Heat Engineering and Refrigeration Facility conducts research on thermal and flow processes that occur in heating and cooling systems, air conditioning, heat pumps and ORC cycles (Organic Rankine Cycle). The work involves both experimental research and numerical simulations. For this research we use cutting edge apparatus, like PIV measuring system (Particle Dynamics Velocimetry) which allows non-invasive measure of velocity field in flows. For the measurements we use commercial software, such as ANSYS-CFX or ANSYS-Fluent, but also our own Matlab, Python and EES (Engineering Equation Solver) programs.
Some of the research stations this facility uses:
- a station for the research of heat exchangers utilizing recuperation, such as those that have a battery of heat pipes (thermosiphon), with a flow of air reaching velocity of 500 m3/h,
- a station for measuring the performance of boilers (up to 3 kW) in heat pump systems,
- a station for examination of heat pipes (thermosiphons),
- a station for examination of refrigerating compressors (piston and string types) of cooling power up to 1 kW with calorimeter method,
- a station for examination of air conditioning of cars (using the components of Volkswagen GOLF IV 1.6l) which can simulate the real thermal conditions of the device at work,
- a station for examination of PV/T panels which has the function of regulating the intensity of incident light, stream and temperature of the agent flowing through the apparatus,
- LM PLUS 305 – a device for examining the heat conductance of insulation materials: EPS, XPS, PUR, PIR, VIP, rock wool etc.
Heat Engineering and Refrigeration Facility collaborates with Polish and foreign scientific institutions such as University of Valladolid and National Microgravity Laboratory, Institute of Mechanics or Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Our collaborations with various corporations included research and commissions for: BSH Sprzęt Gospodarstwa Domowego, SECO/WARWICK Europe, PKN Orlen, ROSSMANN, MAKANI, KOMALUX and WARM-Technologies, among others.
Employees of this facility teach students and give training sessions for companies about thermodynamics, heat engineering, refrigerating engineering, air conditioning, heat exchange, and the basics of combustion processes.
Members of the HE&R:
dr hab. inż. Artur Gutkowski, prof. uczelni - leader of this Facility
Adam Kujawski
