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HEDoctoral network2024–2028

CaviPRO · Modelling, Control and Applications of Hydrodynamic Cavitation Phenomena

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2024-02-01 → 2028-01-31
EU contribution
€2,154,021
Participants
17
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Modelling, Control and Applications of Hydrodynamic Cavitation Phenomena

The manufacturing industry faces big challenges in rising raw material costs, depleting feed stocks, and reducing environmental impact. Europe has set the goal of doubling its resource productivity by 2030 and of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 (EU 2030 climate and energy framework and 2050 long-term strategy). CaviPRO aims to harness hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) for realising the desired next-generation, intensified processes and products. Despite decades of laboratory research, the potential of HC remains largely unfulfilled because engineers cannot yet reliably control the number, intensity and location of cavitation events, and current HC devices suffer from rapid erosion and clogging. The CaviPRO network is designed to overcome these challenges and develop new knowledge, methods, models & data for realising innovative HC devices and substantial productivity enhancements in key sectors (water, healthcare, chemicals and energy). CaviPRO addresses these barriers through four research objectives: (1) developing new quantitative understanding of cavity dynamics with 30% better spatio-temporal resolution than the state of the art; (2) researching physico-chemical transformations including pollutant degradation, crystal engineering, green organic reactions and biomass pre-treatment; (3) creating multi-scale models linking cavity-scale physics to device-scale performance; and (4) demonstrating four bench-scale applications — water treatment with 30% lower energy consumption, cavi-crystallisation producing 30% smaller crystals, organic reactions in water with 20% enhanced rates, and biomass valorisation with 20% improved potential. CaviPRO will replace current empirical design methods that are expensive, sub-optimal and often unsuccessful by validated multi-scale models for realising the hitherto unfulfilled potential of HC. Scientifically, CaviPRO targets at least 30 high-quality open-access publications and four new experimental methods. Economically, the project aims at multiple patent applications and industrial innovations with partners including Air Liquide, Pfizer, Andritz and Biocore, and the creation of a new market segment for HC devices. Societally, CaviPRO outcomes directly address EU Green Deal objectives, UN SDGs 6, 8 and 9, and provide evidence to support EU policymaking on clean water, sustainable manufacturing, and renewable energy.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) is known for causing damages on machines, pipelines and equipment due to the formation and implosion of tiny gas bubbles and local temperature hotspots. Controlling and utilizing these harsh micro-conditions has the potential to revolutionise process unit operations such as mixing, reactions, emulsions and particle formation for the benefit of the European process industries and global industrial community. Systematic understanding of the physicochemical phenomena occurring in HC and design of HC reactors and scale-up are missing. Now it is time to guide the research further towards game-changing implementations that utilises HC and orchestrate them in large systems that are ready for industrial deployment. Therefore, we propose the DN project CaviPRO, which aims (a) to push the current scientific boundaries and explore entirely new directions of fundamental research on controlled cavitation that is linked to state-of-the-art additive manufacturing, advanced process control and machine learning; and (b) to educate and mentor 10 curious and capable doctoral candidates to form a critical mass of fully skilled young professionals acting as multipliers to develop technologies across Europe. The network is built on synergies and complementarities between leading scientists, world-class institutions, different disciplines, and the incorporation of several industries as drivers – ranging from start-ups to SMEs to global players – from all over Europe. In the medium- to long-term, we have the joint vision to create new and sustainable education structures with strong involvement from key stakeholders. The approach blends research, manufacturing and customer driven process design in an innovative way with short times to market, high efficiency and low costs. This will build a continuous stream of leading European scientists who will create new knowledge and innovations in the future, resulting in rapid economic growth and leadership in this field.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK · LimerickCoordinatorIreland
  • ANDRITZ AG · GrazAustria
  • BIOCORE ENVIRONMENTAL LIMITED · BRAYIreland
  • CRB BENELUX BV · MaastrichtNetherlands
  • EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH · ZuerichSwitzerland
  • ELSEVIER BV · AmsterdamNetherlands
  • FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV · MunchenGermany
  • HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM DRESDEN-ROSSENDORF EV · DresdenGermany
  • JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE IRELAND UNLIMITED COMPANY · LIMERICKIreland
  • L AIR LIQUIDE SA · ParisFrance
  • PAQUES TECHNOLOGY BV · BalkNetherlands
  • PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT · VILLIGEN PSISwitzerland
  • PFIZER IRELAND PHARMACEUTICALS · CorkIreland
  • SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE NV · LeuvenBelgium
  • TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN · DresdenGermany
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO · TorinoItaly
  • UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI · LjubljanaSlovenia

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union