|
UIC News Release
UIC Engineers Collaborate on Solar Energy Research
Chemical engineering faculty at the University of Illinois at
Chicago and the UIC-based Energy Resources Center have formed an
open-ended collaboration with two technology firms to design and test
solar thermal technologies that may find wider use in the American
Midwest.
Raleigh, N.C.-based Solargenix Energy, which has offices and
research laboratories in Chicago, designs and builds solar thermal
energy products and systems. Chicago-based All Cell Technologies
specializes in battery and customized energy storage solutions. Both
companies will work with UIC engineering faculty and students on new
solar products that can be used for heating, cooling, desalination and
other applications.
"This collaboration with Solargenix and All Cell Technologies will
allow UIC students and faculty to engage in cutting-edge engineering
and science with very innovative companies," said Peter Nelson, dean of
the UIC College of Engineering. "We look forward to the challenges and
opportunities, and are eager to expand both solar thermal technologies
and their application."
Sohail Murad, UIC professor and head of chemical engineering, says
his department will provide basic and applied research services in
areas of mutual interest. The goal is to advance the state-of-the-art
in design, modeling, cost reduction and system integration in solar
thermal technologies.
"These include, but are not limited to, geothermal heating and
cooling systems, bio-fuels and other alternative fuels, desalination
processes including hybrid systems utilizing solar and geothermal
energy, efficient battery systems, and heat storage in phase change
materials," he said.
The Energy Resources Center, an interdisciplinary research and
special project group specializing in energy and environmental
sustainability, will provide the technology transfer, integration and
application expertise required for the advanced solar thermal
technologies developed by the collaborating members.
Solargenix's director of technology, Robin Schulemann, expressed confidence in the new collaboration.
"The close and sustained coupling of the university knowledge
center with solar application engineering and manufacturing companies
is critical to the holistic integration of solar-based technologies
into our architecture and industrial processes on a very wide scale,"
he said.
For more information about UIC, visit www.uic.edu
Return to News Releases Menu
|
