Erica, a platform dedicated to radiant energies
CETIAT has an adaptable testing and measuring platform. This platform is the sole of its king in Europe and it is dedicated to radiant energies for ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), microwaves (MW) and high frequencies (HF): ERICA.
ERICA helps industrialists integrate radiant technologies into their manufacturing processes, from the feasibility study to the operational implementation.
Ventilation and fluid mechanics, environmental conditioning, etc., are essential complements to heating processes. Therefore, ERICA can be associated to conventional ventilation and heating equipment or to simulation and modelling tools, among which the HFSS code which is specific to electromagnetic waves.
LCETIAT has the capability to couple several power transfer technologies with various fluids: air, water, steam and radiant energies. For example, CETIAT is able to test mixed microwave and hot air treatments or microwaves and steam treatments, etc.
In the field of microwaves and high frequencies, CETIAT has the entire ISM frequency band at its disposal to carry out orientation tests in order to accurately determine the best frequency for preindustrial tests.
ERICA: concrete advantages
Industrialists who use the ERICA platform have advantages in the short, medium and long terms as regards technical and operational aspects:
- Modularity and adaptability of the platform
- Tests on tailor-made facilities (replica of an industrial production line), from feasibility to pre-industrialisation and including validation
- Combination of tests and simulations
- Assistance from CETIAT experts all along the project, from innovation protection to assistance in the selection of equipment, etc.
- Training of personnel, R&D and operators
1. View of the inside of one of CETIAT’s infrared heating tunnel ovens
2. Microwave testing equipment of the ERICA platform dedicated to radiant energies
First steps before testing
Radiant energies, a promising technology
ERICA platform used for testing