ENERGY
Production

PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY
- Photovoltaic recunfigurable systems for energy
- Modular power conversion architectures
- Grid-connected photovoltaic systems
- Modelling and control of PV inverters and converters
- Refrigeration and thermal management of PVpanels
- Hybridization of PV power facilities with other energy sources

WIND ENERGY
- Transmission systems for offshore wind power plants
- Analysis and design of advanced controllers for wind turbines
- Analysis of harmonics flow in wind power plants and design of mitigation measures
- Analysis of the performance of wind power plants
- Design of mini-wind generators
- Wind turbine blade virtual wind tunnel

HYDROPOWER
- Vibration analysis and diagnostics in machinery
- Predictive maintenance
- Advanced monitoring and damage detection
- Structural dynamics, effects of fluid on structural response
- Experimental and numerical investigation of cavitating flows
- Numerical simulation in turbulent flows
- Hydropower plant performance
- Production analysis of mini hydropower plants

BIOENERGY & BIOFUELS
- Microbial fuel cells in constructed wetlands
- Biofuel production from algal biomass
- Low-cost anaerobic digester
- Hydrogen production from biomass


SOLAR TERMAL ENERGY
- Integration of solar ponds: energy storage and energy production
- Solar collectors using transparent insulation materials (TIM)
- Receivers in concentrating solar power plants
- Thermal storage in concentrating solar power plants
- Grid integration of solar power


OCEAN ENERGY
- Wave energy resource assessment
- Wave energy balance in wave models
- Testing of wave energy capture devices
- Optimization of buoy geometry design
- Fluid–structure interaction for buoys and waves
- Overtopping devices


GEOTERMAL ENERGY
- Very low enthalpy geothermal energy (up to 30ºC)
- Low enthalpy geothermal energy (from 30ºC to 90ºC)
- Medium enthalpy geothermal energy (from 90ºC to 150ºC)


NUCLEAR ENERGY & SAFETY
- Nuclear safety. Probabilistic risk assessment
- Nuclear instrumentation
- Nuclear power plants
- Nuclear fusion reactors
- Nuclear waste characterization
Distribution & Consumption


ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN INDUSTRY
- Saving energy through design
- Integration and intensification of processes
- Integration and circular economy in chemical processes
- Energy storage systems (heat storage tanks and accumulators, thermochemical storage)
- Heat recovery and alternative heating
- Heat exchangers


ELECTRIC VEHICLES
- Intelligent management of EV
- Modelling EV battery aging for second life business models
- Cooling of batteries
- Electric traction and mechatronics for EV
- Energy efficiency, industrial electronics and high voltage systems for EV
- Design of charging stations



CONSUMERS IN THE ENERGY SYSTEM - SMARTS GRIDS
- Smart grid architecture and big data
- Power systems design
- Power electronics and mechatronics
- Electrical power conversion and AC/DC grids
- Integration of new power sources: renewable power
- Study of demand response management schemes
- Advanced control of electrical systems



ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS
- Bioclimatic architecture
- Energy-efficient illumination systems
- Building envelope, building insulation technologies
- Building energy management solutions


REFRIGERATION HVAC SYSTEMS
- Compressors
- Valves and capillary tubes
- Refrigeration cycle analysis
- Virtual household refrigerator
- Domestic and industrial air-conditioning
- Vapor compression heat pump as alternative heating
- Sprays/evaporative cooling design
- Fan performance analysis (virtual and tunnel)


FUEL CELLS & HYDROGEN
- Modelling and control of systems based on proton exchange membrane fuel cell-based systems
- Fuel cell control laboratory, modelling and experimental characterization
- Fuel cell efficiency and durability analysis
- Ethanol reformers for hydrogen production
- Fuel cell systems controller design
- Fuel cell integration into vehicles
- Catalytic and photocatalytic production of hydrogen as a fuel for fuel cells
ENVIRONMENT
Recycling, Upcycling, Treatment


GAS EMITIONS AND AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
- Gas sensors and contaminant detection
- Modelling odor episodes and atmospheric quality
- Industrial emission assessment tools, systems and models
- Modelling, diagnosis and control of sources of air pollution
- Characterization and treatment of gaseous emissions
- Removal, filtration and/or valuation of air pollutants and gases (NH3, H2S, CO2, CO, VOCs and cinder, amongs others)


CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
- Ecotechnologies and nature-based solutions
- Models and proposals for climate change mitigation
- Multilateral governance
- Global carbon budget and climate justice
- Advice on the Paris Agreement
- Life cycle assessment
- Green and circular economy


PLASTICS
- Recycling and recovery of plastic materials
- Plastic recycling by means of hyperspectral techniques
- Conversion of plastic waste (monomers) into new plastics
- Development in bioplastics and biocomposites


ORGANIC
- Characterization and composting of organic waste for agricultural recovery
- Valorization of incineration waste
- Recovery of bio-active components from food and agrowaste
- Sustainable management of cork waste generated in the cork industry
- Development of bio or synthetic organic waste to obtain new materials, for use in the construction industry, transport and packaging
- (Bio) processes of transformation of waste and organic by-products


ELECTRONICS
- Circular economy of digital devices
- eReuse: reuse of electronics to ensure final recycling
- Bioleaching of low-rank ores and e-waste for valuable metals recovery
- Research on the traceability of digital devices across their lifespan


OTHERS
- Co-gasification and pyrolysis of residual material(including municipal solid waste and forest waste)
- Construction and demolition waste management and recovery
- Mining, urban and industrial waste recovery
- Management, compaction and recovery of the waste process
Ecosystem Preservation


WASTEWATER TREATMENT
- Real-time control of sewage systems and wastewater treatment plants
- Natural low-cost bioprocesses for wastewater and sludge treatment
- Design of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment
- Numerical simulation of bioprocesses to remove contaminants from wastewater
- Life cycle assessment and economic evaluation of products and technologies for wastewater treatment, sludge management and biogas production
- Use of cork to clean wastewater and produce electricity
- Urban and industrial wastewater treatments and related technologies


TERRESTRAL ECOSYSTEMS
- Application technique of phytosanitary products to reduce the risk of environmental pollution
- Application technique for organic fertilizers to reduce environmental impact
- Efficiency in composting systems and optimization of agricultural productivity. Sustainable agriculture
- Studies to evaluate risk to human health and ecosystems
- Landslide risk management
- Ecosystem services and sustainable resource management


URBAN ECOSYSTEM
- Urban contaminants and the environment
- Green building architecture and materials
- Noise pollution



DRINKING WATER
- Real-time monitoring and operational control of drinking water systems
- Improvement in the efficiency of water use, energy consumption, water loss minimization and water quality
- Modelling and simulation of drinking water networks
- Optimization of water transport and distribution networks


MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
- Engineering and physical oceanography
- Port and coastal structures. Coastal zone management
- Morphodynamics and coastal processes
- Maritime research and experimentation wave flume
- Data acquisition system design and automation of marine system measurements
- Development of multifunctional sensors for in-situ monitoring of the marine environment
- Development of mobile and fixed ocean observing platforms


ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND TECHNOLOGICAL RISK
- Risk analysis in the process industry
- Wildland fires monitoring and prediction
- Compartment fires modelling
- Floods and flash-floods, forecasting and derived impac
- Ecotoxicology
APPLICATION SECTORS
AERONAUTICS
AUTOMOTION
INFRASTRUCTURES
HEALTH
MANUFACTURING
TEXTILES
RELATED PROJECTS
- Ventilation in indoor spaces has become a topic of great interest recently, especially with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recent studies report a reduction in the incidence of respiratory infections when ventilation maintains the concentration of carbon dioxide below 1000 ppm. Proper ventilation is also required to ensure the wellbeing of lecturers and students and to enhance their cognitive abilities.
- The Centre of Applied Research in Hydrometeorology (CRAHI) of the UPC participates in the European project RESIST. The aim of this project is to study the use of tools to improve preparation for weather emergencies and thus to increase resilience in the face of climate change.
- The aim of the MARLIT project is to improve the knowledge and development of tools to understand the impacts of current and future storms on the coast (damage, flooding and population security), to support the management of coastal risk by government bodies. Participants in this project include the Maritime Engineering Laboratory (LIM) of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC).
- 11/08/2022Project Headerrightrightno-repeat;left top;;auto20px The Centre for Technological Innovation in Static Converters and Drives (CITCEA) of the UPCis participating in FLEX4FACT, a European project cofunded by the […]