Partners

Rina Consulting – Centro Sviluppo Materiali S.P.A. (CSM) (Coordinator) was founded in 1963 as a Research Centre for the Iron and Steel State industry, then changed in 1998 its shareholding into private Industrial Research Centre for research and development of Materials, and today is a company of RINA Group. CSM with over 200 talented researchers and technicians, 20 laboratories, pilot lines and full scale testing facilities, is the partner of choice for any project in which materials, technology and innovation play a critical role. The traditional presence of CSM as the Italian reference point for European research projects (RFCS, Framework and H2020 Programmes) results in hundreds of international collaborations, agreements and contracts. CSM has a long-standing European tradition dating back to 1970, when Italy participated in the first projects of RFCS (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) programme. CSM is also a high-level participant in European Technological Platforms, as ESTEP (steel) and EuMat (advanced materials), and is also co-founder of RIES initiative (Research Initiative European Steel) for coordination among the main iron and steel research centres in Europe. A laboratory test-bed, specifically developed at CSM for TEG device tests, will be upgraded and equipped with new lab devices. Dr. Ing. Ugo Chiarotti, graduated in Aeronautical Engineering, will lead the Prototype A development. He works in the department of “Processes and Control systems – Industry 4.0”. Dr. Ing. Chiarotti has been project coordinator of the former THERELEXPRO project. Dr. Ing. Valerio Moroli, graduated in Electronic Engineering and Senior Scientist in the discipline “Instrumentation and Advanced Measurement Systems”, will be also involved in the project for TEG design and technological solutions. (http://www.rina.org). 

Ergolines LAB s.r.l. (ERGO): Established in 1998, Ergolines is an Italian SME committed to the development of cutting-edge technologies for the steelmaking industry, with a customer network covering 44 Countries. It has developed a wide range of products specifically designed for special steels production, including Electro Magnetic Stirrers (EMSs) and dedicated instruments and sensors designed around the requirements of a continuous casting facility, personalized for each individual customer. It is this custom-made approach that makes Ergolines unique in its market and guarantees tailor-made solutions, extreme design flexibility and personalized engineering. By drawing on its specialized expertise in the design and manufacturing of EMSs and special sensors, Ergolines will contribute to the InTEGrated project its know-how and specialized competencies on special insulating materials and resins, taylor-made design of hydraulic layouts, dedicated mechanical design and its long-standing expertise in the analysis of industrial field-data. These competencies will be exploited in the design, development and testing of Prototypes A. Besides the activities related to mechanical and hydraulic design and development, Ergolines will rely on its specialized competencies to carry out dedicated tests on the performance of special resins and materials to be used for the insulation and thermal coupling of Prototype A. Ergolines has participated to several EU research projects and is currently involved in the SHELL-THICK project under RFCS funds (Grant N.709830). InTEGrated project activities to be carried out by Ergolines will be coordinated by Dr. Stefano Spagnul, Head of Ergolines’ R&D Department. Dr. Spagnul professional competencies relies on several years of experience in steel continuous casting R&D: Responsible for quality control in the Quality Contro Department of Ferriere Nord, Osoppo (Italy), Responsible for Process Simulation in the Technological Team of Danieli Automation, Responsible of new technologies in Telit, R&D department. In the InTEGrated project Dr. Spagnul will contribute its expertise on EMSs design and manufacturing, specifically in the field of mechanical and hydraulic design and rheology of special insulating resins and thermal coupling materials. (http://www.ergolines.it/). 

VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH (BFI): BFI is, with a staff of approx. 100 people, one of Europe’s leading private-sector institutes for applied research and development in the field of steel technology and connected branches. BFI is a non-profit, limited liability company in which Steel Institute VDEh is the sole shareholder. BFI addresses emerging issues of major relevance in areas such as energy efficiency, process optimisation, measuring and instrumentation technology, and industry 4.0. BFI has long lasting experience in the field of waste heat recovery and has broad experience in thermoelectric devices, due to participation and coordination of various national and international thermoelectric projects. This includes techno-economical evaluations of the wide range of power generating technologies, the design for solutions for heat transfer and for overheating protection of thermoelectric modules and generators, the execution of laboratory scale experiments as well as the execution of long-term field tests in industrial environments. A well-equipped testing facility including extensive data acquisition systems are at disposal of the BFI to test thermoelectric generators in the laboratory and at industrial plants. (http://www.bfi.de). 

Ferriere Nord S.p.A. (FENO): The Pittini Group, headquartered in Osoppo, Udine province, is a leading company in the production of long steels for the construction and mechanical industry. Ferriere Nord S.p.A. (FENO), founded in the Sixties, is the largest company in the group, with manufacturing facilities located in Osoppo (Udine) and Nave (Brescia). The whole production site includes an electric steel mill, a rolling mill for the production of steel bars and coils for reinforced concrete, one rolling plant for wire rod besides several systems for meshes and lattice girders. Steel products produced by the Ferriere Nord plants are renowned at the international level for high safety and ductility. FENO participated in many RFCS projects in recent years, some of them still going on, dealing with environmental issues (Greeneaf, Greeneaf 2,Therelexpro), product issues (Newrebar – Steel-earth, Rusteel, Precasteel, Precious) and process ones (Meltcon – Shellthick – Oxymon – Trackopt). Within similar topics participates also in Polynspire, a H2020 funded project on Spire 2018 call. Steel production in this site reaches 1.4 million tons per year and it is done using EAF charged with scrap. Dott. Loris Bianco: in the Pittini Group since 1989, R&D manager, University degree in chemistry. Quality Assurance manager since 1989. Since 2004 responsible in the frame of Emission Trading Directive for the emissions of greenhouse gas of the steel production facilities of the Group. Since 1998 member of Executive Committee C1 “Primary steelmaking” in ECSC Steel research. Than TGS2 Expert in RFCS (research fund for coal and steel) programme till today. Today supervisor of all public funded projects of the Pittini Group. Ing. Luca De Cecco: in the Pittini Group since 2008, at present technical office engineer, University degree in mechanical engineering. Mainly dealing with mechanical plants erection and maintenance at group level, specifically devoted to energy recovery systems and water treatment plants. Participation in several research funded projects concerning heat recovery in furnace slag and in furnace off gas treatment plants. (https://www.pittini.it). 

Cardiff University (CU): Cardiff University is one of Britain’s major teaching and research universities. The Thermoelectric Group has a long-standing international reputation in thermoelectric research over the past 40 years. It is one of 3 groups in the world to have had continuous research activities in thermoelectrics since the 1960s (the other 2 being at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA and Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, Russia). The group has a well-established laboratory for thermoelectric materials characterisation and device fabrication. Fine-grain SiGe developed by Prof. D. M. Rowe (former head of the group) pioneered nano-engineering of phonon scattering to improve ZT and led to successful deployment of the material by NASA for space power systems. The high quality research at Cardiff has attracted funding support from many major funding agencies, including the first landmark project in TE waste heat recovery funded by NEDO Japan (£2.2M). Cardiff University will contribute to the InTEGrated project in theoretical modelling and and module characterisation (http://www.engineering.cf.ac.uk/). 

Quick-Ohm Küpper & Co. GmbH (QO): Quick-Ohm Küpper & Co. GmbH is an engineering and supplying company in the field of thermoelectrics and heat pipes. Over the last decades the company managed many customized projects for niche markets mainly in the german-speaking part of Europe and is a known expert in that field. With 15 employees, ready to use thermal management systems using heat pipes and or thermoelectrics are designed and provided as well as consulting is done. As a board member of the German Thermoelectric Community (DTG) Quick-Ohm is keeping close contact to the scientific community to find new markets and applications. (http://www.quick-ohm.de). 

ESF Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH (ESF): ESF Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH is a company of the Feralpi Group that is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of steels for use in building construction. Starting from its lengthy tradition in steel manufacturing, the Group has developed according to a strategy of diversification into new products and markets, which has involved not only the internal organization but also external transactions thanks to the acquisition of numerous enterprises operating in this industry. The main figures of Feralpi Group are 2,220 Mton of steel production, 2,002 Mton of mill steel, 7.8 kton of cold mill steel, 1,300 employers. ESF Elbe-Stahlwerke Feralpi GmbH is Feralpi Stahl’s largest business unit with 430 employees, including 35 apprentices, who contribute to the development of products for the reinforcement of building components. By acquiring ESF in 1992, the Feralpi Group gave continuity to the lengthy steel-making tradition of Riesa (Saxony), which is an important benchmark for the economic development and employment of the entire region. The Feralpi ESF is equipped with one EAF, one LF and one continuous casting machine and final rolling mill for bars and wire rods. Furthermore the site of Feralpi ESF is the first example equipped with energy recovery system from the EAF off gas to produce electrical energy and steam devoted to process use and district heating for surrounding community. Feralpi ESF has an internal team of process technology development and is supported by the research group of the Feralpi Holding. For the project, adequate support is provided through the well consolidated skill in experimental investigations for R&D purposes also at RFCS level, both in terms of plant (continuous casting and analysis/tests facilities) and know-how (experience and qualified staff currently devoted to coordinates research activities carried out by the production sites). Dr. Tim Bause, Energy Manager of Feralpi ESF, will lead ESF project activities. Dr. Bause has a master degree and an extensive experience both in the steelaking process and topics related to energy recovery. He is Feralpi ESF responsible for the control and management of energy recovery from EAF off-gas at the primary duct. In fact, this is the first example in Europe of using the energy recovered from EAF off-gas to produce, at the same time, electrical energy and steam devoted to process use (tyre production) and for district heating. Furthermore, Feralpi will participate in the project with the R&D Team of the Feralpi Holding, the internal department of Feralpi Group devoted to provide support to the all companies of the group relative to R&D and EU supported project (as RFCS), including Ing. Lorenzo Angelini, Ing. Piero Frittella and Ing. Stefano Filippini, with extensive experience in the development of R&D projects and coordination of RFCS projects in steelmaking. (http://www.feralpigroup.com). 

This project is funded by EU RFCS Research Programme under grant agreement No. 899248.