FCT researcher wins “Eurotherm Young Scientist Prize and Awards”

The doctoral thesis “Modelling and optimisation of porous volumetric receivers in point-focus solar concentration systems” by researcher Germilly Barreto, funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through a Studentship research, won the “Eurotherm Young Scientist Prize and Awards”.

Germilly Barreto is a native of Cape Verde and a researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences and the Chair of Renewable Energies, at the University of Évora (CER-UÉ). He completed his doctorate in March 2020 and this was the first time that a doctoral thesis developed at a Portuguese university won this international award.

The award distinguished the originality, scientific level, relevance of the results for thermal sciences and heat transfer, adequacy of numerical modeling and experimental methods used in their research work in the area of heat and energy transfer. The work developed consisted of the modeling and optimization of volumetric solar receivers consisting of SiC ceramic sponges in point focus concentration systems, including the development and application of three-dimensional models of solar radiation absorption, fluid flow and heat transfer in the receiver, as well as the experimental determination of the radiative properties of the porous medium.

The winners will be presented at the 8th European Thermal Sciences conference, which is taking place in Lisbon until 23 September 2021. The awards are given every four years by the Eurotherm committee, and consist of one EUROTHERM award and two EUROTHERM Awards for Young Scientists who have completed a PhD in the area of Heat Transfer and Thermal Sciences.

Photo: University of Évora