提升热传导发电机效能 都会大学教授冀推动可持续工业废热再用

科技学院 提升热传导发电机效能 都会大学教授冀推动可持续工业废热再用

提升热传导发电机效能 都会大学教授冀推动可持续工业废热再用

日期:2023年10月24日

华礼生教授 (Prof. Roy Vellaisamy) 是香港都会大学(都大)科技学院新任智能系统讲座教授,其研发的创新热传导发电机设计,大幅提高热电转换效率,以高效持久方式将工业废热直接转换为可用电力,彰显科研应用解决现实难题的效用。

热传导发电机在回收工业废热方面潜力巨大,但现有设计受组成物料脆弱及转换效率未如理想限制。结合化学物理学及材料工程学方面的专长,华教授及其团队研发出采用部分碳化3D微晶格结构材料的创新解决方案。他解释:「这种创新结构提高了机械强度之余,也大幅提升热电转换效率。」有关突破已详细发表于Nature Communications期刊。

经重新设计的微结构热传导发电机,效率及机械强度均大幅提升,使其非常适合用于工业废热回收,为能源的可持续运用迈出一大步。华教授富实用价值的创新科研,展示了应用研究如何解决现实问题,与大学透过创新造福社会的宗旨不谋而合。

除材料工程外,华教授的研究亦涉猎智能系统范畴。他目前正与科技学院机器学习团队合作分析诊断数据。他表示:「材料工程及智能系统在多个领域重迭。我们在分子层面设计感应器,产生大量数据,拥有机器学习背景的同事利用AI分析,再利用系统反馈将结果智能化。」

华教授亦十分支持跨学科协作,以达致最大社会效益。虽然在大学的实验室仍在筹备当中,但他已牵头与护理及健康学院和人文社会科学院就心血管疾病诊断项目进行跨学科合作研究。他认为:「协作可加快研究效率,迅速促成有意义的影响。我正与护理及健康学院合作招募人员测试仪器并收集数据,也与人文社会科学院设计调查,以了解使用者的意见,以作进一步改善。」

展望未来,作为科技学院分子电子学小组的主管,华教授期望继续贡献都大的研究领域,创造更多跨学科协作,并透过意义深远的研究为社会带来更大影响。

Jonathan Chiu
Marketing Director
3DP Technology Limited

Jonathan handles all external affairs include business development, patents write up and public relations. He is frequently interviewed by media and is considered a pioneer in 3D printing products.

Krutz Cheuk
Biomedical Engineer
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital

After graduating from OUHK, Krutz obtained an M.Sc. in Engineering Management from CityU. He is now completing his second master degree, M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering, at CUHK. Krutz has a wide range of working experience. He has been with Siemens, VTech, and PCCW.

Hugo Leung
Software and Hardware Engineer
Innovation Team Company Limited

Hugo Leung Wai-yin, who graduated from his four-year programme in 2015, won the Best Paper Award for his ‘intelligent pill-dispenser’ design at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering’s International Conference on Consumer Electronics – China 2015.

The pill-dispenser alerts patients via sound and LED flashes to pre-set dosage and time intervals. Unlike units currently on the market, Hugo’s design connects to any mobile phone globally. In explaining how it works, he said: ‘There are three layers in the portable pillbox. The lowest level is a controller with various devices which can be connected to mobile phones in remote locations. Patients are alerted by a sound alarm and flashes. Should they fail to follow their prescribed regime, data can be sent via SMS to relatives and friends for follow up.’ The pill-dispenser has four medicine slots, plus a back-up with a LED alert, topped by a 500ml water bottle. It took Hugo three months of research and coding to complete his design, but he feels it was worth all his time and effort.

Hugo’s public examination results were disappointing and he was at a loss about his future before enrolling at the OUHK, which he now realizes was a major turning point in his life. He is grateful for the OUHK’s learning environment, its industry links and the positive guidance and encouragement from his teachers. The University is now exploring the commercial potential of his design with a pharmaceutical company. He hopes that this will benefit the elderly and chronically ill, as well as the society at large.

Soon after completing his studies, Hugo joined an automation technology company as an assistant engineer. He is responsible for the design and development of automation devices. The target is to minimize human labor and increase the quality of products. He is developing products which are used in various sections, including healthcare, manufacturing and consumer electronics.

Course Code Title Credits
  COMP S321F Advanced Database and Data Warehousing 5
  COMP S333F Advanced Programming and AI Algorithms 5
  COMP S351F Software Project Management 5
  COMP S362F Concurrent and Network Programming 5
  COMP S363F Distributed Systems and Parallel Computing 5
  COMP S382F Data Mining and Analytics 5
  COMP S390F Creative Programming for Games 5
  COMP S492F Machine Learning 5
  ELEC S305F Computer Networking 5
  ELEC S348F IOT Security 5
  ELEC S371F Digital Forensics 5
  ELEC S431F Blockchain Technologies 5
  ELEC S425F Computer and Network Security 5
 Course CodeTitleCredits
 ELEC S201FBasic Electronics5
 IT S290FHuman Computer Interaction & User Experience Design5
 STAT S251FStatistical Data Analysis5
 Course CodeTitleCredits
 COMPS333FAdvanced Programming and AI Algorithms5
 COMPS362FConcurrent and Network Programming5
 COMPS363FDistributed Systems and Parallel Computing5
 COMPS380FWeb Applications: Design and Development5
 COMPS381FServer-side Technologies and Cloud Computing5
 COMPS382FData Mining and Analytics5
 COMPS390FCreative Programming for Games5
 COMPS413FApplication Design and Development for Mobile Devices5
 COMPS492FMachine Learning5
 ELECS305FComputer Networking5
 ELECS363FAdvanced Computer Design5
 ELECS425FComputer and Network Security5