10 Years FFG-CBOne

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Published on Wednesday, 01 October 2025 20:29

Ten Years with a Partner is Something One Must celebrate! 

Research and development is in CBOne's DNA. For the past ten years, we have used Austrian public funding via FFG to make significant achievements in combustion technology. The following series of postcards highlights moments, ideas, and the aesthetics of shapes we liked from a project.

 

The team is on fire!

2024-2025 marked the first significant increase in staff since the pandemic. The number of people working for CBOne has doubled. This paragraph is dedicated to all those who drive CBOne forward every day.

CBOne has an industrial vision with two main objectives. The first is to enhance conventional combustion techniques through innovation and optimisation of methods and equipment. The second is to ensure the long-term viability of combustion. This can be done by turning to fuels of the future. Examples of such fuels include hydrogen.

This may sound simple, but it is not. Those who work with us (in the team, or in common projects) must embody a certain culture and passion. These two factors drive us forward.

CBOne: Fabrice Giuliani, Daniel Kofler, Divano Burgzorg, Markus Januschewsky, Sehan Ranpatabadige, Andrea Hofer. Dear Friends: Nina Paulitsch, Gerhard Kraft, Benjamin Meier-Leeb

A big thank you to my wonderful team and colleagues! Have a great end of the year, and see you next year, in great shape! Together, we're going to score some points! 

Quo vadis, funded research?

Writing a research proposal is an essential step for any researcher. The work invested in a proposal can take months. Submissions are highly automated and standardised. There is often a deadline for submitting proposals. Other times, programmes are available on an ongoing basis, but funding can be more variable and uncertain. 

And with each submission, there is a question mark. Will my project appeal to the reviewers? Is it convincing? Will my idea come to fruition?

What a joy it is to win one! It's like a gift from Saint Nicholas, to whom my question mark is a disguised tribute.

On the other hand, if you lose, Vae Victis! The road to Calvary begins: understanding what went wrong in the proposal, taking the time to improve it, resubmitting something that has clearly lost its freshness, and off you go again.

The question posed in this post is as follows: Now that AI tools are capable of producing proposals that secure the minimum points required for funding in record time, for example by studying winning and losing proposals, how should we adapt to ensure that research funding remains fair and courteous?

Our team happens to have some experience in the field of research funding. Quite modestly, we nearly tried it all! And we have had success with the following funding sources. First at TU Graz from 2004 to 2010: the European Commission Framework Programms 6 and 7 (2006, NEWAC, 2008, Alpha Bird). Then with the Austrian fundamental research (FWF, IN-PULSE 2008). Then within CBOne, we started in the field of Applied Research (AWS, MethaNull in 2013).

It is clear that our longest research funding relationship has been with FFG, which provides an opportunity to reflect on research funding in the context of ten years of FFG-CBOne projects. Here is a list of the projects and acronyms we have participated in. As project leaders: emotion 2015, report 2016, emootion 2017, MOeBIUS 2020, BLUETIFUEL 2021, LIQORNE 2023, MOeBIUS.H 2025. As participants: crystAIr 2022, KI-pirinha 2024 and IRON LIQORNE 2024. If you look closely, you will see that the initial two-year period has been reduced to one year per new project as CBOne has grown in size.

Why are competitive calls for proposals biased?

This is the type of funding we use most often. Designed to be open to all and to treat everyone fairly, the system has the flaw that it funds research of varying quality. Let's take an example. A call for proposals requires a minimum score of 3/5 to be funded. In the first year, there are four fundable proposals: three have a score of 4, and one has a score of 5 and wins. In the second year, only one proposal passes the 3 score and is funded. Question: Why is it more legitimate than previous projects that were better scored but lower ranked?

There is a need for a system to give promising projects a second chance if they have been unlucky due to the exceptional ranking. 

Against pseudo-European projects calling for the synchronisation of national funding agencies.

The European Commission's funding of European projects works very well. But it is true that it takes time to “get into” a European project when you are just starting out.

That is why, perhaps with a view to enlargement, a format has recently been invented that involves European coordination and national organisations. We have tried it, and it is a bureaucratic nightmare: everything has to be done twice; the administration is overwhelming and inconsistent. This is clearly a loss of ressources, highly entropic. 

National agencies are primarily intended to support a country's competitiveness. Europe supports interactivity as a cement for European integration. What is the point in mixing the two?

 

So? What does the future hold for research funding? How can we achieve this? 

In light of the risks posed by automated applications using artificial intelligence and the potential for accidents, where funding is obtained without the team fully mastering the subject, I propose a return to more human contact between researchers and funding bodies. We need to meet in person to defend our project ideas. We should be judged on our merits, and on our vision. Researchers, especially those with a PhD, have earned their stripes in the pursuit of truth, and they stake their reputation on each new proposal. AI will not do this for us, and that's a good thing.

Victorem redit Research !

 

In good shape!

Additive manufacturing was an unexpected encounter, that changed our way of designing a burner!

Monday think. Tuesday design. Wednesday test. Thrursday test. Friday: free!

It all started with a visit of Daniele Cozzi from Joanneum Research. In the late 2016, interesting designs having the size of a mug were desired for AM-demonstration purpose. The contact was established at a FFG event of type B2B mixer. We discussed about what each of us does, and them Boum! Two projects: BABYBOLD (proBABlY the Best burner in the wOrLD) - a short demonstration project between CBOne and Joanneum research GmbH, and then, later, a large project called crystAIr! It all started with Daniel, then it went on with Voja Petrovic and Benjamin Meier - and then with all the colleagues of crystAIr! It's not just about having financing from FFG; it's also about lucking into meeting excellent people. One bit of luck leads to one success. One success story leads to more attention, and more synergies. It's a virtuous loop!

But before all, I fell in love with this technology and tried to be not too unfaithful to combustion by bringing the two together. Why such a passion? It is hard to tell. Thinking back, here are a few elements.

  1. I studied engineering at the ESSTIN in Nancy, France. One of the school's regular industrial partners was a large timber company based in the Vosges department, near Saint-Dié. They had developed a layer-by-layer AM machine that was in high demand at the time from architects and designers. I remember discussing with the chief engineer how manufacturing a hollow sphere had suddenly become much easier. I also had an idea for forging dice, but I decided not to pursue it as I chose to become an honest engineer. AM and I would go separate ways for a while.
  2. After some time, 3D printers that used PLA filament became available and grew in popularity. I could no longer resist. CBOne is full of bags of failed prints that we don't dare throw away because even the failures contain some magic.
  3. The BABYBOLD study with the extruded sine wave was initially just a "nice MATLAB incident". Oh! Interesting shape!!!  But how effective is it as an air swirler? That was the trigger for the mathematic to shape stories.
  4. The emootion project needed a revised burner. We started with the conventionnally-built, single-stage burner CBO3 from the MethaNull project and wanted to develop CBO4 as a two-stage evolution. This would be our first fully monolithic burner with pre-plug preparation and in-situ, pressure-drop-based flow measurements, as well as everything necessary for feed plugs. Imagine transforming something that took about 20 parts, including a mounting strategy and the risk of damaging parts exposed to heat, that dilate more than others, into one part with advanced thermal management. CBO4 is an excellent burner with an industrial future.
  5. In thermodynamics, there must be a method to connect desired flow transformations with ad hoc shapes. This forms the basis of the mathematics of the Shape Project and the Matosha tool.

More about this topic:

 

 

Greatest Hits

While Old Love Never Rusts, we play a duet with TU Graz on our newest Album "Eye in the Lab".

A breach in cover design copyright??? No no no! A tribute to Alan P. Project Life would be different without them!

This is an occasion, in the frame of our 10-years FFG-CBOne project postcards to acknowledge our Dear Consortial Partners in FFG projects, and celebrate the Research & Development we did together: FH Joanneum / Aviation, the departments Materials & Digital at Joanneum Research, the Institute for Thermal Turbomachinery and Machine Dynamics at TU Graz for the academic partners, and our industrial partners  Piezocryst, P&P Industries, Test-Fuchs, and AAIT.   And for all of those to come!

And God knows collaboration is not always easy. But we always manage, and we have our Hits! Together.

A BIG THANK YOU!!!!

 

Ps: A particular thanks to Nina Paulitsch, PhD candidate at TU Graz, for the eye on the left of the picture. This is a processed visualisation of density changes in presence of extremely low density fuel injected in air on a constant section recursive sequential combustor. More to come soon in common publications!

 

Know-H2w

Hydrogen burns very well and that's perfect as it is

Hydrogen is the future of thermal machinery

Over the past decade, CBOne has transitioned to hydrogen, which would not have been possible without FFG's support. FFG has provided financial support for numerous projects and technological programmes that have established CBOne as one of the most experienced engineering firms in hydrogen combustion. We are very grateful for this support.

The road to hydrogen will be long, as our entire energy infrastructure needs to be adapted. Some technological needs are still unanswered and we are working on it. But given the progress we have made these 10 last years with this molecule, we can say without hesitation that it is desirable.

Conventional fuels keep the world turning. We know the services they provide, we know the negative impact they have on the environment and our health, we know that hydrocarbons resources are limited. We must therefore prepare for something else.

We are now convinced that a part of the answer is hydrogen. The advantages will gradually become apparent: higher temperatures for thermal processes, ultra-lean operating ranges that are impossible with current thermal machinery. A fuel and exhaust gases that are non-toxic. There is much to be gained. 

Read more on our hydrogen-related projects:

Sexy Curves

While working on a technical task, taking a break in front of the beauty of things. An equation. A shape. 

The rePorT project involved equipping a burner with ad hoc measuring stations in order to monitor its performance during operation, with the idea that this monitoring could be carried out in flight and not just in the laboratory. The geometry of the objects therefore had to be optimised for this purpose.

The equation omega2−omega tan omega−pi2=0 surprises with its strange symmetry around the tangent. It is a little frustrating because it offers no obvious solution. Strange is also the adjective that describes it: transcendental equation (that requires an approximate solution).

The words of Prof. Olivari from VKI come to mind: ‘For now, we haven't found anything better than these strange hieroglyphs to translate mathematical behaviour. Understanding them takes a bit of work.’ And the words of Prof. Séro-Guillaume from Lemta: „Mastering equations requires a lot of hard work. I would say 98% of it is pure sweat and tears. But the victories, ah, the victories... What wouldn't we do for that 2% of light?…“

The equation shown is the result of work on the rotation of known mathematical functions and the determination of the diameter of the resulting body of revolution. It is also the first step in our ‘Mathematics to shape’ work.

The aim was to develop a new type of swirler based on a simple formula, such as a sine wave. 

The equation omega2−omega tan omega−pi2=0 provides the contact points of an extruded and rotated sine wave, in the specific case where it is inscribed in a circle at four contact points, two of which are the endpoints. Question: for what amplitude do we have a contact point of the curve tangent to the circle? Intuitive answer: not too far from 1. And indeed, the numerical solution gives an amplitude of 0.84. Interesting note: it is not the peak of the sine wave that touches, but slightly to the side. It's good to fall asleep once these truths are established :) 

We searched for this function in the literature and couldn't find it. So we set to work. If I'm not mistaken, omega2−omega tan omega−pi2=0 should therefore be called Alexandre Giuliani's equation. Thanks, Alex!

More infos:

 

We made it Bluetifuel 

Hydrogen needs larger passages than conventional, and it must flow fast

Does a good acronym "sell" a project?

It should not - but if it sounds good, people will remember it. So yes, it counts.

 

The Bluetifuel project

This large project (three partners, first million-euro-category-project piloted by CBOne) was our first incursion in the world of hydrogen. There had been a few ignition tests in a former life at DLR that confirmed something: hydrogen likes to burn!

We needed a burner able to generate premixing, even when the flame comes near to the injection. We found a (patented) trick to distribute evenly hydrogen and make it flow fast in a premixer. We could actuate the flame theromacoustically with good success! with Bluetifuel success I shall say :)

More about Bluetifuel: 

 

To each rejected research proposal

This is a tribute to all proposed projects that did not make it.

But there's hope: resubmission! 

While winning a project is a great joy, having a research proposal rejected in a close call is painful. It hurts the ego. It puts your expectations on hold. 

But here again I would like to thank our colleagues at FFG and elsewhere who take the time to meet with us and discuss whether a call for proposals is the right one. And in the case of a resubmission, what went wrong and how to improve it. Their work is delicate because there can be no favouritism. But they are there, they listen to us, they become the receptacle for our wounded egos, and then they make recommendations or highlight alternative options.

Sometimes, the wait can actually be beneficial. Most of these ideas are presented again at the next call, after more preparation and fine-tuning. 

And at the end of this journey, the project takes place.

A tip for all lovers of pop lyrics like those in Oasis's "Definitely Maybe": do not write "eventually" in your research proposal, as some people find this too non-committal.

May the reviewer who mixed 'eventually' with 'possibly' ('eventually' is a synonym for 'finally' and a false friend of 'eventuell' and 'éventuellement') and downgraded the 'impact' note from 'very good' to 'good' (killing one of our critical proposals in the process) be haunted forever by the screams of all these zombie projects!

 

First Time with Emotion!

Emotion stands for "engine health monitoring and refined combustion control based on optical diagnostic techniques embedded in the combustor" . This was the first large project financed by FFG as part of the aeronautical Take-Off Program, with the contract number 850470. Emotion started on October 1, 2015.

Ten years ago.

This Carte Postale is the first in a series to be published before Christmas, about 10 years FFG-CBOne projects!

The emotion probe captures the beat of the flame through sight and sound

On the one side, we would like to pay tribute to the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG, not only for funding us and our consortial partners, but also for the journey we made together.

On the other hand, it is an opportunity to pause and reflect on where CBOne has worked, take a few steps back, and observe the bigger picture: CBOne's industrial vision. An Austrian company at the verge of deploying its proprietary combustion technologies for propulsion and power.

The Emotion Project

It started as a crazy idea written in an obscure habilitation memorandum: equip a burner with optical measurement techniques for in situ flame diagnostics.

We knew that combining a fast pressure sensor with a flame-sensitive sensor would be beneficial. Everybody does it in a lab, but nobody does it in a real machine. This would ensure that the sound recorded by the first sensor matches the light intensity observed by the second sensor. Often, an artifact noise triggers an alarm while being mixed with combustion instability. A second signal that correlates with the first signal would be very helpful.

Together with FH Joanneum/Aviation, we developed this combined acoustic-optical probe. First in the Emotion project (concept and patent), then in the emootion project (testing under realistic gas turbine conditions). We did it. It works perfectly, also with hydrogen. Using the probe has become a standard procedure on our set-ups and experiments.

 

More about emo(o)tion: