MISSION

The group is dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of sustainable energy and thermal sciences technologies.

HISTORY

Composed of researchers in the areas of energy, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena, the energy and thermal sciences group has been active on the campus of the Federal University of Paraná (Polytechnic Center) since 1996.

Since its creation, the group has been developing scientific research and consulting in the areas of Thermal Engineering, Thermodynamics, Biomedical Engineering, and Transport Phenomena. In particular, the group has developed experimentally validated numerical simulation tools through experimental measurements carried out in new processes and prototypes, for the design, optimization, and development of new products.

LABORATORIES

The GECT research activities are carried out in three laboratories:

1. At NPDEAS (Sustainable Energy Research and Development Center), where research, development, and innovation activities in energy and sustainability are carried out—including low-carbon hydrogen, biofuels, microalgae, waste energy recovery, and technologies for the energy transition, such as the search for microalgae derived biofuels (e.g., green diesel, sustainable aviation fuel – SAF, hydrogen) and other bioproducts (e.g., animal feed, plant growth promoters, metabolites prospection with antimicrobial activity). Examples of the work accomplished so far are found in http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.09.045 and http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122141. NPDEAS was founded in 2008 by the group leader, Prof. José Viriato Coelho Vargas, who is the current coordinator;

NPDEAS: Microalgae cultivation in 12 m³ PBR (5 m x 2 m x 8 m). https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/fa/2f/16/96764ac22d19ff/US10400202.pdf

2. At LaCelC (Fuel Cell Laboratory), research is conducted on the modeling and development of new alkaline (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.08.078) and polymeric electrolyte fuel cells, seeking the development of new alkaline and polymeric membranes, as well as platinum-free electrodes. The potential production of sustainable green H₂ is also under investigation (e.g., microalgae derived H₂ – http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2023.103065, no energy input H₂ production from fresh and sea water using scrap aluminum from a well-established recycling chain through the Alkaline Aqueous Redox Reaction of Aluminum, AARRA – http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11244-024-02041-4) for either local power generation or building applications (e.g., cooking, heating). LaCelC was founded in 2006 by the group leader, Prof. José Viriato Coelho Vargas, who is the current coordinator;

The developed H₂ driven sustainable electricity generation system: a) Front view, and b) Rear view. Main components: 1) Reactor; 2) Buffer tank (bottle); 3) Gas drier; 4) Booster; 5) H₂ storage tank (bottle); 6) 5-kW PEMFC stack; 7) Electric panel, and 8) Stationary batteries.

3. At LMH (Hydraulic Machines Laboratory), currently coordinated by Prof. Stephan Hennings Och, research and development is conducted on cabinets for housing electronics for various applications (e.g., telecommunications, cable TV – http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00375497211069979) in collaboration with industry, as well as in the areas of refrigeration and air conditioning, energy systems in general, and biomedical engineering.

Left: Electronic packaging cabinet 3-D isometric perspective showing air inlets (top) and cut showing internal components distribution and air outlets (bottom), and Right: photos of the cabinet inside the test chamber (top and center) and heat source (bottom).

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

GECT has maintained a scientific interaction since 2004 with the Center for Advanced Power Systems and Energy and Sustainability Center at Florida State University, participating in several developments, including the project for an entirely electric ship for the US Office of Naval Research, via the Electric Ship Research and Development Consortium (ESRDC).

José Viriato Coelho Vargas is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Federal University of Paraná, UFPR, Curitiba, Brazil, and is a Visiting Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Center for Advanced Power Systems at Florida State University. He leads the Energy and Thermal Sciences group at UFPR, and develops theoretical, numerical, and experimental scientific research in design optimization and systems engineering in several areas: renewable and sustainable energy; energy management in buildings and structures; innovative technology integration and combination with the energy and thermal-fluid areas; smart HVAC-R systems; oil refining processes; cogeneration and power systems; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); heat and mass transfer; biotechnology and biomedical engineering. The main ongoing works of the group involve the development of new fuel cells, intelligent kits for HVAC-R systems, new absorption refrigerators, thermal management of all electric ships, cabinets for electronic packaging, the use of infrared imaging in engineering and medicine, as well as the creation of a Sustainable Energy Research & Development Center (NPDEAS) for microalgae derived biofuels (e.g., green diesel, sustainable aviation fuel – SAF, hydrogen) and other bioproducts (e.g., animal feed, plant growth promoters, metabolites prospection with antimicrobial activity).

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

•  PhD, 1994, Duke University, USA, Mechanical Engineering
  PhD Dissertation title: Combined Heat Transfer and Thermodynamics Problems with Applications in Refrigeration
  Supervisor: Adrian Bejan
• M.Sc. 1992, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro), PUC-Rio, Brazil, Mechanical Engineering
  Master’s Thesis title: Initial Values Searching Method for Solving Non-Similar Boundary Layer Problems
  Supervisor: Francisco Eduardo Mourão Saboya
• B.Sc., 1989, Military Institute of Engineering (Instituto Militar de Engenharia), IME, Brazil, Mechanical and Automobiles Engineering
  Senior Design Project title: Design and implementation of an automatically controlled hydraulic bench.
  Supervisors: Mauro Speranza Neto, Ney Bruno and Adilson Augusto Baptista
•  B.Sc., 1980, Black Needles Military Academy (Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras), AMAN, Brazil, Business Administration (Military Sciences)
• B.Sc., 2013, Federal University of Paraná (Universidade Federal do Paraná), UFPR, Brazil, Biology
  Monography title: Modeling and simulation of hydrogen generation process through microalgae cultivation in compact photobioreactors
  Supervisor: David Alexander Mitchell

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2004 – present: Visiting Scholar, Center for Advanced Power Systems, Florida State University, USA (one 3-month appointment per year), except for 2021.

1996 – present: Full Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

1973 – 1996: Major, Military Engineers Board, Brazilian Army.

2022 – 2024: Director of the Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering (PGMEC), Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

2008 – present: Director, Sustainable Energy Research and Development Center (NPDEAS), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

2008 – 2010 and 2013 – 2022: Adjoint Coordinator, Area of Materials Science, and Consultant, Area of Engineering, CAPES, Ministry of Education, Brazil, respectively.

1999 – 2003 and 2007 – 2009: Deputy-Director and Director of the Graduate Program in Materials Science Engineering (PIPE), Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil, respectively.

1995 – 2003: Visiting Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Duke University, USA (one 3-month appointment per year)

1997 – 2025: Courses taught at Federal University of Paraná, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil:

GRADUATE LEVEL:

Convection Heat and Mass Transfer
Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics
Computational Fluid Dynamics I
Computational Fluid Dynamics II
Computational Heat Transfer
Structural and Thermal Analysis by the Finite Element Method
Scientific Programming in Fortran
Thermal Radiation Heat Transfer
Simulation and Control of Physical Systems

UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL:

Numerical Calculus
The Finite Element Method
Thermal Machines (Propulsion)
Simulation and Control of Physical Systems
Fundamentals of Thermodynamics
Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer
Thermal Radiation Heat Transfer
Thermoeconomics
Internal Combustion Engines

AWARDS AND HONORS