Research cluster
The Mission of the Research Cluster
The Institute of Fluid Science has followed the VISION2030 it adopted in 2015, building on the research, technology, and international research network it has built up so far, as it works to form a global center for the field of fluid science. This center will bring together the world’s researchers to push towards solutions for various social issues.
In September 2021, the Institute reviewed its forward direction in light of the tumultuous changes in social conditions in recent years, and amended its VISION2030. Under this new vision, it has reorganized into four research clusters, which are unique interdisciplinary research groups in the fields of “environment and energy”, “nano-micro”, “health, welfare, and medical cares (life science)”, and “aerospace”, and the Social Issue Solutions Task Force, a research team to tackle pressing social issues. This structure will allow the Institute to make organized contributions to society and industry.
From now on, the work of these clusters will form and advance a new academic foundation of integrated flow science, to contribute to the building of a comfortable and affluent society.
Environment and energy cluster
We aim to develop integrated flow science to realize a decarbonized society and create a new energy system
The COP26 “Glasgow Climate Pact” reaffirmed the need for the entire world to tackle global warming issues with specific numerical goals, and the need to control greenhouse gas emissions and create new energy sources have become urgent issues. In order to solve these urgent issues while maintaining and improving industrial activities and quality of life, to weave together the creation of knowledge from entrance to exit is required, along with an awareness of green growth strategies. It is essential to secure new sources of energy with low environmental impact, promote the introduction of self-sufficient renewable energy, further develop energy-saving technologies, and so on. With the environment and energy cluster, we will rethink the conversion and creation of energy, which is essential for human activities and sustainable development, and promote a wide range of research and development, from basic to applied technologies, to solve environmental and energy problems in a wide range of time and space.ce.
Nano-micro cluster
We aim to build an integrated flow science in which we analyze the phenomena that arise on a nano-micro scale and apply them to technological development in all fields
Recent developments in science and technology have made it possible to design and manufacture equipment with nano and micro-scale structures. Moreover, owing to the increased precision and miniaturization of the processing technology, new types of devices which apply functions which arise on these scales are being built actively in all fields. The purpose of nano-micro cluster is to analyze such nano-micro scale phenomena using supercomputers and large-scale experimental facilities, and to build an academic field that comprehensively understands them from the perspective of fluid science. We will also develop innovative devices and processing technologies that utilize these phenomena to improve the function and performance of equipment in various industrial fields.
Health, welfare and medical cares cluster
We aim to realize a healthy and comfortable society through integrated flow science
The social environment is changing drastically due to the rapidly aging society and declining birthrate. The creation of advanced health, welfare, and medical technologies is necessary in order to realize and keep a healthy, secure, and affluent life. This cluster aims to construct new theories of integrated fluid science by clarifying transport phenomena in living organisms and interaction phenomena between living organisms and physical stimuli. Specifically, we aim to develop methods for diagnosis, prediction, measurement, and modeling related to humans; data-driven prediction and conservation related to the living environment and health; recovery and addition of human functions; application to the treatment of stroke and heart disease through the development of biomodels; prevention, treatment, diagnosis, and prediction related to infectious diseases and cancer; plasma medicine; and regenerative medicine. We are also working on the development of protein and cell processing technologies.
Aerospace cluster
We aim to contribute to the development of the aerospace field by clarifying the phenomena in the flow field related to spacecrafts and aircrafts through integrated flow science
The development of innovative spacecrafts and aircrafts for the next generation requires an understanding of a wide variety of flow fields, including flows in extreme environments such as high-temperature, high-pressure, cryogenic temperature, and rarefied atmosphere, multi-phase flow with phase change and plasmas/combustion flow with chemical reactions, and nano/micro/macroscale spatiotemporal flow. In addition, the development of highly efficient airframes and engines is necessary for green growth strategies to achieve a carbon-neutral international society, and the flow fields associated with spacecrafts and aircrafts must be controlled with high precision. Aerospace cluster aims to establish an academic field that comprehensively understands the phenomena from the viewpoint of integrated flow science, including flow field analysis using wind tunnels and supercomputers and mathematical and data science approaches.