Rittinger Award

Awardees 2017

In a ceremony held at the conference banquet at the 12th IEA Heat Pump Conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the HPT TCP has given the prestigious Ritter von Rittinger Award to four awardees.

In a ceremony held at the conference banquet at the 12th IEA Heat Pump Conference in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the HPT TCP has given the prestigious Ritter von Rittinger Award to four awardees.

The Rittinger von Rittinger award is presented triennially in conjunction with the International Heat Pump Conference to individuals and teams who have distinguished themselves through outstanding contributions to the advancement of international collaboration in research, policy and market development and applications for energy-efficient heat pumping technologies that result in environmental benefits.  The award is named after Peter Ritter von Rittinger, an Austrian engineer credited with the design and installation of the first practical heat pump system at a salt works in Upper Austria in 1856. The 2017 Rittinger awardees are Professor Eckhard A Groll, USA; Professor Alberto Cavallini, Italy; the ORNL Building Equipment Team, USA; and Professor Per Lundqvist, Sweden.

Professor Eckhard A Groll
Professor Eckhard A Groll, Reilly Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, USA, teaches technical thermodynamics. His research focuses on the fundamental thermal sciences as applied to advanced energy conversion systems, components, compressors and their working fluids. His research efforts involve the development of experimental facilities to conduct performance testing, and the creation of detailed system or component models for analyses and optimization.   Prof. Groll was recognized for his exceptional achievements and leadership in all three aspects of the faculty profession of research, teaching and service.

Professor Alberto Cavallini
Prof. Alberto Cavallini is Professor Emeritus and former full professor of Energy Science with the Engineering School of the University of Padova, Italy. Prof. Cavallini was highlighted for his research and publications in the fields of energy management, heat transfer (with special emphasis on boiling and condensation heat transfer with refrigerants), refrigeration and air-conditioning with particular reference to problems related with the refrigerant substitution issue. During his career, he has published more than 300 scientific and technical papers and books, and is also a member of the advisory board of the International Journal of Refrigeration, one of the European editors of the International Journal of Transport Phenomena and former associate editor of the International Journal of HVAC&R Research.

ORNL Building Equipment Team
ORNL Building Equipment Team (ORNL BERG), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA, was recognized for their contribution to the development of high efficiency heat pumps of all types, including electric, sorption, gas-fired, cold climate and ground-coupled for over 40 years. They have won numerous awards and been recognized for their groundbreaking research, which has included modeling (ORNL Heat Pump Design Model; used by manufacturers and academia), design, development, demonstration, and market introduction. In addition, the ORNL BERG has since the 1980’s been very active in the IEA’s Technology Collaboration Programme on Heat Pumping Technologies (HPT TCP).

Professor. Per Lundqvist
Professor Per Lundqvist, Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden was awarded for his international impact in the realm of heat pump development, which maintains a multifaceted approach to the technology’s advancement, focusing both on market dynamics and technical progress. In addition, he is also co-author of the Inter-governmental Report on Climate Change (IPCC) on the influence of refrigerants on the global climate and has served as President of Commission E2 in the International Institute of Refrigeration, with focus on research, education, and international collaboration on climate issues related to refrigeration and heat pump technology.