We are proud to implement the first Horizon Europe project at Lodz University of Technology. It is a great example of long-term cooperation between industry and science. FLEXindustries is the second European project implemented by employees of the Institute of Turbomachinery, in collaboration with K-Flex company. Recently, we have started the EU Green Deal project devoted to circular economy
- says the project manager, Dr Eng. Grzegorz Liśkiewicz, from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
The FLEXindustries consortium will create 7 model transformations of large industrial plants, covering technical, digital and business layers. The project will include demonstration installations in plants in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy and the Polish company K-FLEX Łódź - Uniejów. The partners will implement intelligent systems to ensure lower energy consumption, use of renewable energy sources, waste heat recovery and reduction of CO2 emissions.
The budget for Lodz University of Technology is EUR 537 750. Within the framework of the project, we will build a prototype of an ORC (organic rankine cycle) installation which enables energy production using waste heat. ORC is a well-known technology, but our concept involves using an unconventional turbine design. There are many industrial plants where the heat is released directly into the environment. Heat recovery reduces the environmental effects of such a situation, providing additional electric energy in return
- says Dr Eng. Filip Grapow, from the Institute of Turbomachinery, one of the authors of the project concept.
As part of the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027), over EUR 17 million will be earmarked for innovative solutions supporting intelligent energy transformation in large industrial plants. Participants of the consortium hope that good practices developed as part of the project will open the way to similar transformations in other European industrial plants.