HeatForEnergy - Laboratory for refrigeration and district energy

A completed research secondment at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:16:20 +0000

Our PhD student Kamyar Dobakhti recently completed a research secondment at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM). This secondment provided valuable hands-on experience in X-ray tomography and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies relevant to thermomagnetic heat exchanger development.

During his stay at BAM, Kamyar visited several X-ray tomography facilities and a mechanical testing setup, gaining in-depth insight into tomography procedures for structural characterization and defect analysis. Close collaboration with experts in the field enabled a detailed understanding of how these techniques can be applied to optimize manufacturing parameters and material design.

Furthermore, precise geometrical parameters extracted from the X-ray tomography data were directly incorporated into numerical simulations. The primary focus of the secondment was the development of a numerical model to evaluate the heat transfer characteristics of different heat exchanger geometries, supporting the optimization of thermomagnetic heat exchanger performance.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr.-Ing. Anja Waske, Heike Q. and Savvina Papaioannou from BAM for their warm welcome and support. I also want to express my gratitude to our group leaders, the Laboratory for Refrigeration and District Energy, and the entire team for providing me with this incredible opportunity.

The post A completed research secondment at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) first appeared on Laboratory for refrigeration and district energy.

Heat4Energy School “Simulations, data mining and artificial intelligence”

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:20:29 +0000

From November 17th to 19th, the school “Simulations, data mining and artificial intelligence” took place in Delft, Netherlands, for PhD students participating in the HEAT4ENERGY project. The event was hosted by partners at the Technical University of Delft (TUD).

Over the course of this intensive two-day program, students attended lectures on:

Basics of phase field simulations
Modeling of active magnetocaloric regenerators for heat pump applications
Developing multiphysics software using finite elements
First-principles theory of magnetic materials
AI in computational Molecules and Materials research

In the practical sessions, participants engaged in hands-on exercises in finite elements, and the first-principles theory method.

In addition, students received insightful presentations on Science Communication and Commercializing magnetocaloric materials by Magneto. The program also included visits to Magneto and the Yes!Delft startup incubator.

Overall, the workshop was highly productive and sparked strong interest and engagement among all participants.

The post Heat4Energy School “Simulations, data mining and artificial intelligence” first appeared on Laboratory for refrigeration and district energy.

Workshop on Life Cycle Analysis: From Basics to Applications

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:17:59 +0000

An online workshop titled Life Cycle Analysis – From Basics to Applications was held on July 1st, 2025, for PhD students as part of the HEAT4ENERGY project. The event was organized by the Laboratory for Refrigeration and District Energy at the University of Ljubljana.

Led by Mr. Friderik Knez from the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, the intensive 4-hour session covered essential aspects of LCA, including:

A brief overview of sustainability,
Life cycle and environmental impacts,
LCA as a tool for objective impact assessment,
Key phases of an LCA study,
Interpretation of results,
Real-world examples of LCA calculations.

As part of the practical component, participants explored materials databases and LCA software tools. They conducted simulations for a framed wall and assessed the effects of different insulation types and material properties on global warming potential.

The workshop was highly productive and generated strong interest and engagement among the participants.

The post Workshop on Life Cycle Analysis: From Basics to Applications first appeared on Laboratory for refrigeration and district energy.

Heat4Energy School and Project Meeting

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 08:47:59 +0000

The second Heat4Energy school, “Advanced characterization techniques for thermomagnetic material” and the HEAT4ENERGY project meeting took place in Grenoble, France, from May 19 to May 23.

During this school, Professors and researchers of the consortium discussed state-of-the-art topics, including Magnetocaloric and thermomagnetic characterization, Neutron scattering techniques, the combinatorial thin film approach, Synchrotron techniques for magnetic and structural characterization, and TEM for structural imaging.

Furthermore, seminars on gender statistics, equal opportunities, gendered innovation, and the CO2 footprint of research activity were held, providing valuable insights and promoting awareness on these important topics.

In addition, there were practical and hands-on sections for SQUID-VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer), Photolithography and chemical etching, Kerr microscopy, and extraction magnetometer.

As part of the program, there was the privilege of visiting the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF).

Our PhD student Kamyar Dobakhti attended the school. The school provided perfect insights and knowledge in the field of Thermomagnetic materials.

The post Heat4Energy School and Project Meeting first appeared on Laboratory for refrigeration and district energy.