BrainMap

Mr. Gabriel Mihai Sirbu

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Project Manager - RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL

Manager

Expertise & keywords

Innovative high induction air diffusers for improved indoor environmental quality in vehicles Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-0559 2022 - 2024

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DE CONSTRUCTII BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DE CONSTRUCTII BUCURESTI (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: http://cambi.utcb.ro/researchprojects/innovent

Abstract:

The scope of current project will be to develop an innovative passive high mixing system of air diffusers implemented in a disassembled Dacia Duster or Sandero dashboard in order to proof its functionality both in terms of improved comfort and reducing the ventilation airflow. The project is starting from concept (TRL2) and the result will be a prototype working in laboratory environment (TRL4). The proposal of the innovative designs of air vents for the present studies was based on the previous findings of the members of the TUCEB research team that have a long interest in this field. The general objective of the current project will be to implement an innovative system of high induction mixing air diffusers in a functional Dacia Duster or Dacia Sandero prototype dashboard model. The specific objectives of the current project are: 1. Developing a high induction air diffuser system ready to be integrated in a Dacia Duster or Dacia Sandero; 2. Performing nonintrusive experimental measurements of the airflow after the high induction air diffuser 3. Verification and validation of the numerical simulations for the high induction air diffuser; 4. Complex numerical models of the airflow inside a vehicle for different configurations of high induction air diffusers; 5. Validation of the innovative air diffuser prototype system using a thermal manikin, ComfortSense equipment and with human subjects.

Piezoelectric Energy Source for Smart Factory Applications Call name: P 3 - SP 3.2 - Proiecte ERA.NET
ERANET-M-SmartEnergy 2021 - 2023

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE- DEZVOLTARE PENTRU MICROTEHNOLOGIE - IMT BUCURESTI INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE- DEZVOLTARE PENTRU MICROTEHNOLOGIE - IMT BUCURESTI INCD (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO); Łukasiewicz Instytut Technologii Elektronowej (PL); École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH); Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability @ University of Zürich (CH); Medbryt sp. z o.o. (PL)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://www.imt.ro/smartenergy

Abstract:

SmartEnergy aims to develop an integrated, miniaturized, highly energy efficient, maintenance-free and environmentally-friendly energy source, with extensive scalability and re-configurability. The system integrates a MEMS piezoelectric energy harvester, a rectifier circuit and a supercapacitor, and shows a great promise to replace conventional energy sources and significantly reduce the environmental impact.

The proposal covers a new technology based on advanced multifunctional materials, including highly efficient piezoelectric materials and arrays of decorated carbon nanotubes electrodes.

The project will start from TRL 3 and will reach TRL 5. The development is largely industry-driven, with Renault as the end-user looking to upgrade factory processes monitoring through autonomous sensor nodes. Thus our SmartEnergy source has a great potential to drive down cost, while making smart factory and IoT applications greener and smarter.

GRAPHENE COMPOSITES FOR ENHANCING ELECTRIC AND THERMAL PERFORMANCES Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2016-0025 2017 - 2018

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE- DEZVOLTARE PENTRU MICROTEHNOLOGIE - IMT BUCURESTI INCD

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE- DEZVOLTARE PENTRU MICROTEHNOLOGIE - IMT BUCURESTI INCD (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Affiliation: RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Project website: http://www.imt.ro/graphenecar/

Abstract:

One of the dominant factor in improving CO2 emissions and fuel consumption is the reducing the weight of the car. By subtracting 50kg from total mass of the car ones could obtain a reduction of 5g CO2/km and 0,1 l/100km in fuel consumption. A reduction of 100kg of car mass allows the reach of 100km/h speed faster by 1 second. Having these coordinates it is obvious that the future cars must be lighter, and to obtain this kind of mass reduction it is necessary to use new materials.

Therefore, the project is dedicated to two demonstrators starting from TRL 2 and reaching TRL 4 to be developed with Renalut Technologies Romania (RTR) having the following aims (i) on demonstrator is graphene-polymer composite for replacing cooper in the car with very light cables (ii) a thermal isolator and fire retard nanomaterial based on graphene-nanocellulose composites.Overall, TRT estimates that 50 % of weight of the cables and thermal isolation will be reduced in this way. Intensive electromagnetic, electrical, and thermal tests will be made using these demonstrators. The final test will be done at RTR automotive testing center of cars.

Innovative and ecologic technologies, with efficiency in joining metallic and polymeric materials used in automotive, using the friction stir welding technique Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1858 2014 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA TIMIŞOARA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA TIMIŞOARA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE IN SUDURA SI INCERCARI DE MATERIALE - ISIM TIMISOARA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA PITESTI (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Affiliation: RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Project website: https://sites.google.com/view/inovafsw/home

Abstract:

The project (entitled "Innovative and ecologic technologies, with efficiency in joining metallic and polymeric materials used in automotive, using the friction stir welding technique") Inova-FSW aims to study the possible use of the Friction Stir Welding - FSW to join aluminum alloys, steels and fiber reinforced polymer materials used in the automotive industry.

The project consortium consists of partners with nationally and internationally recognized competences in key areas to be addressed in solving the proposed theme, two higher education institutions, a national research institute and an industrial partner.

The industrial partner is particularly interested in introducing the FSW welding process in industrial practice because the possibility of using aluminum alloys, steels and polymers in automotive manufacturing, instead of steel, will allow a 20-30% car weight reduction and will ease cars development and introduction in manufacture of the electric powered vehicle with zero emissions. This ultimate goal of the industrial partner will have a huge impact on protecting the environment, raising the quality of life and promoting the "green industry" in general, but also on the economic efficiency, namely the turnover.

The project will develop optimized technologies for welding the metallic and polymeric materials of interest for current or future production of the industrial partner. Optimizing the research program will be carried out using the factorial experiments method, so the testing period, the number of tests and the effort are minimal, but also sufficient to obtain optimal technology.

However, to achieve quality welded joints between hardened aluminum alloys and between couples made of aluminum and steel, there will be developed and adapted a tandem hybrid welding process FSW-WIG (patent no. 123349/28.10.2011 - P1) in order to facilitate introduction to manufacturing of aluminum alloy, as replacements for steel.

In order to implement these welding processes (with certain technical, economic and quality advantages) in the current production, in the initial stages of the project there will be developed two innovative methods for monitoring and control of FSW welding process to obtain good quality of welded joints and high reproducibility. These methods will use as monitoring the infrared thermographic technique, respectively the energy consumption control of the FSW specialized welding machine.

During the research there will be carried out mathematical modeling of thermo-deformation processes occurred during FSW welding process so as to obtain the information necessary to better understand them and to estimate the results before carrying out experimental tests.

During the technological tests there will be designed and implemented welding tools specific to each couple of materials to be welded, so that the final optimized welding technologies to be complete and to allow their immediate industrial application.

Throughout the project, a significant work will be the continuous dissemination of the results. Thus, the project team will participate with papers at national and international conferences and will publish the results in journals, both in Romania and abroad. By organizing workshops and practical demonstrations, there will be facilitated the introduction of this innovative welding process in the Romanian industry, allowing to increase its competitiveness simultaneously with the visibility of the Romanian research.

Innovative Strategies of HVAC systems for high Indoor Environmental quality in vehicles Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0569 2014 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DE CONSTRUCTII BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DE CONSTRUCTII BUCURESTI (RO); UNIVERSITATEA PITESTI (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE AEROSPATIALA "ELIE CARAFOLI" - I.N.C.A.S. BUCURESTI (RO); UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Affiliation: RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Project website: http://inside.utcb.ro/

Abstract:

INSIDE project will allow to join forces of several teams among most productive in research in engineering sciences in Romania, establishing a knowledge pole dedicated to support one of the major industrial player in our country which is Renault Technologie Roumanie. This way teams Technical University of Civil Engineering, the National Institute for Aerospace Research "Elie Carafoli", the University of Pitesti and the Technical University of Cluj Napoca will connect some of the most advanced facilities and measuring techniques in Europe in the fields of air distribution, evaluation of Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), applied fluid mechanics, automation and control, automotive systems design. A series of objectives that would integrate solutions for high indoor environmental quality in vehicles are proposed:

(1) The first project end-objective will be: Developing an experimental real scale facility for studying IEQ and ventilation strategies in the vehicles. The project end-product: a unique national experimental facility dedicated to thermal comfort assessment in vehicles. The expected results are new possibilities of local research development oriented towards the car models from the national Dacia brand.

(2) The second objective is: Reconsidering thermal comfort theory applied to vehicles in order to deepen the knowledge on thermal comfort and its numerical methods of prediction and on the other hand to analyze the real role played by transient environment parameters. The project end-product: new models and evaluation indexes for thermal comfort assessment in vehicles. The expected results are several scientific articles, indexed in ISI Web of Knowledge data base which will contribute to the national prestige of our academic community, and the starting point of developing new standards in the field.

(3) The third objective will be the Evaluation of the impact of multi-zone ventilation and air conditioning strategies on thermal comfort and IEQ in general, on ergonomics and fuel consumption. Several strategies of ventilation and air conditioning – i.e. one zone, multi-zone, of air distribution will be tested along with an optimized fuzzy logic approach for a semi-automatic climate control using variable air flow. Best scenarios for improved comfort and reduced consumption will be assessed. Project end-products: a data base of numerical and experimental results which will allow extrapolating best case scenarios and optimal configurations. Expected results: a Romanian concept car with multi-zone air distribution and semi-automate climate control.

(4) The fourth objective will focus on implementing innovative air diffusion grilles in a Romanian prototype vehicle. The idea behind this objective is to introduce air diffusers with a special geometry allowing improving mixing between the hot or the cold conditioned air introduced in the cockpit and the ambient. The reduced air mass fluxes being introduced in the occupied zone, should uniformly distribute fresh air and conditioning cooling or heating loads in order to achieve thermal comfort and acceptable air quality. The project end-products will be air diffusers prototypes for vehicles. The expected results are: the integration of these prototypes in a Romanian concept car, along with national and international patents, as well as several scientific articles.

(5) The final objective will be a Good Practice Guide for ventilation strategies vehicles and their associated assessment methods. Based on experimental and numerical data from objectives 3 and 4 a coherent series of strategies for designing ventilation systems for vehicles will be proposed. Project end-products: Good Practice Guide for ventilation strategies and thermal comfort assessment in vehicles. The expected results are: the starting point for a new (at least national) standard.

Laser System for Ignition of an Automobile Engine Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA-2011 call, Type 2
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.2-1040 2012 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR, PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI - INFLPR RA

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR, PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI - INFLPR RA (RO); RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Affiliation: RENAULT TECHNOLOGIE ROUMANIE SRL (RO)

Project website: http://ecs.inflpr.ro/Nicolaie PAVEL_PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.2-1040_LASSPARK.html

Abstract:

In response to concerns about the global environment and dwindling fossil fuel resources, research and development into clean vehicles and clean energy sources has been progressing worldwide. It is difficult, however, to replace immediately all conventional gasoline vehicles to clean vehicles due to lack of infrastructure, cost, performance, as well as to some technical problems. Therefore, in present, the improvement of the efficiency of conventional internal combustion gasoline engines and the reductions of CO and NOx harmful pollutant emissions are very important subjects of research and action.

The project main goal is realization of a compact, robust and resilient laser spark device that can be installed directly on an automobile engine. This include the laser spark itself, but also the developing of the laser and the engine control unit(s), which in this case is different of a classical laser spark. The flame dynamic of the engine has to be recorded and analyzed, and the engine efficiency and the level of the emitted noxes have to be measured. In the end, an automobile engine moved partially or/and entirely by laser sparks could be accomplish.

The coordinator of this project is the National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Laboratory of Solid-State Quantum Electronics, Bucharest, Romania, and the project director is Dr. Nicolaie PAVEL. The partnership is made with Renault Technologies Roumanie S.R.L. (RTR, partner P1), from Voluntari, Bucharest, Romania, which is a big enterprise, and responsible of the project from P1 is Dr. Eng. Niculae BOICEA. The project duration is 36 months, starting from April 2012 until March 2015. The requested budget of the project is 3.530.000 lei, of which 3.000.000 lei are from the public budget and 530.000 lei (i.e. 15% of the project value) is cofinanced by P1.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects