Alternative Energy Conversion Systems Laboratory
HISTORY
The Laboratory of Alternative Energy Conversion Systems (LAECS) belongs to the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DMIE) of the University of Thessaly. The University of Thessaly was officially established in 1984 with the Presidential Decree 83/84.The DMIE is situated in the city of Volos . Its operation began during the academical year 1990-91.The LAECS started its research applications during the academic year 1995.
The LAECS exhibits educational and research activities in various scientific fields such as of:
- Computational and Applied Thermodynamics
- Catalytic and Electrochemical Process Engineering
- Energy Conversion Systems
- Catalyst and Reactor Design
- Pollution Control Technology
- Fuel Cells Technology
The basic scope of the LAECS operation is:
- to cover the educational and research requirements of the under- and post-graduate curricula of the DMIE
- R&D activities provide technological development
- to confront real problems in the branches of scientific research and industry
SERVICES
- Concerning energy issues and more specifically renewable energy sources’ utilization (biomass), catalytic combustion of natural gas etc.
- Concerning pollution abatement technology, particularly catalytic methods of air pollutants’ management
Professor, PhD'92 University of Patras, Greece
Energy Conversion Systems: Catalysis, Electocatalysis and Fuel Cells engineering✉ tsiak (at) uth.gr
Mechanical & Industrial Engineer, University of Thessaly
Technical support of the Alternative Energy Conversion Systems Laboratory✉ skontou (at) mie.uth.gr
Among the devices of the LAECS are also the following:
1. ELECTROCHEMISTRY
Electrochemical stations for the performance of Fuel Cells -AMEL SYSTEM 5000
Electrochemical Potentiostat -Galvanostat Systems
Function Generator
Digital Osciloscope-KENWOOD, DCS 8200
Cyclic Voltameter, CV AMEL
Rotating Disk Electrode, RDE
Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM
Atomic Force Microscope AFM
Volt-meters and Amper-meters
Commercial and home-made Fuel Cells
2. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
Mass Spectrometer-Omnistar Balzers
FID/TCD chromatograph-Perkin Elmer SIGMA 300
TCD chromatograph -Schimadzu GC 14B
TCD/FID chromatograph-Schimadzu GC 14B
Gas Analyzers (CH4, CO, CO2, O2, H2, NOx)-Hartmann & Braun, Advance Optima
Nitrogen oxides analyzer- Sigma model 2000
High Precision Electronic Balance
Spectrophotometer
3. APPARATUS FOR CATALYTIC AND ELECTROCATALYTIC TESTS
Plug flow and CSTR catalytic reactors
Batch Reactors (600ml and 1000ml)-PARR
High temperature ovens (1.2kW, max temperature 1200o C)
Dual syringe pump KD Scientific
Peristaltic Pumps
Digital Mass Flow Controllers- 5800 Brooks Series
Temperature selection and measurement devices- DIGITEC, JUMO
Software programs -Turbochrom, Advantech Genie,Class VP, PC-MULTILAB, CorrWare etc
Diploma Thesis
- Catalytic Combustion of Carbon Monoxide in stabilized bed reactor, Kinas Petros, 1998
- Low temperature catalytic combustion of natural gas in stabilized bed reactor, Tzortzakakis Nikolaos,1998
- Catalytic combustion of light hydrocarbons in stabilized bed reactor,Ntourlias Vaggelis, 1998
- Catalytic combustion of methane in fuel cells for the direct conversion of chemical energy to electricity, Dimoulas George, 1998
- Using ethanol for electricity production in a fuel cell: Catalytic and electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation in the presence of platinum, Kyriakopoulos Konstantinos, 2001
- Energy and exergy optimization of electricity production in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Netse Petros, 2002
- Electrochemical Corrosion of aluminium alloys, Kontou Sotiria, 2002
- Hydrogen Production from ethanol steam reforming over a Pd/γ-Al2O3 catalyst for fuel cell utilization, Lozos John & Sismanis George, 2003
- Production of synthesis gas from ethanol steam reforming to supply in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Sarantarides Dimitris, 2004
- Exergy analysis of power system with Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell fed with ethanol, Stergiopoulos Vaios, 2005
- Simulation of Anode Operation in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell, Andreadis George, 2005
- Electricity Production in Direct Ethanol Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Pt Electrodes,Maragou Vasiliki & Dio Eufrosini, 2005
- Electricity Production in Direct Ethanol Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Ag Electrodes, Giannopoulos Konstantinos & Eliopoulos Spilios, 2005
- Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Water/Ethanol Crossover through Proton Exchange Membrane, Kaklidis Nikolaos & Koutla Ioanna, 2005
- Effect of carbon dioxide in solid oxide fuel cell operation and efficiency, Michalaki Malamati & Fitili Maria-Eleni, 2006
- Solar Cells, legal and economic framework,experimental techniques for performance determination,Domanos Thomas, 2007
- Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells-PEM: Study of thermodynamic characteristics,Transfer kinetics for the efficiency optimization, Keramida Theodora & Vinni Christina, 2008
- Mechanics of Direct Ethanol Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells using bimetallic catalyst PtRu/C, Efthimiou Ioannis, 2009
MSc Thesis
- Use of Bioethanol for Electricity Production in Fuel Cells, Tzortzakakis Nikolaos, 2000
- Electricity Production from biogas supply to Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), Kyriakopoulos Konstantinos, 2003
- Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells, Kokkinouli Nikoleta, 2004
- A new method for hydrogen production from hydrocarbons for application in low temperature fuel cells, Kontou Sotiria, 2005
- Preparation and physicochemical characterization of cerium barium oxides for application in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Fitili Maria -Eleni, 2008
- High purity Hydrogen Production and application in fuel cells:Preparation and physicochemical characterization of materials for electrochemical steam reformers, Michalaki Malamati, 2008
- Hydrogen production from ethanol steam reforming over Ni/AlCeO3 catalyst, Koutla Ioanna, 2008
- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells, Preparation, Characterization and study of new cathodic catalysts and cathodic substrates, Maragou Vasiliki,2008
- Ethanol or Natural Gas supply in power system with solid xide fuel cell: Exergy analysis and optimization, Andreadis George,2008
- Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: The effect of water in the fuel cell operation,Stergiopoulos Vaios, 2008
- Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells: Preparation and Characterization of cathodes with low or zero content in Platinum (Pt), Brouzgou Aggeliki, 2010
- Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells:Comparative study of ethanol crossover in different Nafion membranes, Keramida Theodora, 2010
- Exergy Analysis of combined cycle fuel cell- gas turbine (SOFC-GT) fed with ethanol,Vinni Christina, 2010
PhD Thesis
- Ethanol use for electricity production in Fuel Cells, Douvartzides Savvas, 2004
- Development and Study of new electrocatalytic and electrolytic materials for electricity production in Direct Bioethanol Fuel Cells, Poulianitis Constantinos, 2008
- Preparation and Study of new electrodes for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells, Kontou Sotiria, 2009
- Design, Development and Characterization of new electrocatalysts for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells, Andreadis George, 2010
- Design Development and Characterization of new proton membranes for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells,Stergiopoulos Vaios, 2010
- Design, Development and Study of new electrolytes and electrocatalysts for Intermediate and Low Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Maragou Vasiliki, 2010
Panagiotis Tsiakaras
Head of Laboratory of Alternative Energy Conversion Systems
University of Thessaly
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
38334, Pedion Areos
Volos
Tel: +3024210-74081/66/65
Fax: +3024210-74050
E-mail : tsiak@mie.uth.gr