The objective of the CEM-WAVE project is to develop an innovative CMC production process based on microwave-assisted chemical vapour infiltration technologies. This process will considerably reduce processing costs, making CMCs accessible for process industries in energy-intensive sectors such as steelmaking.

In more detail, CEM-WAVE aims at validating, in a radiant tube furnace, a small scale CMC-based tube embedded with sensors, substituting Inconel/Stainless steel alloys currently employed. The research and innovation work will be flanked by Artificial Intelligence (AI)-aided modelling research to predict the material behaviour, and will develop innovative joining and coating technologies to produce complex shaped components and further improving their high-temperature corrosion resistance. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life-Cycle Costing (LCC) and Thermoeconomic Analysis (TA) will guarantee that the project follows at every step the best directions in term of sustainability and future market uptake of the generated results.

The project is structured in the following 10 WP (in bracket the WP leader are reported):

• WP 1 (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) Set-up preform materials for MW-CVI processes
• WP 2 (IPCF-CNR) MW-CVI processing of CMCs based on solid-state sources
• WP 3 (University of Pisa) Optimization of the MW-CVI process for non-oxide and oxide CMC's
• WP 4 (ENEA) CMC microstructural, thermomechanical and thermophysical characterisations
• WP 5 (CNRS) Micro and Macro scale modelling of the MW-CVI processes
• WP 6 (Torino’s Polytechnic Institute) Joining and Coating of the produced CMCs samples
• WP 7 (Arcelor Mittal) Testing and Application of CMCs materials for future fluctuating and extreme conditions
• WP 8 (R-TECH) LCA, LCC, TA & Risk assessment
• WP 9 (KNEIA) Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation
• WP 10 (University of Pisa) Coordination and Management

ENEA is in particular involved in WP4 as task leader, for thermomechanical characterization, in WP1 for coating of Pyrolytic Carbon deposition by CVI (Chemical Vapour Infiltration) and in WP6 for joining process developing.