept 2 we target novel material systems focusing on dew water harvesting in humid environments. Concept 3 targets new surface modification approaches for commercial membranes to achieve high efficiency in water desalination while ensuring anti-biofouling. For the first three concepts described above, a key component of our work will be to ensure economic scalability, of the precisely controlled textures, to large surface areas so that they can be converted to industrial products. For achieving optimal design, quantification and repeatable manufacturability of the aforementioned interfaces, we will employ novel metrology methods for hierarchical surfaces (concept 4a), as well as novel simulation approaches (concept 4b) which will provide important theoretical feedback and understanding of the influence of critical surface structural parameters, through the entire project.
Work package 1 is focusing in collaborative effort to improve condensation heat transfer by using multiple materials engineering approaches. We have demonstrated different fabrication methods to obtain hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces on Cu, Al and Zn, with particular emphasis on the texturing approaches at micro- and nanoscales. We also developed multi-layered nanocomposite films by spray coating graphene-based polymer conductive inks on textured aluminum substrates, at different graphene nanoplatelets loadings. Surface nanohierarchy was achieved based on alumina texture and metal-organic framework structures. Also, plasma etching and deposition techniques were applied to enhance surface hydrophobicity. Experimental setups for measuring condensation heat transfer were also assembled. Material durability tests were also performed.
For the WP2, an experimental setup for performing quantitative water collection and heat transfer measurements has been assembled and we are conducting our first experiments. We presented the fabrication processes for various directional interfaces using micro-milling and plasma etching / nanotexturing. Surfaces with parallel trenches, or perpendicular to the surface texture, or inclined to the surface texture and with varying hierarchy levels were fabricated. An experimental set up for testing dew water harvesting was developed, and condensation observation has shown the increased drop mobility on such superhydrophobic surfaces. First dew water harvesting results were presented.
For the WP3, we developed a reliable coating technology to create tri-layer superhydrophobic flat sheet membranes. A setup to characterize membrane distillation (MD) dynamics has been developed. The established MD testing setup has provided experimental data that demonstrates the enhanced MD performance of the developed tri-layer superhydrophobic membranes. Surface treatments for commercial membranes using plasma methods have also been demonstrated, and biofouling and desalination tests have been conducted.
For the WP4, the first results of the modeling framework, demonstrate its potential for the study of dropwise condensation. The results of the modeling framework, demonstrate the events of droplet coalescence, droplet jumping, and droplet removal due to gravity. Both the simulation tools and the metrology tools are in place for use by the experimental work packages.
In WP5, a proper plan has been prepared for the efficient dissemination and exploitation of the HARMoNIC outputs. The plan is divided into four major groups, scientific outputs, data management, academic and public outreach and industrial engagement. Each of the group is further divided into subgroups and each of the group has given equal importance and the interconnection between groups and subgroups has been appropriately addressed. In first year, a significant progress has already been made in each section including publications, conference organization and especially, industrial engagement.
WP 6 concentrates on the project management of HARMoNIC. The main goal is to ensure the smooth management, specific objectives include the proactive exchange between project partners, organization of regular project meetings, monitoring of the timely execution of deliverables and milestones, project monitoring referring to the proper fulfillment of all contractual responsibilities of the consortium members towards the EU, and providing administrative, financial, legal and technical support. The process is continuous and has started in month 1 of the HARMoNIC project and will continue until the end of the project.
For the WP2, an experimental setup for performing quantitative water collection and heat transfer measurements has been assembled and we are conducting our first experiments. We presented the fabrication processes for various directional interfaces using micro-milling and plasma etching / nanotexturing. Surfaces with parallel trenches, or perpendicular to the surface texture, or inclined to the surface texture and with varying hierarchy levels were fabricated. An experimental set up for testing dew water harvesting was developed, and condensation observation has shown the increased drop mobility on such superhydrophobic surfaces. First dew water harvesting results were presented.
For the WP3, we developed a reliable coating technology to create tri-layer superhydrophobic flat sheet membranes. A setup to characterize membrane distillation (MD) dynamics has been developed. The established MD testing setup has provided experimental data that demonstrates the enhanced MD performance of the developed tri-layer superhydrophobic membranes. Surface treatments for commercial membranes using plasma methods have also been demonstrated, and biofouling and desalination tests have been conducted.
For the WP4, the first results of the modeling framework, demonstrate its potential for the study of dropwise condensation. The results of the modeling framework, demonstrate the events of droplet coalescence, droplet jumping, and droplet removal due to gravity. Both the simulation tools and the metrology tools are in place for use by the experimental work packages.
In WP5, a proper plan has been prepared for the efficient dissemination and exploitation of the HARMoNIC outputs. The plan is divided into four major groups, scientific outputs, data management, academic and public outreach and industrial engagement. Each of the group is further divided into subgroups and each of the group has given equal importance and the interconnection between groups and subgroups has been appropriately addressed. In first year, a significant progress has already been made in each section including publications, conference organization and especially, industrial engagement.
WP 6 concentrates on the project management of HARMoNIC. The main goal is to ensure the smooth management, specific objectives include the proactive exchange between project partners, organization of regular project meetings, monitoring of the timely execution of deliverables and milestones, project monitoring referring to the proper fulfillment of all contractual responsibilities of the consortium members towards the EU, and providing administrative, financial, legal and technical support. The process is continuous and has started in month 1 of the HARMoNIC project and will continue until the end of the project.
The project aspires, through key innovative and fundamental concepts, to create novel pathways for efficient power generation and enhanced fresh water collection, by bringing together 5 extremely well known and capable research groups. Thus, the project inherently focuses on two issues with tremendous societal impact; efficient power generation and water harvesting. Indeed, looking to the first-year results for this project, the consortium members have been able to establish promising material fabrication techniques on metallic and porous surfaces. Further work has been done on the chemical functionalization, as well as on surface structuring and hydrophobization. The main characterization techniques for condensation heat transfer have been established, as well as water collection from moist environment, and membrane distillation. All techniques presented can be potentially scalable, and the HARMoNIC members have also worked on the evaluation and improvement of the mechanical durability of the developed materials. Last but not least, the metrological characterization tools that have been developed in the project fill an important gap in surface characterization and metrics regarding the hierarchical surface nanometrology and boost this new and emerging field, which is expected to have an exponential growth due to the increased number of nanotechnology products and the lack of standards for their quantitative characterization. The combination of the above technologies and characterization tools can be envisioned to lead to a solid integrated research platform that will have all the capabilities to advance the state-of-the-art in the next two years.