Applied thermodynamics & heat transfer

Applied thermodynamics & heat transfer

The research group Applied Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer (ATHT) was founded by Prof. Michel De Paepe in 2002 as a part of the Ghent University Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. In 2019 Prof. Steven Lecompte joined the team, working on Thermal Machines. ATHT focuses on systems and machines where thermal energy transfer is the main energy transfer mode. The aim is to develop more energy efficient systems, by doing experimental and numerical research. This way, ATHT contributes to the EU Green Deal by offering technical solutions and science based expertise.

ATHT 2022

Team

Tenured Academic Staff

Michel De Paepe

Michel De Paepe (°1972) is professor of Thermodynamics in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at Ghent University.

He graduated as Master of Science in Electromechanical Engineering at Ghent University in 1995. In 1999 he obtained the PhD in Electromechanical Engineering at Ghent University, graduating on ‘Steam Injected Gas Turbines with Water Recovery’.

His research is focusing on heat transfer in heat exchangers, two-phase refrigerant flow, electrical drives and thermal energy storage (TES). He is also interested in energy efficiency in buildings and industry, by using heat pumps (for domestic applications), fuel cells, ORCs and other small scale energy conversion systems. 

Michel De Paepe is president of EnerGhentIC, the interdisciplinary community of Ghent University researchers working on the energy challenge. He is also member of Flanders Make Motion Products core lab EEDT-MP.

michel.depaepe@ugent.be

09 264 32 94

Publication and projects

Michel De Paepe

Steven Lecompte

Steven Lecompte (°1988) is an assistant professor on the topic of Thermal Machines in the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at Ghent University.

He obtained his Master of Science and PhD degrees in Electromechanical Engineering at Ghent University in 2012 and 2016, respectively. His PhD thesis was titled ‘Performance evaluation of organic Rankine cycle architectures: Application to waste heat valorisation’.

His research focusses on thermal machines (heat pumps, organic rankine cycles, refrigeration cycles), including thermo-economic optimization, renewable energy integration, multi-phase processes, expanders and compressors. Between 2016 and 2018 he was a recurring visiting researcher at Imperial College London, doing research on multiphase flows. In 2017 he obtained a postdoctoral fellowship of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO).

Steven Lecompte is secretary of the KCORC board, chair of the Koelplatform and member of EnerGhentIC and Machineries & Factories.

steven.lecompte@ugent.be

09 264 33 55

Publications and projects

Steven Lecompte

Postdoctoral Research Staff

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Zaaquib Ahmed

Wim Beyne

Wim Beyne

Toon Demeester

Toon Demeester

Kenny Couvreur

Kenny Couvreur

Research Staff

Filip bronchart

Filip Bronchart

Alixe Degelin

Alixe Degelin

Manon Everaert

Manon Everaert

Maite Goderis

Maité Goderis

Hugo Monteyne

Hugo Monteyne

Jasper Nonneman

Jasper Nonneman

Wito Plas

Wito Plas

Jana Rogiers

Jana Rogiers

Rboin Tassenoy

Robin Tassenoy

Steven Vanhee

Steven Vanhee

Jera Van Nieuwenhuyse

Jera Van Nieuwenhuyse

Xander van Heule

Xander van Heule

Julie Van Zele

Julie Van Zele

Elias Vieren

Elias Vieren

Former scientific staff