Dr.-Ing Dimitris Manolakos is a Mechanical Engineer of NTUA. He specializes in thermal technologies relevant to heat extraction, upgrade, and conversion to electricity in industry, marine and agricultural sectors. His objective at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) is to investigate, develop and integrate Energy Efficiency and Renewables Thermal Technologies and measures in the primary and secondary agricultural sector. In general, the research work assumes the optimal utilization of energy resources for the benefit of the economy and development of the agricultural sector.
RTD work is mostly focused on:
-Low grade heat recovery and conversion to power technologies, emphasizing on Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), either for electricity generation or CHP. Solar thermal systems, biomass and waste heat are considered as candidate heat sources.
- Low grade heat recovery and upgrading technologies, emphasizing on High Temperature Heat Pumps (HTHPs) for utilization industrial applications.
-Precise climate control of agricultural buildings with multi-use (sensible heating and cooling, de-humidification and re-heating) air, water or geothermal heat pumps.
-Treatment of brackish, sea and brine water with desalination/distillation technologies combined with renewable energy technologies (i.e. solar heat, geothermal heat and heat pumps).
At AUA he teaches Applied Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer and Heat Engines.