About

Nanofluids (NFs) are defined as heat transfer or thermal energy storage fluids with enhanced properties by the addition of nanoparticles. Despite the huge effort made in the research and development of NFs in the last decade, there are still significant barriers to their market uptake by commercial implementation in industrial applications.

Some of these barriers are not coordinated European research efforts, considerable NFs pressure loss increment and stability problems, NFs not developed for specific industrial applications, high cost and manufacturing methods not developed, incomplete NFs Life Cycle Assessment issues and difficult access to H2020 calls.

Nanouptake is foreseen to develop and foster the use of NFs as advanced Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF) and Thermal Energy Storage (TES) materials to increase the efficiency of heat exchange/storage systems.

Nanouptake will boost NFs dissemination to stakeholders and general public and promote researcher mobility.

To address the above mentioned challenges, Nanouptake has the following objectives:

1. To develop a common understanding about NFs preparation and characterization including the whole NFs supply chain.
2. To accelerate the transfer of knowledge from fundamental research to industrial application by identifying and addressing NFs key barriers to the market, and suitable industrial applications.
3. To create an open space so that new relevant researches can be incorporated into Nanouptake Cost Action

Nanouptake activities will be undertaken during four years starting 19 th April 2016. They will be carried out by four Working Groups (WGs) associated to the following industrial applications: heating, cooling, thermal storage and boiling and solar.

The main activities to be developed by the Action are:

• Core Group, Management Committee and Working Group Meetings (twice a year).
• Short Term Scientific Missions (twice a year) for the networking among the researchers.
• Strategic Workshop (year 3) focused on the current state of research and the last updates.
• Training Schools (one per year) to share knowledge among members.
• International Conference (year 4) to present the achievements made during the Action.
• Dissemination through publications, electronic newsletters, articles and news.

Among the expected impacts produced by Nanouptake in the short and long term are:

• NF research activity in Europe will be boosted by the coordination of existing efforts, resulting in larger numbers of early-stage NFs researchers.
• Enabled technology transfer between research centres and companies by developing NFs for specific industrial applications.
• New opportunities and increased visibility of Early Stage Researchers through relevant H2020 projects.
• Enhance Five Drivers of Productivity (investment, skills, innovation, entrepreneurship and competition) by overcoming the existing barriers.

Through these effects, Nanouptake will contribute to meet the European Council ambitious energy objectives for 2020.

COST is the longest-running European framework supporting trans-national cooperation among researchers, engineers and scholars across Europe. COST is a unique means for European researchers, engineers and scholars to jointly develop their own ideas and new initiatives across all fields of science and technology through trans-European networking of nationally funded research activities.

Link to the Action’s main web page on the COST website: cost.eu

Link to the Action’s MoU