Aircraft engine thermal managementprimary
3 projects
AMBEC (bearing chamber heat transfer), EVAL (loop heat pipe thermal management), and DENOX (combustion processes) all address thermal and fluid dynamics in aero engines.
Organization
NATIONAL AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY KHARKIV AVIATION INSTITUTE
Ukrainian aerospace university specializing in aircraft engine thermal management, NOx emissions reduction, and advanced composites for European aviation research.
University research grouptransportUANo active H2020 projects
H2020 projects
7
As coordinator
0
Total EC funding
€1.7M
Unique partners
76
What they do
Their core work
NAU KhAI is Ukraine's leading aerospace engineering university, specializing in aircraft engine thermal management, advanced composite manufacturing, and combustion emissions reduction. Their H2020 work focuses on solving specific engineering challenges in aviation — from bearing chamber heat transfer and NOx suppression to loop heat pipe technology for engine thermal control. They bring deep simulation and testing capabilities (CFD, experimental validation) to European aerospace consortia, serving as a bridge between Ukrainian aviation research expertise and EU industry needs.
Core expertise
What they specialise in
NOx reduction and low-emission combustionprimary
1 project
DENOX — their largest project (EUR 571K) — investigates electrochemical suppression and electromagnetic decomposition of NOx molecules, a distinctive technical niche.
Composite materials and advanced manufacturingsecondary
1 project
DiCoMI focused on directional composites and fibre reinforced polymers through manufacturing innovation.
EU-Ukraine aviation collaborationsecondary
2 projects
RADIAN and AERO-UA were both coordination and support actions facilitating Europe-Ukraine aerospace research partnerships.
Cybersecurityemerging
1 project
ECHO involved building a European network of cybersecurity centres — an unexpected diversification from their core aerospace work.
Evolution & trajectory
How they've shifted over time
Early focus
Aviation networking and composites
Recent focus
Engine thermal and emissions engineering
In 2016-2018, NAU KhAI entered H2020 through aviation collaboration frameworks (RADIAN, AERO-UA) and composite materials research (DiCoMI) — essentially establishing their credentials in the European aerospace ecosystem. From 2019-2020, they shifted decisively toward deep technical engine work: bearing chamber thermodynamics, NOx emissions reduction through unconventional methods (electrochemical and electromagnetic), and loop heat pipe technology. This evolution shows a university that used early networking projects to build trust, then secured more substantive, technically demanding roles.
Moving toward specialized aero-engine thermal management and emissions reduction — expect future work in sustainable aviation propulsion technologies.
Collaboration profile
How they like to work
Role: specialist_contributorReach: European25 countries collaborated
NAU KhAI participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with a non-EU institution contributing specialist expertise to EU-led consortia. With 76 unique partners across 25 countries in just 7 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia and are comfortable in multinational teams. Their wide partner network suggests they are well-regarded enough to be invited repeatedly into competitive proposals by different lead organizations.
Remarkably broad network for their project count: 76 unique partners across 25 countries, averaging over 10 partners per project. This indicates participation in large EU-wide consortia with strong pan-European reach, not just bilateral Ukraine-EU links.
Why partner with them
What sets them apart
NAU KhAI offers a rare combination: deep aerospace engineering expertise from one of the former Soviet Union's premier aviation institutes, now integrated into European research networks. Their work on unconventional NOx reduction (electrochemical and electromagnetic decomposition) is a distinctive technical niche not widely found elsewhere. For consortium builders, they provide strong simulation and experimental capabilities in aero-engine thermodynamics at competitive Eastern European cost structures.
Notable projects
Highlights from their portfolio
- DENOXLargest funding (EUR 571K) and a technically distinctive approach — using electrochemical and electromagnetic methods rather than conventional catalytic approaches to reduce aviation NOx emissions.
- EVALAddresses a specific and practical aircraft engineering challenge — thermal management of engine bleed valves using loop heat pipes, a technology with direct industry application.
- ECHOSurprising diversification into cybersecurity for an aerospace university, suggesting institutional breadth beyond their core aviation identity.
Cross-sector capabilities
Manufacturing — composite materials and advanced manufacturing processesEnergy — combustion optimization and emissions reduction applicable beyond aviationSecurity — cybersecurity competence centres and training frameworksEnvironment — NOx reduction technologies with broader industrial application
More in Transport & Mobility
See all Transport & Mobility organizations →DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EV
Germany's national aerospace and transport research centre, operating across aviation, space, energy, and EU programme coordination with 3,000+ research partners.
Open →
THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
Major UK research university specialising in composite materials, power electronics, and aerospace engineering with 210 H2020 projects and EUR 102M funding.
Open →
STICHTING KONINKLIJK NEDERLANDS LUCHT - EN RUIMTEVAARTCENTRUM
The Netherlands' national aerospace research centre — aviation safety, propulsion testing, air traffic management, and drone integration across 119 H2020 projects.
Open →