It is reported that six achievements of Tianjin University (TJU) win the 2020 National Science and Technology Award recently, according to the awarding ceremony staged in the Great Hall of the people in Beijing.
Professor Shu Gequn, from the School of Mechanical Engineering, wins the second prize of the State Natural Science Award for his achievement of “the theory and method of internal combustion engine compound cycle” as the first consummator. This is also the first time that the university has taken lead in a row in winning the State Natural Science Award. Besides, Professor Wang Shuxin, from the same school, developed the “key technologies and application of abdominal minimally invasive surgical robot and instruments", getting the second prize of the State Technological Invention Award as the first consummator. Professor Li Xingfei, from the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering, wins the second prize of the National Award for Science and Technology Progress for his achievement on “on-site coordinate measurement technology and application based on multi-axis motion and multi-sensor collaboration" as the first consummator. Professor Chen Guanyi, from the School of Environmental Science & Engineering, gains the second prize of the National Award for Science and Technology Progress due to his achievement of "key technologies and application of clean and efficient gas energy conversion of biomass solid waste based on 3S dimension (Scale, Space and Sustainability)" as the first consummator.
“Theory and method of internal combustion engine compound cycle”: Internal combustion engine is the leading power equipment of the national economy. Therefore, improving the efficiency of internal combustion engine is of great significance to national energy security and carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Waste heat recovery and utilization is internationally recognized as the most potential means of energy conservation and efficiency increase. Professor Shu Gequn's team put forward the compound cycle theory of internal combustion engine cycle and waste heat recovery bottoming cycle. The theory revealed the energy-mass coupling mechanism of internal combustion engine compound cycle, constructed a new configuration of compound cycle and an efficient conversion theory, put forward the physical property characteristics and screening principles of ideal working medium, and created an efficient and safe new working medium mixed with carbon dioxide. In this way, the design theory of compound cycle system of whole process internal combustion engine was established. The principle prototype of waste heat recovery bottoming cycle effectively improves the efficiency of the whole machine, which hits a new record in efficiency in the world. This achievement opens up a new direction for thermodynamic power cycle and develops the theory of total energy system. The team has been invited to write a review for PECS (IF = 26.4), a top energy journal.
“Key technologies and application of abdominal minimally invasive surgical robot and instruments”: Health is the eternal theme of mankind, while surgery is an important means of treating diseases. As a typical representative of advanced medical equipment, the surgical robot is one of the frontier research hotspots and difficulties in the field of mechanical engineering. For instance, China boasts large-scale medical device industry, but most high-end medical devices still depend on imports.
In order to meet the needs of abdominal minimally invasive surgery, such as flexible movement, accurate operation, clear vision and surgical safety, the project has invented core technologies including multi-degree-of-freedom surgical instruments, the small lightweight instrument operating arm, binocular stereo endoscope and master-slave operating system. In addition, it has also managed to develop the abdominal minimally invasive surgical robot with “magic hands”, which is the first one in China to obtain the product registration certificate. It has completely independent intellectual property right and can assist doctors in surgeries, demonstrating the successful application of remote surgery and leading the development of new minimally invasive surgical robot technology.
“On-site coordinate measurement technology and application based on multi-axis motion and multi-sensor collaboration”: Closely combined with the measurement needs of high-end equipment manufacturing industry, the project overcomes the bottleneck problems of traditional coordinate measurement technology, such as incapability of complex structure measurement, low on-site measurement accuracy and slow batch measurement speed, and constructs such a system. The project proposed a new model of multi-axis linkage to realize multi coordinate system collaborative measurement, so as to solve the difficulty in measuring complex structural parameters; It also invented the online calibration of structural parameters and the measurement and compensation technology of temperature variable environment to improve the field measurement accuracy; It put forward joint calibration of heterogeneous sensors and intelligent path planning technology to break through the technical bottleneck of multi-sensor cooperative measurement. The project has developed a series of on-site fast and high-precision intelligent measurement equipment with completely independent intellectual property rights, which promoted and industrialized manufacturing enterprises, helped to measure key products, upgraded the manufacturing industry, and broke through the foreign technical blockade and product embargo against China on high-end equipment. A number of measurement equipment is the pioneer at home and abroad.
“Key technologies and application of clean and efficient gas energy conversion of biomass solid waste based on 3S dimension (Scale, Space and Sustainability)”: As biomass solid waste is enormous in both amount and scale, the environmental problems and energy efficiency of its treatment and utilization are attracting high attention. Considering the dual characteristics of pollution and energy resources, it is important and urgent to use biomass solid waste to produce gas that is in great demand. The conventional gasification technologies (pyrolysis gasification and biogas fermentation) of solid biomass wastes such as garbage and straw are inefficient and have difficulty in disposing by-products and residues, consequently causing secondary pollution. Funded by projects at the national, international and enterprise level, the project team aims to overcome the related technical bottleneck, targeting at a cleaner process and a more efficient system, featuring innovative technologies dominated by gasification and supplemented by biogas gasification as well as secondary gasification synergy. It provides a new technical model for the treatment and utilization of biomass solid waste in China, promotes the technical progress of the industry, creates significant environmental, social and economic benefits, and is extended to nearly 20 provinces and cities in China and abroad.
In addition, Tianjin University wins the first prize of the National Award for Science and Technology Progress for the achievement of "complete technology research and development and industrial application of mega tonnage ethylene—a kind of complex material" as a participant. It also wins the second prize of the State Technological Invention Award for the achievement of “key technologies and application of differential protection for complex power grid".
Tianjin University has always regarded “taking responsibility for the country” as the starting point and objective of scientific and technological work, which has guided it to make important contributions to national development in different historical periods. In the future, the university will continue to focus on the Four Facing, namelyfacing the global cutting-edge science and technology, facing the main battlefield of the economy, facing the major needs of the state, and facing people's health. The university will also constantly improve the system and mechanism of scientific and technological innovation, strengthen scientific research organizations, and support the construction of a high-level research university with first-class scientific research achievements, so as to realize national self-reliance in science and technology.
By: Chen Nannan
Editors: Qin Mian & Yang Fan
