Description:

The research group in “Fisica Tecnica Industriale” (i.e. Industrial applications of energetics, thermodynamics and heat transfer) works within the Dept. ofEngineering at University of Palermo, promoting teaching and research activities in the fields of basic principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer and applications of these disciplines to systems and components in industrial and civil facilities. More in details, the research fields covered by Fisica Tecnica Industriale cover a wide number of topics, such as the principles and applications of applied physics, applied thermodynamics, applied thermal fluid dynamics and heat transfer.Specific skills are in the fields of thermodynamic analysis of energy processes and their environmental impact, energetics, conversion, management and use of energy sources and carriers, exploitation of renewable and fossil energy sources, thermoeconomics, heat transfer, applied thermal fluid dynamics, thermal systems, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, control devices for thermal and cooling systems, thermophysical properties of materials.

Research activities being conducted at the Dept. of Engineering cover the following fields:

• Theoretical and experimental study of systems and components adopted in the field of thermal systems (boilers and furnaces, different types of heat exchangers)
• Theoretical and experimental study of systems and components adopted in the fields of refrigeration and air-conditioning, with a particular focus on the experimental characterization of performance of heat transfer devices operating with “old”refrigerant fluids (such as HCFC and HFC) and novel natural refrigerants
• Theoretical and experimental study on the potential of nanofluids as working fluids in vapor compression refrigeration systems
• Heat exchangers networks for thermal energy recovery in industrial sites
• District heating
• Thermal fluid dynamics of energy conversion systems
• Energy saving-, emissions saving- and economic oriented optimization of design and operation in polygeneration systems (cogeneration, trigeneration, combined production of electricity and desalted water) for application in the civil and industrial sectors
• Thermoeconomic analysis of energy systems and thermoeconomic diagnosis of malfunctions in chillers and rooftop-type air-conditioning systems
• Energetics of thermal separation processes, with a particular focus on thermal desalination by Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) systems
• Energy analysis of systems supplied by Renewable Energy Sources

Main research projects:

Participation in the project: “iNEXT - Innovation for GreeNEnergy and eXchange in Transportation” (PON04a2_H – i-NEXT) funded in the framework of the National Operative Programme “Ricerca & Competività” 2007-2013 (PON “R&C”). Specific task: development of tools and instruments for the optimization of polygeneration systems for buildings applications;

Participation in the project “RED Heat to Power”, funded within the Programme Horizon 2020. Specific task: providing support to the research group with regard to the exergy analysis of reverse electrodialysis and thermal regeneration devices.

Keywords: Heat transfer, thermodynamics, refrigeration and air-conditioning, energy management, polygeneration.