Collaborating on research for impact

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) are collaborating with colleagues in research support on an ambitious European research project that develops innovative solutions for heat storage in the built environment.

The desire to make a positive impact on the energy transition is central to Henk Huinink's EIC Pathfinder project. With TU/e as the project coordinator in an international consortium with VUB (Belgium), CNR (Italy), R2M (Italy), CIIAE (Spain), and DLR (Germany), many additional organizational responsibilities are added. A project manager, Bárbara Malheiros, has been assigned to this project. Together, they ensure a successful research project, and they wouldn't want it any other way.

Henk Huinink, professor of Physics of Energy Storage at the Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, would like to contribute to the climate and energy transition. Together with colleagues, he decided to focus on research into materials and systems for the compact loss-free storage of heat (thermal energy).

This is how the 4TunaTES research project and consortium were born, for which Huinink and his team were awarded an EIC Pathfinder grant of 2,8 million euros.

Getting the EIC funding

"If you have a good idea, you have to go for it," says Huinink. "The support of our project development officer was very helpful in writing the proposal."

Coordinating a European project

In addition to the research, Huinink also stepped forward to coordinate the project. This means that all communication with the EU and partners is officially routed through him, as the person ultimately responsible.

We can both do what we do best.

Bárbara Malheiros, research project manager

"But I like to delegate the organizational aspects of being a coordinator. As a principal investigator (PI), you really do not have the time for all the administration and communication with the EU. That is why I had made it a condition for becoming the coordinator that I get a project manager from TU/e."

"That was quite a risky requirement, because the team of project managers (project management office, ed.) had just been set up, but the PMO supported me and promised to do so. Without that support, I wouldn't have felt comfortable in the role of coordinator, because that's not the aspect of the role that suits me best."

Project manager Bárbara Malheiros, based at TU/e's Project Management Office, ensures the project runs smoothly. "I can let Henk fully focus on the research, while I take on the organizational tasks," says Malheiros. "This way we can both do what we are good at and are energized by."

"The materials I focus on in my research are always a combination of a gas and a solid. When gas binds to a solid, heat is released; to remove the gas from the solid, heat must be added. So we can store heat, and that process is completely reversible. As long as the solid and gas are separated, the heat can be stored indefinitely," explains Huinink.

"In this project, I am mainly looking at water for the gas and various salts for the solid. The basic materials for this are readily available, non-toxic, and safe in a human environment." This is important because 4TunaTES primarily focuses on solutions for heating homes in residential areas or parts thereof.

Flexibility in the solution is key

One of the project's starting points is to investigate how they can build flexibility into the system they want to develop. After all, the goal of the project is to demonstrate a model of the system.

This desired flexibility can be built in in various ways, Huinink explains: "We look at flexibility in the materials used. The physics of the materials determines the temperatures at which the heat is stored and released. You would like to vary the composition of the materials such that you easily adapt to different applications, like heating rooms or taking a shower, requiring different temperatures."

"Additionally, we are looking for flexibility in how components of the heat storage system are shaped by exploring additive manufacturing that allows more flexibility in design and manufacturing. This makes it suitable for building into rooms of different sizes and shapes. Finally, we want to create flexibility on the system level by designing operation cycles that can switch between charging with heat and electricity."

Image: 4TunaTES

The organization of the project

The organization of everything involved in the project is in the hands of Bárbara Malheiros, the project manager for 4TunaTES and a member of the Project Management Office within Research Support & Valorization. "In my role, I make sure that Henk can fully focus on the research itself, and I take care of the rest. This includes coordination with all consortium members, but also coordination with the EU on all aspects of the project, from planning through reporting to sharing results," Malheiros explains.

"I took over the project from a colleague shortly after the start. That's the advantage of having a team of project managers. That is why we can guarantee the quality and continuity of the support for the researchers. Moreover, we know the rules within TU/e, and we know our way around the organization, which makes collaboration extremely easy."

Partner change

The first year of the project was quite turbulent. Due to unforeseen circumstances, a key partner in the project suddenly had to withdraw. Malheiros: "At that moment, we had to switch quickly. Each partner has contractual obligations to the EU. If a partner steps away, it must be coordinated with the EU."

Huinink: "It was a sad moment for everyone in the consortium, but it showed that we had brought together a good team. We switched quickly and found another partner willing to take over the role and the financial and substantive obligations. This way, we could not only report a problem to the EU, but also offer the solution."

Europe faces significant challenges in the coming years regarding its ability to innovate, sustain economic growth, maintain sovereignty, and ensure welfare. More than ever, education, research, and innovation are considered the key success factors for a future stable and prosperous Europe.

TU/e aims to contribute to Europe's success by working with strategic partners in Europe and actively participating in European policymaking by providing feedback and joining in relevant discussions. Additionally, TU/e will actively participate in European research programs.

Through partnerships with world-leading academic and industrial partners, TU/e aims to increase the resilience and competitiveness of the region and Europe.

Photo: 4TunaTES

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