Project acronym AFFINITY
Project Actuation of Ferromagnetic Fibre Networks to improve Implant Longevity
Researcher (PI) Athina Markaki
Host Institution (HI) THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARSOF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2009-StG
Summary This proposal is for an exploratory study into a radical new approach to the problem of orthopaedic implant loosening. Such loosening commonly occurs because the joint between the implant and the surrounding bone is insufficiently strong and durable. It is a serious problem both for implants cemented to the bone and for those dependent on bone in-growth into a rough/porous implant surface. In the latter case, the main problem is commonly that bone in-growth is insufficiently rapid or deep for a strong bond to be established. The idea proposed in this work is that the implant should have a highly porous surface layer, made by bonding ferromagnetic fibres together, into which bone tissue growth would occur. During the post-operative period, application of a magnetic field will cause the fibre network to deform elastically, as individual fibres tend to align with the field. This will impose strains on the bone tissue as it grows into the fibre network. Such mechanical deformation is known to be highly beneficial in promoting bone growth, providing the associated strain lies in a certain range (~0.1%). Preliminary work, involving both model development and experimental studies on the effect of magnetic fields on fibre networks, has suggested that beneficial therapeutic effects can be induced using field strengths no greater than those already employed for diagnostic purposes. A comprehensive 5-year, highly inter-disciplinary programme is planned, encompassing processing, network architecture characterisation, magneto-mechanical response investigations, various modelling activities and systematic in vitro experimentation to establish whether magneto-mechanical Actuation of Ferromagnetic Fibre Networks shows promise as a new therapeutic approach to improve implant longevity.
Summary
This proposal is for an exploratory study into a radical new approach to the problem of orthopaedic implant loosening. Such loosening commonly occurs because the joint between the implant and the surrounding bone is insufficiently strong and durable. It is a serious problem both for implants cemented to the bone and for those dependent on bone in-growth into a rough/porous implant surface. In the latter case, the main problem is commonly that bone in-growth is insufficiently rapid or deep for a strong bond to be established. The idea proposed in this work is that the implant should have a highly porous surface layer, made by bonding ferromagnetic fibres together, into which bone tissue growth would occur. During the post-operative period, application of a magnetic field will cause the fibre network to deform elastically, as individual fibres tend to align with the field. This will impose strains on the bone tissue as it grows into the fibre network. Such mechanical deformation is known to be highly beneficial in promoting bone growth, providing the associated strain lies in a certain range (~0.1%). Preliminary work, involving both model development and experimental studies on the effect of magnetic fields on fibre networks, has suggested that beneficial therapeutic effects can be induced using field strengths no greater than those already employed for diagnostic purposes. A comprehensive 5-year, highly inter-disciplinary programme is planned, encompassing processing, network architecture characterisation, magneto-mechanical response investigations, various modelling activities and systematic in vitro experimentation to establish whether magneto-mechanical Actuation of Ferromagnetic Fibre Networks shows promise as a new therapeutic approach to improve implant longevity.
Max ERC Funding
1 442 756 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-01-01, End date: 2015-11-30
Project acronym CIF
Project Complex Interfacial Flows: From the Nano- to the Macro-Scale
Researcher (PI) Serafim Kalliadasis
Host Institution (HI) IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary A wide variety of natural phenomena and technological applications involve flow, transport and chemical reactions taking place on or near fluid-solid or fluid-fluid interfaces. From gravity currents under water and lava flows to heat and mass transport processes in engineering applications and to the rapidly developing field of microfluidics. Both equilibrium properties of a fluid and transportcoefficients are modified in the vicinity of interfaces. The effect of these changes is crucial in the behavior of ultra-thin fluidfilms and fluid motion in microchannels of micro-electromechanical systems, but is essential as well in macroscopic phenomena involving interfacial singularities, such as thin-film rupture and motion of three-phase contact lines associated e.g. with droplet spreading. Interface boundaries are mesoscopic structures. While material properties vary smoothly at macroscopic distances from an interface, gradients in the normal direction of conserved parameters, such as density, are steep with strong variations as the molecular scale in the neighborhood of the interface is approached. This brings about a contradiction between the need in macroscopic description and a necessity to take into consideration microscopic factors that come to influence the fluid motion and transport on incommensurately larger scales. The aim of the proposed research is to develop a class of novel continuous models bridging the gap between molecular dynamics and conventional hydrodynamics and applicable at mesoscopic distances from gas-liquid and fluid-solid interfaces. A combination of analytical techniques, numerical modeling and computer-aided multiscale analysis will be employed. The results of the proposed work will greatly contribute to the fundamental understanding of mesoscopic non-equilibrium phenomena in the vicinity of interfaces and to the development of novel computational methods combining the advantages of molecular and continuous models.
Summary
A wide variety of natural phenomena and technological applications involve flow, transport and chemical reactions taking place on or near fluid-solid or fluid-fluid interfaces. From gravity currents under water and lava flows to heat and mass transport processes in engineering applications and to the rapidly developing field of microfluidics. Both equilibrium properties of a fluid and transportcoefficients are modified in the vicinity of interfaces. The effect of these changes is crucial in the behavior of ultra-thin fluidfilms and fluid motion in microchannels of micro-electromechanical systems, but is essential as well in macroscopic phenomena involving interfacial singularities, such as thin-film rupture and motion of three-phase contact lines associated e.g. with droplet spreading. Interface boundaries are mesoscopic structures. While material properties vary smoothly at macroscopic distances from an interface, gradients in the normal direction of conserved parameters, such as density, are steep with strong variations as the molecular scale in the neighborhood of the interface is approached. This brings about a contradiction between the need in macroscopic description and a necessity to take into consideration microscopic factors that come to influence the fluid motion and transport on incommensurately larger scales. The aim of the proposed research is to develop a class of novel continuous models bridging the gap between molecular dynamics and conventional hydrodynamics and applicable at mesoscopic distances from gas-liquid and fluid-solid interfaces. A combination of analytical techniques, numerical modeling and computer-aided multiscale analysis will be employed. The results of the proposed work will greatly contribute to the fundamental understanding of mesoscopic non-equilibrium phenomena in the vicinity of interfaces and to the development of novel computational methods combining the advantages of molecular and continuous models.
Max ERC Funding
1 273 788 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-04-01, End date: 2016-03-31
Project acronym COCOON
Project Conformal coating of nanoporous materials
Researcher (PI) Christophe Detavernier
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSITEIT GENT
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2009-StG
Summary CONTEXT - Nanoporous structures are used for application in catalysis, molecular separation, fuel cells, dye sensitized solar cells etc. Given the near molecular size of the porous network, it is extremely challenging to modify the interior surface of the pores after the nanoporous material has been synthesized.
THIS PROPOSAL - Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is envisioned as a novel technique for creating catalytically active sites and for controlling the pore size distribution in nanoporous materials. ALD is a self-limited growth method that is characterized by alternating exposure of the growing film to precursor vapours, resulting in the sequential deposition of (sub)monolayers. It provides atomic level control of thickness and composition, and is currently used in micro-electronics to grow films into structures with aspect ratios of up to 100 / 1. We aim to make the fundamental breakthroughs necessary to enable atomic layer deposition to engineer the composition, size and shape of the interior surface of nanoporous materials with aspect ratios in excess of 10,000 / 1.
POTENTIAL IMPACT Achieving these objectives will enable atomic level engineering of the interior surface of any porous material. We plan to focus on three specific applications where our results will have both medium and long term impacts:
- Engineering the composition of pore walls using ALD, e.g. to create catalytic sites (e.g. Al for acid sites, Ti for redox sites, or Pt, Pd or Ni)
- chemical functionalization of the pore walls with atomic level control can result in breakthrough applications in the fields of catalysis and sensors.
- Atomic level control of the size of nanopores through ALD controlling the pore size distribution of molecular sieves can potentially lead to breakthrough applications in molecular separation and filtration.
- Nanocasting replication of a mesoporous template by means of ALD can result in the mass-scale production of nanotubes.
Summary
CONTEXT - Nanoporous structures are used for application in catalysis, molecular separation, fuel cells, dye sensitized solar cells etc. Given the near molecular size of the porous network, it is extremely challenging to modify the interior surface of the pores after the nanoporous material has been synthesized.
THIS PROPOSAL - Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is envisioned as a novel technique for creating catalytically active sites and for controlling the pore size distribution in nanoporous materials. ALD is a self-limited growth method that is characterized by alternating exposure of the growing film to precursor vapours, resulting in the sequential deposition of (sub)monolayers. It provides atomic level control of thickness and composition, and is currently used in micro-electronics to grow films into structures with aspect ratios of up to 100 / 1. We aim to make the fundamental breakthroughs necessary to enable atomic layer deposition to engineer the composition, size and shape of the interior surface of nanoporous materials with aspect ratios in excess of 10,000 / 1.
POTENTIAL IMPACT Achieving these objectives will enable atomic level engineering of the interior surface of any porous material. We plan to focus on three specific applications where our results will have both medium and long term impacts:
- Engineering the composition of pore walls using ALD, e.g. to create catalytic sites (e.g. Al for acid sites, Ti for redox sites, or Pt, Pd or Ni)
- chemical functionalization of the pore walls with atomic level control can result in breakthrough applications in the fields of catalysis and sensors.
- Atomic level control of the size of nanopores through ALD controlling the pore size distribution of molecular sieves can potentially lead to breakthrough applications in molecular separation and filtration.
- Nanocasting replication of a mesoporous template by means of ALD can result in the mass-scale production of nanotubes.
Max ERC Funding
1 432 800 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-01-01, End date: 2014-12-31
Project acronym COLLREGEN
Project Collagen scaffolds for bone regeneration: applied biomaterials, bioreactor and stem cell technology
Researcher (PI) Fergal Joseph O'brien
Host Institution (HI) ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2009-StG
Summary Regenerative medicine aims to regenerate damaged tissues by developing functional cell, tissue, and organ substitutes to repair, replace or enhance biological function in damaged tissues. The focus of this research programme is to develop bone graft substitute biomaterials and laboratory-engineered bone tissue for implantation in damaged sites. At a simplistic level, biological tissues consist of cells, signalling mechanisms and extracellular matrix. Regenerative medicine/tissue engineering technologies are based on this biological triad and involve the successful interaction between three components: the scaffold that holds the cells together to create the tissues physical form, the cells that create the tissue, and the biological signalling mechanisms (such as growth factors or bioreactors) that direct the cells to express the desired tissue phenotype. The research proposed in this project includes specific projects in all three areas. The programme will be centred on the collagen-based biomaterials developed in the applicant s laboratory and will incorporate cutting edge stem cell technologies, growth factor delivery, gene therapy and bioreactor technology which will translate to in vivo tissue repair. This translational research programme will be divided into four specific themes: (i) development of novel osteoinductive and angiogenic smart scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration, (ii) scaffold and stem cell therapies for bone tissue regeneration, (iii) bone tissue engineering using a flow perfusion bioreactor and (iv) in vivo bone repair using engineered bone and smart scaffolds.
Summary
Regenerative medicine aims to regenerate damaged tissues by developing functional cell, tissue, and organ substitutes to repair, replace or enhance biological function in damaged tissues. The focus of this research programme is to develop bone graft substitute biomaterials and laboratory-engineered bone tissue for implantation in damaged sites. At a simplistic level, biological tissues consist of cells, signalling mechanisms and extracellular matrix. Regenerative medicine/tissue engineering technologies are based on this biological triad and involve the successful interaction between three components: the scaffold that holds the cells together to create the tissues physical form, the cells that create the tissue, and the biological signalling mechanisms (such as growth factors or bioreactors) that direct the cells to express the desired tissue phenotype. The research proposed in this project includes specific projects in all three areas. The programme will be centred on the collagen-based biomaterials developed in the applicant s laboratory and will incorporate cutting edge stem cell technologies, growth factor delivery, gene therapy and bioreactor technology which will translate to in vivo tissue repair. This translational research programme will be divided into four specific themes: (i) development of novel osteoinductive and angiogenic smart scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration, (ii) scaffold and stem cell therapies for bone tissue regeneration, (iii) bone tissue engineering using a flow perfusion bioreactor and (iv) in vivo bone repair using engineered bone and smart scaffolds.
Max ERC Funding
1 999 530 €
Duration
Start date: 2009-11-01, End date: 2015-09-30
Project acronym DALDECS
Project Development and Application of Laser Diagnostic Techniques for Combustion Studies
Researcher (PI) Lars Eric Marcus Aldén
Host Institution (HI) LUNDS UNIVERSITET
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary This project is directed towards development of new laser diagnostic techniques and a deepened physical understanding of more established techniques, aiming at new insights in phenomena related to combustion processes. These non-intrusive techniques with high resolution in space and time, will be used for measurements of key parameters, species concentrations and temperatures. The techniques to be used are; Non-linear optical techniques, mainly Polarization spectroscopy, PS. PS will mainly be developed for sensitive detection with high spatial resolution of "new" species in the IR region, e.g. individual hydrocarbons, toxic species as well as alkali metal compounds. Multiplex measurements of these species and temperature will be developed as well as 2D visualization. Quantitative measurements with high precision and accuracy; Laser induced fluorescence and Rayleigh/Raman scattering will be developed for quantitative measurements of species concentration and 2D temperatures. Also a new technique will be developed for single ended experiments based on picosecond LIDAR. Advanced imaging techniques; New high speed (10-100 kHz) visualization techniques as well as 3D and even 4D visualization will be developed. In order to properly visualize dense sprays we will develop Ballistic Imaging as well as a new technique based on structured illumination of the area of interest for suppression of multiple scattering which normally cause blurring effects. All techniques developed above will be used for key studies of phenomena related to various combustion phenomena; turbulent combustion, multiphase conversion processes, e.g. spray combustion and gasification/pyrolysis of solid bio fuels. The techniques will also be applied for development and physical understanding of how combustion could be influenced by plasma/electrical assistance. Finally, the techniques will be prepared for applications in industrial combustion apparatus, e.g. furnaces, gasturbines and IC engines
Summary
This project is directed towards development of new laser diagnostic techniques and a deepened physical understanding of more established techniques, aiming at new insights in phenomena related to combustion processes. These non-intrusive techniques with high resolution in space and time, will be used for measurements of key parameters, species concentrations and temperatures. The techniques to be used are; Non-linear optical techniques, mainly Polarization spectroscopy, PS. PS will mainly be developed for sensitive detection with high spatial resolution of "new" species in the IR region, e.g. individual hydrocarbons, toxic species as well as alkali metal compounds. Multiplex measurements of these species and temperature will be developed as well as 2D visualization. Quantitative measurements with high precision and accuracy; Laser induced fluorescence and Rayleigh/Raman scattering will be developed for quantitative measurements of species concentration and 2D temperatures. Also a new technique will be developed for single ended experiments based on picosecond LIDAR. Advanced imaging techniques; New high speed (10-100 kHz) visualization techniques as well as 3D and even 4D visualization will be developed. In order to properly visualize dense sprays we will develop Ballistic Imaging as well as a new technique based on structured illumination of the area of interest for suppression of multiple scattering which normally cause blurring effects. All techniques developed above will be used for key studies of phenomena related to various combustion phenomena; turbulent combustion, multiphase conversion processes, e.g. spray combustion and gasification/pyrolysis of solid bio fuels. The techniques will also be applied for development and physical understanding of how combustion could be influenced by plasma/electrical assistance. Finally, the techniques will be prepared for applications in industrial combustion apparatus, e.g. furnaces, gasturbines and IC engines
Max ERC Funding
2 466 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-02-01, End date: 2015-01-31
Project acronym FLAMENANOMANUFACTURE
Project Flame Aerosol Reactors for Manufacturing of Surface-Functionalized Nanoscale Materials and Devices
Researcher (PI) Sotirios Pratsinis
Host Institution (HI) EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary Nanotechnology research has been directed mostly to the design and synthesis of (a) materials with passive nanostructures (e.g. coatings, nanoparticles of organics, metals and ceramics) and (b) active devices with nanostructured materials (e.g. transistors, amplifiers, sensors, actuators etc). Little is known, however, about how well the unique properties of nanostructured materials are reproduced during their large scale synthesis, and how such manufacturing can be designed and carried out. A key goal here is to fundamentally understand synthesis of surface-functionalized, nanostructured, multicomponent particles by flame aerosol reactors (a proven scalable technology for simple ceramic oxide nanopowders). That way technology for making such sophisticated materials would be developed systematically for their efficient manufacture so that active devices containing them can be made economically. Our focus is on understanding aerosol formation of layered solid or fractal-like nanostructures by developing quantitative process models and systematic comparison to experimental data. This understanding will be used to guide synthesis of challenging nanoparticle compositions and process scale-up with close attention to safe product handling and health effects. The ultimate goal of this research is to address the next frontier of this field, namely the assembling of high performance active devices made with such functionalized or layered nanoparticles. Here these devices include but not limited to (a) actuators containing layered single superparamagnetic nanoparticles and (b) ultraselective and highly sensitive sensors made with highly conductive but disperse nanoelectrode layers for detection of trace organic vapors in the human breath for early diagnosis of serious illnesses.
Summary
Nanotechnology research has been directed mostly to the design and synthesis of (a) materials with passive nanostructures (e.g. coatings, nanoparticles of organics, metals and ceramics) and (b) active devices with nanostructured materials (e.g. transistors, amplifiers, sensors, actuators etc). Little is known, however, about how well the unique properties of nanostructured materials are reproduced during their large scale synthesis, and how such manufacturing can be designed and carried out. A key goal here is to fundamentally understand synthesis of surface-functionalized, nanostructured, multicomponent particles by flame aerosol reactors (a proven scalable technology for simple ceramic oxide nanopowders). That way technology for making such sophisticated materials would be developed systematically for their efficient manufacture so that active devices containing them can be made economically. Our focus is on understanding aerosol formation of layered solid or fractal-like nanostructures by developing quantitative process models and systematic comparison to experimental data. This understanding will be used to guide synthesis of challenging nanoparticle compositions and process scale-up with close attention to safe product handling and health effects. The ultimate goal of this research is to address the next frontier of this field, namely the assembling of high performance active devices made with such functionalized or layered nanoparticles. Here these devices include but not limited to (a) actuators containing layered single superparamagnetic nanoparticles and (b) ultraselective and highly sensitive sensors made with highly conductive but disperse nanoelectrode layers for detection of trace organic vapors in the human breath for early diagnosis of serious illnesses.
Max ERC Funding
2 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-05-01, End date: 2015-04-30
Project acronym GREENEST
Project Gas turbine combustion with Reduced EmissioNs Employing extreme STeam injection
Researcher (PI) Christian Oliver Rudolf Martin Paschereit
Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLIN
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary Global energy consumption is continuously increasing, leading to an increased world wide demand for new power generation installations in the near future. In order to protect the earth s climate, energy conversion efficiency and the use of sustainable resources have to be improved significantly to reduce the emission of the greenhouse gas CO2. To maintain our high standard of living and to enhance it for developing countries, the improved technologies have to be cost-neutral. Gas turbines play today a major role in energy generation. In the future, gas turbines will become even more important, when old coal-fired steam cycle power plants are replaced by integrated gasification plants. However, current gas turbine technology experiences a flattening technology curve and further increase in total efficiency at low NOx emissions is only achieved in incremental small steps. Additionally, current technology is not prepared to operate on hydrogen-rich fuels from biological resources or coal gasification. A new approach was developed that promises a significant improvement in efficiency and emissions and provides the ability to burn hydrogen-rich fuels. For operation on carbon-containing fuels, it enables CO2 capture at low cost. The concept is based on a high pressure air-steam gas turbine cycle using extremely high amounts of steam. The goal of the proposed project is to investigate the fundamentals of ultra wet combustion to develop the technology for a prototype combustor which is capable of burning natural gas, hydrogen and fuels from coal or biowaste gasification at low NOx emissions. Research will include the combustion process, the aerodynamic design, acoustics and control, combining the main disciplines of the Chair of Experimental Fluid Dynamics.
Summary
Global energy consumption is continuously increasing, leading to an increased world wide demand for new power generation installations in the near future. In order to protect the earth s climate, energy conversion efficiency and the use of sustainable resources have to be improved significantly to reduce the emission of the greenhouse gas CO2. To maintain our high standard of living and to enhance it for developing countries, the improved technologies have to be cost-neutral. Gas turbines play today a major role in energy generation. In the future, gas turbines will become even more important, when old coal-fired steam cycle power plants are replaced by integrated gasification plants. However, current gas turbine technology experiences a flattening technology curve and further increase in total efficiency at low NOx emissions is only achieved in incremental small steps. Additionally, current technology is not prepared to operate on hydrogen-rich fuels from biological resources or coal gasification. A new approach was developed that promises a significant improvement in efficiency and emissions and provides the ability to burn hydrogen-rich fuels. For operation on carbon-containing fuels, it enables CO2 capture at low cost. The concept is based on a high pressure air-steam gas turbine cycle using extremely high amounts of steam. The goal of the proposed project is to investigate the fundamentals of ultra wet combustion to develop the technology for a prototype combustor which is capable of burning natural gas, hydrogen and fuels from coal or biowaste gasification at low NOx emissions. Research will include the combustion process, the aerodynamic design, acoustics and control, combining the main disciplines of the Chair of Experimental Fluid Dynamics.
Max ERC Funding
3 137 648 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-07-01, End date: 2016-06-30
Project acronym HYDROFAKIR
Project Roughness design towards reversible non- / full-wetting surfaces: From Fakir Droplets to Liquid Films
Researcher (PI) Athanasios Papathanasiou
Host Institution (HI) NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS - NTUA
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2009-StG
Summary Creating tunable surfaces that are able to undergo reversible transitions between superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic behaviour is a challenging and vital issue due to their potential use in applications involving self cleaning, very low flow resistance and liquid handling without moving mechanical parts. Superhydrophobic surfaces arising from micro-scale roughened hydrophobic materials spontaneously exhibit transitions to become superhydrophilic when their material wetting properties are suitably modified by external stimuli. The reverse transition, however, requires external actuation/ perturbation which can be strong as to deteriorate the liquids handled and therefore limit the use such techniques in applications. Here we plan to combine continuum and mesoscale computational analysis of wetting phenomena in solid surfaces to create designer roughness that will minimize, or even eliminate, the strength of the actuation required to achieve full- to non-wetting reversibility. The modelling will be done in a continuous dialogue with surface fabrication and wetting tests. Wetting experiments will be performed along with novel microactuation techniques for liquid interfaces.
Summary
Creating tunable surfaces that are able to undergo reversible transitions between superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic behaviour is a challenging and vital issue due to their potential use in applications involving self cleaning, very low flow resistance and liquid handling without moving mechanical parts. Superhydrophobic surfaces arising from micro-scale roughened hydrophobic materials spontaneously exhibit transitions to become superhydrophilic when their material wetting properties are suitably modified by external stimuli. The reverse transition, however, requires external actuation/ perturbation which can be strong as to deteriorate the liquids handled and therefore limit the use such techniques in applications. Here we plan to combine continuum and mesoscale computational analysis of wetting phenomena in solid surfaces to create designer roughness that will minimize, or even eliminate, the strength of the actuation required to achieve full- to non-wetting reversibility. The modelling will be done in a continuous dialogue with surface fabrication and wetting tests. Wetting experiments will be performed along with novel microactuation techniques for liquid interfaces.
Max ERC Funding
1 131 840 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-02-01, End date: 2015-09-30
Project acronym INSYSBIO
Project Industrial Systems Biology of Yeast and A. oryzae
Researcher (PI) Jens Nielsen
Host Institution (HI) CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLA AB
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary Metabolic engineering is the development of new cell factories or improving existing ones, and it is the enabling science that allows for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals through biotechnology. With the development in genomics and functional genomics, it has become interesting to evaluate how advanced high-throughput experimental techniques (transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and fluxome) can be applied for improving the process of metabolic engineering. These techniques have mainly found applications in life sciences and studies of human health, and it is necessary to develop novel bioinformatics techniques and modelling concepts before they can provide physiological information that can be used to guide metabolic engineering strategies. In particular it is challenging how these techniques can be used to advance the use of mathematical modelling for description of the operation of complex metabolic networks. The availability of robust mathematical models will allow a wider use of mathematical models to drive metabolic engineering, in analogy with other fields of engineering where mathematical modelling is central in the design phase. In this project the advancement of novel concepts, models and technologies for enhancing metabolic engineering will be done in connection with the development of novel cell factories for high-level production of different classes of products. The chemicals considered will involve both commodity type chemicals like 3-hydroxypropionic acid and malic acid, that can be used for sustainable production of polymers, an industrial enzyme and pharmaceutical proteins like human insulin.
Summary
Metabolic engineering is the development of new cell factories or improving existing ones, and it is the enabling science that allows for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals through biotechnology. With the development in genomics and functional genomics, it has become interesting to evaluate how advanced high-throughput experimental techniques (transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and fluxome) can be applied for improving the process of metabolic engineering. These techniques have mainly found applications in life sciences and studies of human health, and it is necessary to develop novel bioinformatics techniques and modelling concepts before they can provide physiological information that can be used to guide metabolic engineering strategies. In particular it is challenging how these techniques can be used to advance the use of mathematical modelling for description of the operation of complex metabolic networks. The availability of robust mathematical models will allow a wider use of mathematical models to drive metabolic engineering, in analogy with other fields of engineering where mathematical modelling is central in the design phase. In this project the advancement of novel concepts, models and technologies for enhancing metabolic engineering will be done in connection with the development of novel cell factories for high-level production of different classes of products. The chemicals considered will involve both commodity type chemicals like 3-hydroxypropionic acid and malic acid, that can be used for sustainable production of polymers, an industrial enzyme and pharmaceutical proteins like human insulin.
Max ERC Funding
2 499 590 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-01-01, End date: 2014-12-31
Project acronym MULTI-SCALE FLOWS
Project Multi-scale modeling of mass and heat transfer in dense gas-solid flows
Researcher (PI) Johannes Alfonsius Maria Kuipers
Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2009-AdG
Summary Dense gas-solid flows have been the subject of intense research over the past decades, owing to its wealth of scientifically interesting phenomena, as well as to its direct relevance for innumerable industrial applications. Dense gas solid flows are notoriously complex and its phenomena difficult to predict. This finds its origin in the large separation of relevant scales: particle-particle and particle-gas interactions at the microscale (< 1 mm) dictate the phenomena that occur at the macroscale (> 1 meter), the fundamental understanding of which poses a huge challenge for both the scientific and technological community. This proposal is aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of large-scale dense gas-solid flow based on first principles, that is, based on the exchange of mass, momentum and heat at the surface of the individual solid particles, below the millimeter scale. To this end, we employ a multi-scale approach, where the gas-solid flow is described by three different models. Such an approach is by now widely recognized as the most rigorous and viable pathway to obtain a full understanding of dense-gas solid flow, and has become very topical in chemical engineering science. The unique aspect of this proposal is the scale and the comprehensiveness of the research: we want to consider, for the first time, the exchange of heat, momentum and energy, and the effects of polydispersity, heterogeneity, and domain geometries, at all three levels of modeling, and validated by one-to-one experiments. These generated insight and models will be extremely relevant for the design and scale-up of industrial equipment involving dispersed particulate flow, which is currently a fully empirical process, involving expensive and time-consuming experimentation.
Summary
Dense gas-solid flows have been the subject of intense research over the past decades, owing to its wealth of scientifically interesting phenomena, as well as to its direct relevance for innumerable industrial applications. Dense gas solid flows are notoriously complex and its phenomena difficult to predict. This finds its origin in the large separation of relevant scales: particle-particle and particle-gas interactions at the microscale (< 1 mm) dictate the phenomena that occur at the macroscale (> 1 meter), the fundamental understanding of which poses a huge challenge for both the scientific and technological community. This proposal is aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of large-scale dense gas-solid flow based on first principles, that is, based on the exchange of mass, momentum and heat at the surface of the individual solid particles, below the millimeter scale. To this end, we employ a multi-scale approach, where the gas-solid flow is described by three different models. Such an approach is by now widely recognized as the most rigorous and viable pathway to obtain a full understanding of dense-gas solid flow, and has become very topical in chemical engineering science. The unique aspect of this proposal is the scale and the comprehensiveness of the research: we want to consider, for the first time, the exchange of heat, momentum and energy, and the effects of polydispersity, heterogeneity, and domain geometries, at all three levels of modeling, and validated by one-to-one experiments. These generated insight and models will be extremely relevant for the design and scale-up of industrial equipment involving dispersed particulate flow, which is currently a fully empirical process, involving expensive and time-consuming experimentation.
Max ERC Funding
2 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2010-03-01, End date: 2015-02-28
