Based on SDGs, realization of minimum energy loss when using conventional types of energy and of super-high efficiency of next generation renewable energy will enable suppression of the use of fossil fuels to the extreme or will usher in a highly efficient, environmentally compatible type of energy supply system. Furthermore, smart energy supply systems that incorporate these created energies harmonically can be established to realize a sustainable energy social infrastructure.

Construction of a green smart city by using the next-generation hydrogen energy cycle

Realization of an innovative smart energy supply system by fusion of various types of power generation methods, considering a good balance between costs and efficiency and by fusion of power generation system and electricity accumulation system by introducing optimum design technology.

Mutual compensation type use of high-density hydrogen as a renewable energy medium and realization of smart grid science city.

We proposed high-exergy-efficiency combustion capable of greatly reducing irreversible loss (exergy loss) that was unavoidable in the combustion by improving exergy rate at combustion start, and specific challenges such as a high-temperature oxygen combustion is being promoted currently..

World-leading lithium ion battery characteristics by high-volume and high-output type electrodes using techniques to synthesize a uniformly sized, highly crystalline active material (LiFePO4) at a 10-50 nm level.

Realization of high-efficiency fuel cells using world-leading synthesis of diverse hydrides including complex hydrides and highly functional solid hydrogen carrier.

Securing safe and less-expensive energy and efficient utilization of energy are important issues confronting modern civilization. To clarify these issues and aiming at founding a Japanese nation based on energy technology, we are promoting studies of innovative green nano-devices. Particularly, we have been developing power generation devices (such as quantum dot solar cells), electricity accumulation devices (such as high efefciency batteries using nanomaterials), low power consumption devices (such as quantum-dot lasers, Ge transistors, Graphene transistors) and nano-energy systems, which are a combination of these elements. For manufacturing of these nano-devices, nano-structures should be produced accurately and without defects. The original properties of materials and quantum nano-structure should be extracted. This sort of processing is made possible only after intelligent nano-process technologies such as beam process and bio-template and ultimate top-down etching technology, which are the background of this research laboratory, are fully used.

Development of Zero Emission Energy & Technology by ”Geomechanics = Geo(地球) + Mechanics(力学)” With the recent growth of the development for unconventional resources, we have realized that the knowledge of the geomechanics is quite crucial for the understanding of failure phenomena in subsurface and resource development. In our lab., we have been conducting the researches based on geomechanics for various applications such as CO2 geological storage, methane hydrate from deep seafloor, unconventional resources (shale gas & oil), easy and reliable in-situ stress measurement, and supercritical geothermal resource development. We develop the technology to highly utilize the subsurface environment (temperature, stress, closedness) to solve many challenges related to energy and to realize a sustainable society.
Measurement of in-situ rock stress is a critical parameter for the effective production of geothermal or unconventional hydrocarbon resources. We propose a new method of diametrical core deformation analysis (DCDA) for evaluating the in-situ stress of rocks from an elliptical deformation of boring cores. DCDA is game-changing method since we can directly estimate the magnitude of in-situ stress from simple core diameter measurement. At the various subsurface development associated with fluid injection, we experienced some felt size earthquake which possibly caused structural damage. To mitigate this seismic hazard risk of those anthropological earthquakes, we investigate the mechanism of those earthquakes and its causality to human activity.

We pursue research and development on effective energy conversion and energy process in combustion and reactive thermal fluid systems with new technology concepts. By basing heat and/or mass regenerations for low-exergy-loss combustion as keywords, interdisciplinary researches are conducted with domestic and international collaboration partners in academic and industry.
●Micro-, Mild and Microgravity combustions
●Multi-stage oxidation by micro flow reactor with prescribed temperature profile
●Combustion with surrogate fuels, biomass, and synthetic fuels
●High-temperature oxygen combustion
●Large-scale combustion simulations and development of numerical methods

In this laboratory, we are conducting research to improve the reliability and stability of the system by improving the functionality of each machine component. Aiming to improve the potential of the system and to realize an energy-saving and highly efficient mechanical system, we are engaged in research for the design of high-performance machines. The main research topics are as follows;
① Development of dynamic crystallization process of powder metal by “compressive force and shear force”,
② Development of consolidation process for high-performance materials by medium-temperature severe plastic deformation technique,
③ Development of electromagnetic functional materials for “sensing and actuators”,
④ Clarification of hydrogen embrittlement mechanism by electromagnetic sensing.

Development of Integrated Multiscale Multiphase Flow Energy System Our laboratory is focusing in the development of innovative multiphase fluid dynamic methods based on the multiscale integration of massively parallel supercomputing and advanced measurements, and research related to creation of environmentally conscious energy systems. Furthermore, we promote basic research for the creation of risk management science and associated new multiphase flow system directly linked to sustainable energy represented by a high-density hydrogen storage technology. Particularly, we are focusing in different field integration research and development such as creation of environmentally conscious type nano-cleaning technology using reactive multiphase fluid that is a thoroughly chemical-free, pure water free, dry type semiconductor wafer cleaning system using cryogenic micro-nano-solid high-speed spray flow, and also focusing on removal-reusing technology for solar cells and ITO membranes for conducting organic polymer (including indium oxide tin). We also performed computational study of multiple bubbles behavior in megasonic fleld to clarify the mechanism of particle removal by megasonic cleaning. Furthermore, aiming to contribute disaster risk science field, fundamental mitigation effect of mega-floating structures on the water level and hydrodynamic force caused by the offshore tsunami has been computationally investigated using SPH method taking into account the fluid-structure interaction (FSI).

Development of clean energy sources, such as solar cell, Lithium ion battery and fuel cell, is increasingly accelerated all over the world because of recent problems of global-warming and nuclear power plant. It is indispensable to comprehend and control the flow of reactants or products in these batteries to improve the efficiency and decrease the cost. However, it is impossible to comprehend the flow dynamics of these substances accurately by conventional experiments or simulations because the flow field in these batteries consists of aggregations of very fine structure which is of the order of nanometer. Our laboratory analyzes the “flow”, or transport phenomenon of reactants or products in the batteries by large scale quantum calculation or classical molecular dynamics method using a supercomputer. Moreover, we aim to make a theoretical design of a next-generation battery which is high efciency and low cost by comprehending the characteristics and governing factors of the transport phenomenon from the simulation results.