Erik Garofalo

Ph.D. in Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica E Delle Comunicazioni , 34th cycle (2018-2021)

Ph.D. obtained in 2022

Dissertation:

Energy harvesting of low-grade waste heat with colloid based technology (Abstract)

Tutors:

Candido Pirri Alessandro Chiolerio

Research presentation:

Video presentation Poster

Profile

Research topic

Colloidal energy harvesting and conversion devices

Research interests

Micro- and nanotechnologies, devices, systems and applications

Biography

I graduated top of my class in July 2017, at Politecnico di Torino in Aerospace Engineering. In 2016/17 I was Visiting Student at the California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo where I developed my master thesis on the research project called “Two-phase Flow Stability Analysis” involving the thermo-fluid dynamic analysis of N2O used for hybrid rocket nozzle cooling.

During my academic experience, I was member of D.I.A.N.A. Team involved in space robotics, A.R.A.C.N.E. Team and FATO Mars Team involved in space mission analysis and design. In particular, the last work won the 5th Prize of the International Gemini Mars Design Competition held at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.

In October 2017, I have started my research career at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Centre for Sustainable Future Technologies in Turin, first as Research Fellow and then, as PhD Student in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, within the Colloidal EneRgEtic System (CERES) Project aside the Senior Researcher, Alessandro Chiolerio. The CERES Project aims to develop the first liquid state energy harvester and converter suitable for industrial, automotive and space exploration fields. The system is able to convert waste heat from car’s engines, domestic boilers, industrial plants, spacecraft electronic boards in electrical power thanks to the interaction between specific nanofluids and thermal, magnetic and viscous fields. Furthermore, this system would be useful to enhance heat transport in microgravity, thanks to thermo-magnetic advection. In January 2020, the work entitled: "A ferrofluid based energy harvester for Waste Heat to Power conversion" was awarded by the PROTEOMASS Scientific Society with the "Excellent Shotgun Communication Prize" at the IV International Caparica Symposium on Nanoparticles/Nanomaterials and Applications held in Caparica, Portugal, representing "a combination of excellent research, innovation, and presentation".

Since May 2019, I am founder of the DRones Autonomous FlighT (DRAFT) PoliTo Team, dealing with autonomous guide systems for drones, infused with Artificial Intelligence algorithms.

I am co-author of 7 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 5 proceedings of international conferences from space exploration and rocket science to wearable devices for memories and computing.

ResearchGate link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Erik_Garofalo2

Awards and Honors

  • I was awarded by the PROTEOMASS Scientific Society with the "Excellent Shotgun Communication Prize" for the work entitled: "A ferrofluid based energy harvester for Waste Heat to Power conversion" representing "a combination of excellent research, innovation, and presentation", at the IV International Caparica Symposium on Nanoparticles/Nanomaterials and Applications held in Caparica, Portugal, from 20th to 23rd January 2020. (2020)

Publications

Works published during the Ph.D. View all publications in Porto@Iris

More publicationsLess publications

Society and Enterprise

Patents and other intellectual properties

  • MULTIEFFECT LIQUID STATE THERMAL HARVESTER (MU-STAR, ?*). national and international Patent
    Inventors: