Energy Harvesting
Internet of Things
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Project OfficeATTRACT
Short TitleAHEAD
StakeholdersCSEM SA (Coordinator), Thales Alenia Space France, CERN, LISI Aerospace Additive Manufacturing, Norwegian University of Science & Technology and inanoEnergy
IndustryRemote sensing / Energy harvesting
Conclusion2025
FundingThis project has received funding from the ATTRACT project AHEAD
Developing pipe segments with built-in functions that enable in-situ and standalone monitoring

Advanced heat exchange devices

The main goal of AHEAD is to develop a TRL7 product, bringing the possibility of sensing fluid parameters with a simple pipe segment to an industrial preproduction level, compatible with natural refrigerants: Carbon Dioxide (for detector applications) and Ammonia (for space applications). To reach this goal, two use-cases will be developed: the so called “Refrigeration” use-case targeting earth applications and the “MPL” use-case (Mechanically Pumped Loop) targeting thermal management applications for satellite platforms.
The partners in the proposal gather two beneficiaries mastering all the required technological steps for the full development of the product (CSEM and LISI Aerospace) and a set of end-users (CERN, Thales Alenia Space and NTNU) capable of performing accurate testing and product follow-up allowing for validation of prototypes at different steps of the project and for final qualification in field operation. In particular, the addition of NTNU to CERN and Thales will permit to study and qualify the extension of the potential application of the product to the market of natural refrigeration plants for general purpose terrestrial applications.
This will greatly reinforce the strength of the proposal in the context of ATTRACT, by directly introducing an aspect related to environment preservation and reduction of CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, in the parallel project ENERGY4OIL of ATTRACT Phase1, the Portuguese spin-off inanoEnergy has developed a technique of energy harvesting from turbulent flows, allowing to produce enough power to operate a sensor and enable wireless transmission of the data.

Local Sensing

The pipe segment can locally monitor fluid parameters even in remote places such as satellite platforms.

No flow obstruction

The nanomaterials used to build the integrated sensor allow monitoring without any significant flow obstruction.

Safety

The materials used are non-flammable and compatible with natural refrigerants.

Works both for Earth and Space

This in-situ monitoring technology will work for both Earth detector applications and thermal management Space applications.