Platforms
Carnot Énergies du futur's platforms are useful:
- To develop technologies from proof-of-concept to prototypes in order to push foward innovation and to access markets.
- To develop, to measure and characterize innovative solutions, thanks to cutting-edge equipments.
- To imagine new innovative solutions and test technologies before transfer on the market.
SOLAR ENERGY
This platform covers the whole solar photovoltaic value chain: from silicon and raw materials to crystallisation; from solar cells processes to photovoltaic modules and panels; and allows experiments on solar power plants. Projects on organic photovoltaic technologies are also under development. |
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15 000 square meters space including 2 000 square meters of clean room laboratories. |
Bio-resources
To convert bio-resources into valuable products, processing equipments are necessary. From grinding to torrefaction, pyrolisis and gasification processes to develops industrials processes. We are able to product through these equipments, valuable molecules and synthesis gas. |
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800 square meters space - torrefaction and gasification furnaces. |
BATTERIES
This platforms develops its activities on producing lithium-ion batteries. On the whole value chain, from various components (such as battery electrodes) to assembling the battery packs, and integrated them into complete systems. | |
3 000 square meter space, including 1 000 square meter of anhydrous chambers - industrial induction machines. |
SMART ENERGY GRID
This platform is an experimentation tools for smart energy management and presents a physical network close to real networks implemantations. It enables to connect various decentralised energy systems through an expert monitoring system (for example for houses, buildings and districts). These systems are supplied by various sources of energy (mostly sustainable energies such as solar photovoltaic, power generators, micro-hydropower, etc.) and endowed with electric storage capacity to use energy on time and efficiently. R&D works are focusing on modelling, tests on real or virtual components, software development, equipments qualification and so on. The platform relies on a real-time grid simulator, on converters, uses, photovoltaic roof panels, various storage systems (batteries, flywheels, hydrogen...). The platform enables to test various network configurations, to define controlling strategies and to optimise cost-efficiency. |
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2 800 square meters space, 4 000 square meters of outdoor means. |
Hydraulic
Grenoble city is one of the hydropower historic cradles. Indeed, the specific conditions of the Alps has allowed to develop hydropower energy. For many years, research teams has developed expertise and equipments to carry out various studies on fluids mechanics (aerodynamic, cavitation, flowing rotation, open channel flows) both experimentally (flow production) than digitally (modeling, simulation). | |
Turning basin, wave flume and cavitation tunnel. |
Buildings energy efficiency
Both comfort and uses in buildings have evolved. New parameters have to be considered in order to improve energy efficiency thanks to the help of smart grids. To that end, innovative solutions are tested on full-size prototypes buildings of 100 square meters each, where the inhabitant presence is simulated according to usual practices. These experimental houses are made respectively of wood, reinforced concrete and brick. They are equipped with more than 1 000 sensors whose datas sources are processed with dedicated modelling methods: an exclusive experiment in France that can be used for research partnerships. | |
4 experimental buildings of 100 sq. m. each, facade experiments, tests on roof. |