The Stock-HD project aims at developing the use of renewable energies and improving the performance of district heating networks. It aims to develop a thermo-chemical heat storage system with high energy density (based on chemical sorption) at temperatures compatible with its integration in district heating networks and to study the architecture and dimensioning of its optimal integration in these networks. The developed storage system will operate as a separate circulating open reactor. It will be the seat of a chemical reaction between a salt hydrate and the humidity of the air, a highly exothermic reaction that can be reversed by supplying heat to the system. The project will tackle, in 5 distinct tasks : - the behavior of the salt(s) without and with additives (characterization of the mechanical properties, mechanical behaviour during cycling, transport and storage phases, behavior with the addition of anti-caking agent) (by experimental characterizations) ; - the dynamic behavior of the system (reactor, storage and auxiliaries) according to meteorological data and needs (by experimental studies and dynamic modeling); - optimization of the system in terms of energy density, consumption of auxiliaries, grey energy (LCA), cost, sizing, dynamic control of the reactor (by simulations)... - Integration and technico-economic optimization of the overall energy architecture in a district heating network (in networks with little inertia or in substations), smoothing strategy and integration of renewable energy sources (by numerical study). This project will involve 3 partners: 2 research laboratories (the RAPSODEE center and the LOCIE laboratory which will coordinate the project) and an engineering and R&D firm (CMDL Manaslu Ing.). They are complementary to address all aspects of the project, from the study of the material to the development of the storage process and its optimal management to its integration into district heat networks.

The ASTORIA project aims to develop innovative numerical tools for a significant improvement of the CFD modelling of both soot formation and radiative properties in complex combustion systems. Indeed, soot modelling is a difficult task involving complex chemical schemes, physical and radiative processes. Nevertheless, there is a strong need for a better control of the soot formation process, in order to optimize the radiative properties of combustion systems rand also to reduce the particle matter emissions. To gain a sufficient accuracy, models need to take into account the particle size and fractal aggregate morphology. For that purpose, ASTORIA aims to develop or improve numerical approaches both for combustion and radiation in complex geometries. First, ASTORIA will propose an alternative method based on a Lagrangian semi-deterministic method to existing Sectional Methods and Methods Of Moments allowing to compute the evolution of the PM population and properties, including a detailed gaseous chemistry. Second, realistic soot sizes and morphologies will be produced by developing an aggregation code relying on the surface growth and oxidation/fragmentation processes, taking into account physical local conditions along particle trajectories. Finally, radiative properties of the so-modelled realistic aggregates will be determined in the infrared and visible domains. The results will be implemented in highly sophisticated radiative transfer solvers in order to produce accurate evaluation of the radiative transfer in the combustion chamber caused both by burnt gases and soot particles. All these new model developments will be integrated in a combustion code and several radiation solvers with increasing accuracy to improve the prediction of emitted PM number and shape in industrial applications, which is the global objective of ASTORIA. Such developments will also allow to compute radiation in the visible frequency range, in order to reproduce numerically laser-based diagnostics such as static light scattering, line of sight extinction or laser induced incandescence. This will pave the way to a more direct comparison between simulations and experiments for a better understanding and prediction of PM emission. The improved knowledge and description of soot radiative properties will also increase the accuracy of laser-based diagnostics and climate models. All these novel developments will be systematically validated based on existing documented flames (LII database of academic flames, ISF3-Target swirled turbulent sooting flame) and in the MICADO test rig studied within the H2020 SOPRANO project. An additional experimental campaign of planar laser light scattering will be conducted in MICADO to validate the numerical approach used to compute the digital image of the flame. The ASTORIA project gathers four partners (CERFACS, CORIA, ONERA, RAPSODEE) expert in high-fideliy CFD of sooting reacting flows, soot aggregate generation and radiation modeling.

The scientific goal of MCMET is to develop a novel strategy for simulating complex energy systems by building upon recent advances in Monte Carlo (MC) path-sampling methods. Recent advances in statistical physics and computer graphics have paved the way to tackle a long standing issue: solving non linear models with MC methods while preserving its fundamental capacity to scale up with the geometry and physics complexity. The project focuses on one specific type of non linearity: the one related to the collision frequency parameter, which defines the geometry of the (radiative, conductive, electronical...) paths. Three applications are targeted: radiant energy conversion systems (photoreactive and photovoltaic) for solar fuels and electricity production; thermal performance of buildings targeting both energy consumption reduction and thermal comfort of inhabitants; and estimation of the ground solar resource in presence of clouds in climate simulations.The locks in these applications can be formulated in a common framework and are due to non linear dependencies to the models’ collision frequency parameters. In this project , the following questions will be addressed: (1) How to formulate non linear physical models under the path-space formulation? (2) How to conceive scientific computation libraries for sampling these new multi-scale multi-physics path spaces? (3) How to implement algorithms in this framework to meet the application needs? The consortium brings together MC specialists, computer scientists and physicists specialized in energy, climate and buildings, to develop a novel modelling paradigm allowing the gain of orders of magnitude in performance and cost of numerical simulations. Impacts will be immediate for the applicative domains thanks ,to the development of application-driven codes. Longer-term outlooks include the creation of MC-based climate services for the energy sector.

In recent years, single-atom catalysis has become a major research focus in heterogeneous catalysis. In these systems, the absence of ensemble effect and the existence of strong electronic effects of the support induce a reactivity very different from that of the metal particles. Single-atom catalysts can be present in many supported catalysts (including commercial ones) in combination with metal nanoparticles, and have certainly played an important role in many catalytic processes, but they have rarely been recognized as active sites. In this context, the COMET project aims at developing a new generation of supported catalysts, combining in a controlled manner isolated atoms and metal particles, in order to achieve a cooperative catalysis for continuous flow reactions. In this cooperative catalysis, isolated atoms and particles participate in the facilitation of reactions that would be less favorable on a single type of site. Preliminary results obtained by COMET project partners strongly support this innovative approach.

A continuous extrusion process will be studied for the elaboration of structured cellular polymer foams, in the micro to nano cellular range, i.e cell (pore) sizes lower than 1 micrometer, through foaming in a supercritical fluid. Also, these foams will be multifunctional materials, and will exhibit several properties such as a very low thermal conductivity, or a high electrical conductivity, rigidity vs. damping, toughness, or even original acoustic properties. The edyFICE project aims at controlling a continuous extrusion process for innovative, cellular, (nano) structured, multifunctional materials responding to the challenge of mass reduction (density lowering), and homogeneous lowering of pore sizes of cellular polymers. This methodology will enable and act as a “micro / nano organic foams platform”.