HELM - High-frecuency Electro-Magnetic technologies for advanced processing of ceramic matrix composites and graphite expansion

DESCRIPTION
- Laboratory Research Technology Development
- Industrial prototyping and demonstration
- Life Cycle Assessment & risk assessment
- Dissemination and exploitation
- Hybrid MW-CVI heating technology for manufacturing of C/SiC and SiC/SiC composites
- MW heating technology for LSI and graphite Expansion
- MW/RF heating technology for pyrolysis/PIP process
As well as implementing different modeling strategies to address specific aspects and developing new methodologies for the homogeneous microwave heating of components of ceramic materials, and for the monitoring of the growth process of CMCs and GE.
The project will address the technology upscale of theses methodologies for their application in refractory materials, brake disks, aerospace applications or foams production, among others.Life Cycle Assessment, energy and exergy impacts, and production costs will be evaluated, as well as the elaboration of diagnosis and advisory feedbacks on lab and demo scale developments.
The project will deliver a very innovative type of risk analysis related to both obtaining the desired characteristics of HELM materials and their characterization
Finally, all the partners will be involved in the promotion, diffusion and exploitation of the results obtained in HELM Project.
OBJECTIVES
- 60% reduction in process time, to enhance production throughput and cut down costs;
- 15-‐20% cost reduction, to increase competitiveness on the market;
- 50% energy reduction, to improve sustainable production and reduce energy related costs;
- Achieve new microstructures not accessible by conventional technology;
- Improved technical performance of the newly produced materials (“sustaining” innovation)
- Open new markets by lowering price of CMC products, displacing conventional materials from their traditional fields of application and enabling new products to enter (“disruptive” innovation).
CIRCE'S ROLE
CIRCE will also take part in the study and development of the technologies to improve the manufacturing of the different ceramic materials addressed in this Project. In collaboration with the rest of partners, CIRCE will participate in the risk assessment, dissemination and exploitation of the results achieved.