Chairholders

Profile

Sébastien Poncet

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke

Chair title

NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Industrial Energy Efficiency

Chair program

Industrial Research Chairs program

Role

Associate Chairholder since 2014

Summary

In Canada, energy efficiency in the industrial sector has the potential for considerable improvement through the use of innovative technologies and better management of thermal energy. This potential must be further developed by the industrial sector, where competitiveness depends on the expected increase in energy costs.

In response to these constraints, both economic and environmental, the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Industrial Energy Efficiency focuses on cold production technologies. The Chair’s objective is to develop components of industrial systems for the refrigeration, storage and transmission of thermal energy.

The research program is divided into three sections related to three components respectively:

• Hydrodynamics and thermal transfers in diphasic ejectors;
• Flow pattern of ice slurry in exchangers; and
• Three-dimensional modelling of a porous regenerator used in magnetic refrigeration.

A two-pronged experiment-numerical modelling approach will be used systematically.

Sébastien Poncet is an expert in experimental methods and numerical modelling related to the transfer of heat and mass in internal aerodynamics. The Chair has three partners that share requirements in terms of the development and demonstration of new cold production technologies: Hydro-Québec’s Energy Technology Laboratory, Natural Resources Canada’s CanmetENERGY and Rio Tinto Alcan, which provide test beds and facilities.

Eight highly qualified students will be trained to strengthen skills in the industry, in universities and in government institutions and to influence decisions in energy conservation. The Chair will help develop new numerical tools and test beds, improve the energy efficiency of energy refrigeration, storage and transmission systems, and reduce the consumption of electrical energy and fossil fuels in the industrial sector.

Partners

• Hydro-Québec (Energy Technology Laboratory)
• RioTinto Alcan
• CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada

Contact information

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Université de Sherbrooke
2500 De l’Université Blvd.
Sherbrooke, Québec
J1K 2R1

Tel.: 819-821-8000, ext. 62150
Fax: 819-8198217163
Email: Sebastien.Poncet@USherbrooke.ca

Website:
http://l3mgp.l3m.univ-mrs.fr/site/SitePersoPoncet/index.html