BrainMap

Mr. Valentin Raul Mirel

IDT 1

- INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M

Curriculum Vitae (09/01/2019)

Expertise & keywords

DEVELOPMENT OF INOVATIVE METHODS, IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNCTIONAL AND DEMONSTRATIVE MODELS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE ON THE UNIQUE MARKET THE TRADITIONAL CHEESES MANUFACTURED IN TRANSYLVANIA Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-2067 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA DE STIINTE AGRICOLE SI MEDICINA VETERINARA CLUJ-NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA DE STIINTE AGRICOLE SI MEDICINA VETERINARA CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO); COMPANIA DE INFORMATICA APLICATA S.A. (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE (U.M.F) Cluj-Napoca (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO)

Project website: http://www.cianet.ro/tradfood

Abstract:

Part of the interdisciplinary applied research, the TRAD_FOOD project aims to develop innovative ways to certify molecular and biochemical markers specific for traditional dairy products obtained in Transylvania, in order to use them for authenticity certification of these products on the European market. The methods of processing the traditional dairy products are an integrated part of the folklore of the region that imposes its particularities through geographical printing. The nowadays consumers’ require traditional dairy products obtained in safety and quality conditions, healthier and more nutritious, adapted to the modern society. The lack of innovative methods currently implemented in Romania for geographical printing of dairy products leads to the insufficient exploration of this domain by the traditional producers found in regions with specific character.

In order to facilitate the maximum exploitation of this significant area of production and to help out the producers, the purpose of this project is to test and implement biochemical and molecular methods to certify the authenticity and origin of products, taking as study model various cow and sheep cheeses obtained in Transylvania. These methods will be used further for certifying other similar products obtained in other regions of the country. Thus, the project will implement for the first time in Romania, the isotopic print of cheese obtained in Transylvania by using the reports of easy stable isotopes (2H/1H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N, 18O/16O). The isotopical print of animal dairy product by using complementary methods such as IRMS and ICP-MS techniques is new for Romania and also worldwide. This project is also aiming to test and validate molecular techniques – such as PCR to certify the DNA of the species – and the IEF technique to identify the milk protein specie-specific. These methods are currently the safest techniques to establish and confirm the species and the authenticity of food products; however they are not used in our country. The quality of the raw material and of the end-products will be assessed through the PCR technique. By implementing these methods in the dairy production chain, in every stage of milk processing, a data base will be formed which can develop the knowledge of the producers, as well as of the control authorities. The analytical methods of the gathered biochemical data will be based on chemometrical testing, this way assuring the accuracy of the evaluation.

The complexity of this project is also given by its interdisciplinary character, various competences being needed in fields like physics, food chemistry, biology, pedology and hydrology. The methods used in determining the Romanian cheeses’ uniqueness are of high precision, in full development in the UE, so that the project can be considered an interdisciplinary one of high complexity. The added value of the project resides in the development of traditional rural production from Transylvania area by conceiving a methodological model of authentication and by submitting for accreditation validated methods for certifying the traditional cheeses in order to commercialize them on the unique market. The results are validated through: the elaboration of a practical guide for authentication; elaboration of innovative methodological models transposable in other production food chains; identification and proposal of patentable ideas along with the publication of articles in ISI indexed journals. Along the scientific impact of this project brought by originality and complexity, we underline the social-economical dimension through the development of small traditional producers and the protection of the honest workers as well as the educational dimension, by involving and training for research the PhD students, post-doctoral students and the ones found in the continuous college learning programs.

High temperature, high stability, low cost evaporation cells for molecular beam epitaxy Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA-2011 call, Type 2
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.2-0767 2012 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO); BRAVA 2000 S.R.L. (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO)

Project website: http://www.infim.ro/projects/celule-de-evaporare-la-temperaturi-mari-stabilitate-ridicata-si-cost-redus-pentru-depuneri

Abstract:

Evaporation cells based on a new heating principle will be designed, fabricated and tested. This heating principle is based on direct resistive heating of two concentric tubes made on a refractory metal (Ta, Mo, W), with thin walls (0.1-0.2 mm), subject to a high electrical current (60-100 A). The inner pipe contains the material to be evaporated. The outer pipe, which also warms up, acts at the same time as a thermal screen for the inner pipe: as a consequence, higher temperatures are achieved in the inner part and also a higher amount of power is dissipated inside the inner pipe. The warming up to very high temperatures (over 2000 C) proceeds in a few tens of seconds, to be compared with several tens of minutes in standard evaporation cells where a crucible is warmed by using a W filament. Also, a precise temperature calibration may be obtained as function of the heating current only, whereas in conventional cells thermocouples are used. These thermocouples require additional vacuum current feedthroughs and also their thermal contact to the crucible may be problematic. A third advantage of the new principle is its relative low cost, based on the fact that the only expensive parts are the refractory material pipes. A new concept (dismountable assembly) will be developed also for the water cooling of the cell, whereas a single high current vacuum feedthrough is sufficient. One anticipates easy and fast manufacture of such devices, resulting in low delivery terms, as compared with 3-6 months for the actual evaporators. The estimated market is of some 500-1000 units in the European Community, whereas the stipulated benefit is of 5000 Euro per unit. The project will (i) implement the new heating principle; (ii) implement the new water cooling principle; (iii) achieve accuracte temperature calibration; (iv) demonstrate the ability to evaporate at high temperature, especially of metals that are usually evaporated by electron bombardment: Ti, Cr, V, Zr, Nb.

Hydrogen production from hydroxylic compounds resulted as biomass processing wastes Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA-2011 call, Type 2
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.2-0452 2012 - 2016

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO); UNIVERSITATEA BABES BOLYAI (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO); REVIVA IMPORT EXPORT SRL (RO); ROKURA SRL (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU TEHNOLOGII IZOTOPICE SI MOLECULARE I N C D T I M (RO)

Project website: http://www.itim-cj.ro/PNCDI/hycat/Home.htm

Abstract:

Demand for hydrogen (H2) will grow up in the next decades due to the technological advancements in fuel cell industry which permit its transformation in electricity and heat without generating polluting gases. At present, almost 95% of the world’s hydrogen is being produced from fossil fuel based feedstock. A more environmental friendly alternative is to replace fossil fuels by biofuels as raw materials for hydrogen production. Biomass is renewable and, although carbon dioxide is still produced, it may be recycled to new biomolecules by photosynthesis, resulting a carbon neutral cycle. An even more economical approach would be the hydrogen production from bio-fuels wastes. The main objective of this project proposal is to develop a laboratory scale technology and experimental set-up to produce hydrogen by steam reforming of hydroxylic compounds resulted as wastes in biomass processing or prepared from wastes of biomass. The main problem in the hydrogen production from glycerol wastes resulted in biodiesel fabrication process is the presence of impurities in crude glycerol which (i) impeded the performance of the catalyst and (ii) cause a severe catalyst deactivation. Our project proposes two approaches to overcome these problems: (1) to establish an economically viable method to partially purify the crude glycerol and (2) to test and find new multicomponent catalysts based on Ni with better activity and resistance to deactivation. A catalytic technology for hydrogen production from biofuel wastes and an experimental set-up at laboratory scale will be provided at the end of the project. The proposed project has strong interdisciplinary character which: (i) combines in a coherent manner knowledge from various fields: chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, chemical reaction engineering, (ii) connects the fundamental and applicative research from National Institutes (CO and P2) and Universities (P1) with research developed by economical entities (P3) and by end-users of developed technology (P4).

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