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Manufacturing and Energy Efficiency represent research areas of significant interest. Dr. Weiss guides the Scalable Devices and Energy Efficiency Labs at IfM to pursue research that contributes solutions to these areas.
Hydrogen Sulfide is both an environmental and human health danger. Lab on a Chip (LOC) research in the Weiss Labs' is based on the foundation of microfluidics. The devices are designed to make Hydrogen Sulfide sensing available to both environmental and biomedical applications. In collaboration with Innolyzer Labs and Dr. Arumugam at Louisiana Tech, Hydrogen Sulfide Sensing is being made possible through novel device design and low-cost, accurate sensing.
Various means and sources for thermal energy harvesting are under investigation. Useful, real-world device design is a key component to the work. The use of exhaust heat in a low-temperature steam cycle designed to operate on the micro-scale is one area of focus. Additional work is underway to fabricate novel devices for low-temperature solar thermal energy scavenging. Device design considers a low-temperature steam cycle system based on MEMS components as well as 3D printed solutions. The system uses low boiling point working fluids to operate from heat sources that are typically unused due to their low exergy. The system consists of a high surface area boiler with micro-capillary channels and an integrated steam system. The steam system is designed to output useful power utilizing piezoelectric components driven by the evaporated working fluid.
Stemming from this research area are useful, small scale heat exchangers that rely on capillary action to augment the performance of devices like thermoelectric generators. These have been used successfully in thermal scavenging application as part of NASA sponsored research.
Capillary driven heat exchangers: Silicon (L) and Copper (R)
To support these areas of device design and energy harvesting, materials work is being pursued in the field of 3D printing. This work supports both energy scavenging and thermal systems research through unique materials designed for commercially available 3D printers. New additives, or fillers, are being incorporated to result in low cost, useful materials that are suitable for on-site, on-demand application.
New materials and uses for 3D printing. On-demand, On-site.
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