INSTYTUT MASZYN PRZEPLYWOWYCH IM ROBERTA SZEWALSKIEGO POLSKIEJ AKADEMII NAUK - IMP PAN

Their core work

IMP PAN is a Polish Academy of Sciences research institute specializing in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and turbomachinery — the physics of how gases and liquids move through engines, turbines, and energy systems. They develop advanced flow measurement techniques, aerodynamic simulations, and turbomachinery designs used in aviation, power generation, and wind energy. Their work spans from fundamental research on shock waves and boundary layers to applied engineering for power plant flexibility and community energy systems. They also train the next generation of researchers through multiple Marie Skłodowska-Curie training networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015–2018, IMP PAN focused heavily on classical fluid mechanics and turbomachinery: aircraft composite bonding (ComBoNDT), acoustic radiation control (SmartAnswer), smart morphing (SMS), and gas turbine flexibility (TURBO-REFLEX). From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted markedly toward energy transition applications — wind turbines (zEPHYR), local community energy systems (SERENE, SUSTENANCE, HYPERGRYD), and decarbonisation pathways (LOCALISED), while maintaining their aerodynamics core through TEAMAero. This evolution shows an institute translating decades of flow and thermal expertise into the clean energy domain.

IMP PAN is pivoting from traditional aerospace and power engineering toward integrated community energy systems and decarbonisation, making them increasingly relevant for Green Deal and energy transition consortia.

How they like to work

IMP PAN operates primarily as a specialist partner (12 of 14 projects), contributing deep technical expertise in fluid dynamics and energy engineering to larger consortia. They have coordinated twice — SuPREME (a twinning project) and TEAMAero (their core aerodynamics domain) — suggesting they lead when the topic is squarely in their wheelhouse. With 162 unique partners across 23 countries, they are well-networked and comfortable working in diverse international teams rather than relying on a fixed set of collaborators.

IMP PAN has collaborated with 162 unique partners across 23 countries, indicating a broad European network built across energy, transport, and fundamental research domains. Their partnerships span Western and Eastern Europe with no single dominant geographic cluster.

What sets them apart

IMP PAN sits at the intersection of fundamental fluid mechanics and practical energy engineering — a rare combination that lets them contribute both rigorous physics and real-world turbomachinery know-how. As a Polish Academy of Sciences institute, they bring lower cost structures than Western European labs while maintaining top-tier experimental and computational capabilities in flow measurement and simulation. Their recent pivot into community energy systems means they can bridge the gap between hardware-level thermal engineering and system-level energy integration.

Highlights from their portfolio

• TEAMAero
  One of only two projects they coordinated, directly in their core domain of aerodynamics and shock wave flow control for aviation applications.
• SERENE
  Their largest single EC contribution (EUR 780,562), signalling a major commitment to sustainable local energy systems — a significant departure from their traditional turbomachinery work.
• zEPHYR
  Bridges their classical aerodynamics expertise into wind energy, covering four distinct turbine types and demonstrating their ability to transfer aerospace knowledge to renewables.