How about an autonomous flat that can be located somewhere in the mountains in winter and moved to the lakeside in summer? Thanks to researchers working at W7 and W9, this will be possible. A model, developed in collaboration with Good Spot is expected to be ready in two years.

The research will be conducted under an agreement signed by the authorities of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering with a Wrocław-based company that specialises in the construction of mobile hotel apartments. The accommodation solution is made up of isothermal trailers formerly used for transporting foodstuffs, which have been withdrawn from the market.

– We found both the profile and the needs of the company very interesting. It focuses on green and sustainable solutions, using trailer chassis and recycled materials, and wants to rely on renewable energy for supplying its facilities with power. These are also our priorities – says  Piotr Jadwiszczak, PhD, Eng, Vice Dean for Finance and General Affairs at the Faculty of Environmental Engineering. – The working team that will deal with the project has joined forces with the Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering – he adds.

Full independence

Before the trailers are turned into rooms, they undergo renovation. The entire structure is additionally reinforced and the chassis is fitted with components that make it fully autonomous for transport. The former cold stores become rooms equipped with a bathroom, kitchenette, terrace, and air conditioning.

– With the desire for comfort in such rooms comes the need for electricity, ventilation, heating, and water supply. Such utilities are often difficult to come by in attractive stopover locations – explains University professor Bartosz Kaźmierczak, PhD, Dsc, Eng, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering. – Hence the idea of creating an energy system that gives mobile flats independence from connections to utilities for as long as possible. We assume that a flat located anywhere in Poland will be completely self-sufficient for the duration of a typical holiday, i.e. from 10 to 14 days – he adds.

A challenging task

The project poses many engineering and R&D challenges. A flat like this must be equipped, among other things, with its own systems for obtaining, storing, and distributing electricity and water. Hot water and sewage disposal must not be ignored either.

– The biggest challenge will be to coordinate all these systems and installations in such a way that efficiency synergies are achieved. It’s about each component of the system being not only highly efficient, but also increasing the efficiency of its other components through its operation – explains  Demis Pandelidis, PhD, Dsc from the Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering. – One additional requirement is to ensure the mobility of the semi-trailer, i.e. making it meet the conditions for its roadworthiness in terms of safety, dimensions, or weight – he adds.

Among other things, the researchers want to use solutions improving thermal insulation and allowing rainwater harvesting, zero-energy air conditioning technology working in conjunction with a low-energy water purification system, as well as a new type of photovoltaic panel.

– Research has already been conducted at Wrocław University of Science and Technology into particular technologies we want to use for this project. So far, however, no work has been done towards the development of a single, coherent system for a facility of such limited dimensions, one that’s also mobile and with specific self-sufficiency requirements – emphasises Prof. Bartosz Kaźmierczak.

Step by step

The project has been divided into several stages. In the first step, unitary power, water supply, storage, and distribution systems will be examined for their adaptation to meet the requirements of a mobile hotel. They will be carried out in our university laboratories.

Systems with proven performance will then be built into a prototype trailer. To install them, it’s necessary to adapt the structure and technical components of the trailer to become a mobile flat, so this work will be done at the trailer production facility.

– The final stage will consist in field tests where a properly metered facility will be thoroughly examined for self-sufficiency in terms of electricity, heating, air conditioning and water. Of course, we’re also trying to make sure that there will be at least one mobile flat at Wrocław University of Science and Technology – announces Piotr Jadwiszczak, PhD, Eng.

The project is expected to take about two years, which stems from the fact that not all of the work can be carried out in parallel. Some of the activities cannot start without the successful completion of previous studies. It will also take a long time to test the prototype in the various weather conditions of the Polish winter and summer.

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