ARIES to launch innovation fund

Jennifer Toes — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 15:28:32 +0000

ARIES to launch innovation fund
by Jennifer Toes (CERN)

ARIES Proof-of-Concept fund opens in December 2017 (Image: CERN)

In December 2017, the ARIES project will launch a call for proposals to its Proof-of-Concept (PoC) fund. By offering funding to new and novel projects, the fund aims to foster innovation and enhance the impact of accelerator technology in society.

By bridging the gap between the seed stages of research and their full commercial application, the fund will reduce the financial risks associated with early-stage innovation.

A total of €200,000 will be initially available for up to four projects based on accelerator science, with clear potential to go beyond the realm of scientific research within particle physics.

Selected projects should focus on the possible societal and commercial applications of their ideas within fields such as medicine, energy, security, and any others of relevance where accelerator technology may be of use.

ARIES will manage the fund through a dedicated Work Package, WP14 Promoting Innovation, led by Marcello Losasso of the CERN Knowledge Transfer Group. WP14 will foster technology development in key areas, strengthen relationships with commercial partners, and provide advice to ARIES members on intellectual property (IP) management and licensing.

With this in mind, the PoC funding may be used to investigate the commercial feasibility of a new concept, as well as identifying opportunities for partnerships, licences and IP positions.

Via a competitive two-step selection process, projects will shortlisted for interview based on the quality and potential impact of their project, as demonstrated in their proposal. The Evaluation Panel will make their final recommendations following the presentation and interview of shortlisted candidates.

“The Proof-of-Concept fund is a key component of the ARIES innovation strategy,” says Maurizio Vretenar, ARIES project Scientific Coordinator, based at CERN in Switzerland. “Our community is very creative and it is important to stimulate this talent towards applications that could have an impact on society.”

The fund will officially open its call for proposals as of 14^th December 2017, and will remain open for at least four months. The final deadline for submissions is expected in April 2018.

Further information about the fund will be posted on the ARIES project website soon. Interested parties are invited to check the site regularly for updates.

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Cryogenic safety tool developed at CERN

Jennifer Toes — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 15:33:10 +0000

Cryogenic safety tool developed at CERN
by Jennifer Toes (CERN)

Participants of the Cryogenic Safety - HSE Seminar at CERN, September 2016 (Image: Julien Ordan, CERN)

In September 2016 CERN hosted its first seminar on cryogenic safety and attracted 120 participants. The seminar was organised by CERN’s occupational Health Safety and Environmental (HSE) Protection Unit, and built upon their expert knowledge on cryogenics, as a result of the extensive cooling systems in place for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

The seminar aimed to bring together research institutes and members of industry on topics such as European activities and standards, research and development, risk assessment, and the development of rules and regulations for cryogenic safety systems.

As part of their work, CERN’s HSE unit spear-headed the development of a pioneering tool, named Kryolize Professional, to help size the safety devices used in the LHC cryogenics systems. Kryolize allows engineers to correctly calculate the sizing requirements of cryogenic pressure relief devices, which is crucial in minimising the risk of overpressure.

Whilst originally created for internal use by LHC engineers, Kryolize Professional can also be applied outside of CERN and High Energy Physics (HEP) research. The tool was developed within the scope of international, European and American safety standards to create a harmonised approach across different fields, such as in the food industry or for medical applications.

Standards exist for some industries and applications, but they are not always standardised across disciplines.

“When we go to very low cryogenic temperatures, like we use at CERN, these standards do not exist or they’re not fully tailored,” said Andre Henriques, a Mechanical Engineer and Kryolize project leader.

The CERN Knowledge Transfer (KT) group has supported the Kryolize project to facilitate its dissemination beyond CERN, In particular by granting it funding through the CERN Knowledge Transfer Fund.

The next steps are to verify the tool’s parameters, harmonize its data, develop and finalise its user interface, obtain commercial licences and disseminate the software abroad and throughout different disciplines.

In addition, the project will participate in standardisation committees across Europe to ensure harmonized and tailored approach in cryogenic safety.

“Safety should be the front wagon in the development of new technology,” said Henriques.

Further reading:

Kryolize project video: https://cds.cern.ch/record/2220439
Read more about Kryolize on the CERN Knowledge Transfer website.
For more information on obtaining a licence for Kryolize, please contact the CERN Knowledge Transfer group.

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ARIES to launch innovation fund

Cryogenic safety tool developed at CERN