Innovative decarbonisation method for energy-intensive industries

As energy-intensive industries depend heavily on hard-to-decarbonise high temperature processes (HTP), Europe needs to increase the share of dispatchable renewable electricity on the grid as well as the HTP efficiency and electrification, in particular through electric heating. At high temperatures, radiation is the main heat transfer mode. However, a lack of radiative control restricts the energy efficiency and electrification potential of HTP.

The EU funded HEASeRS project will explore an innovative method to spectro-angular radiation control. This method is based on the modification of the surface geometry of industrially relevant high-temperature materials at multiple length levels, is generally applicable to all HTP and free of most of the restrictions of current design paradigms.

Energy Intensive Industries (EII) heavily rely on High-Temperature Processes (HTP), notoriously hard to de-carbonise. To meet its carbon neutrality goal, Europe will need to increase the share or dispatchable renewable electricity on the grid and significantly increase the efficiency and electrification of HTP, particularly via electric heating. At high-temperatures, radiation is the dominant heat transfer mode. There are very few technological options available to improve and control the radiative properties of materials able to survive the aggressive oxidation and thermomechanical stresses that occur in HTP. The lack of radiative control reduces the energy efficiency and electrification potential of HTP.

The HEASeRS (High-tEmperature Angular-Selective Radiant Surfaces) project explores an innovative approach to spectro-angular radiation control based on the modification of the surface geometry of industrially relevant high-temperature materials at multiple length scales: surface roughness, meso-structures and macro-scale system geometry optimisation. This approach is generally applicable to all HTP and exempt of most of the limitations of existing design paradigms. The findings are applied to a series of proof-of-concept designs targeting innovations in the design of efficient heat exchangers, radiant furnaces, and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) receivers. CSP is a promising renewable energy technology that can potentially supply high-temperature heat and electricity on demand; and shares many similarities with HTP.

The 24 months research, based at IME (Madrid, Spain) with a secondment at LTeN (Nantes, France), involves a combination of detailed numerical modelling of radiative heat transfers and experimental activities. Industrial relevance, at the core of the research objectives, is promoted through bi-annual project newsletters featuring interviews of EII, technology providers and researchers; and a intersectoral workshop at the end of the action.

Coordinator

• Fundacion IMDEA Energia

Start date: 15 November 2021 - End date: 14 November 2023