RESEARCH Topics
Traditional and innovative power cycle
Study, analysis, and design of components involved in all the aspects of energy conversion, particularly in case of power units operating with non-conventional working fluids and mixtures
(i.e. Organic Rankine cycles, closed gas cycles, heat pumps, absorption chillers, Stirling engines)
Thermal engines (operating in closed cycle) for a rational use of fossil sources and renewable energy or, in general, unconventional energy sources.
Heat recovery with production of electricity from sources heat at low/medium temperature. Optimization of industrial energy processes and energy savings
Feasibility studies, technical-economic evaluations and energy optimization of plants for the production of electricity, heating and cooling in cogeneration and trigeneration.
Simulation tools are either self-developed codes or commercial software.
Computational modelling and thermodynamic analysis of systems for energy conversion
On-design and off-design analysis of power system’s components (pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, steam and gas turbines) together with dynamic analysis of power systems
innovative working fluid for closed POWER cycle
Experimental and analytical characterisation of innovative working fluids and mixtures for power conversion systems
Fluid Test Laboratory: Experimental analysis on the thermal stability of working fluids for closed cycle engines
Development of Equation of State models of pure fluids and mixtures
green hydrogen
Techno-economic analysis and system optimisation for the production and utilisation of hydrogen.
Pure hydrogen production from membrane reactors fueled by bio-fuels (biogas or bioethanol) or natural gas
Low and high temperature electrolysers
Electric and thermal power production by low or high temperature fuel cells (i.e. PEM or SOFC) or hybrid systems
sustainable mobility
Development of models for cycle simulations driving for traditional and heavy commercial vehicles equipped with low environmental impact engines (electric, hybrid and fuel cell propulsion) and in the "well to wheel" analysis of power trains consisting of hybrid systems with hydrogen fuel cell.
Techno-economic analysis of production and applications of green fuels for energy transition: bio-fuels such as biogas from animal manure and OFMSW and its upgrading to biomethane and electrofuels or syntethic fuels from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
