Chonnam National University Begins Development of New "AI-Based Next-Generation Thermal Fluid System" Technology

(From left) Professor Hyunwook Kang (Principal Investigator, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University), Professor Seunghoe Han (Co-researcher, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University), Professor Gutaek Hong (Co-researcher, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University), Professor Jihoon Jung (Co-researcher, Texas A&M University).

Chonnam National University is taking the lead in securing new technologies that could reshape the future of industry, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI)-based next-generation thermal fluid system design technology.

On June 30, Chonnam National University announced that it has been selected for the 2025 Global Basic Research Laboratory (GBRL) program, supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. As a result, the university will establish the "Next-Generation Thermal Fluid System Basic Research Laboratory."

This laboratory will be led by Professor Hyunwook Kang (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chonnam National University) as the principal investigator, with Professor Seunghoe Han (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Professor Gutaek Hong (Department of Materials Science and Engineering), and Professor Jihoon Jung (Texas A&M University) participating as co-researchers. Through selection for the GBRL program, the Next-Generation Thermal Fluid System Basic Research Laboratory will receive 500 million KRW annually for three years, totaling 1.5 billion KRW in research funding.

Next-generation thermal fluid system. Provided by Chonnam National University.

The Next-Generation Thermal Fluid System Basic Research Laboratory is a convergence project involving domestic and international experts in fields such as AI, fluid dynamics, materials engineering, and additive manufacturing, and is expected to generate interdisciplinary synergy.

Professor Hyunwook Kang (Department of Mechanical Engineering), the principal investigator, stated, "By integrating AI-based thermal fluid analysis with advanced additive manufacturing technology, we plan to fundamentally overcome the thermal management limitations of next-generation, semiconductor, battery, and aerospace systems." He added, "Our goal is to secure fundamental technologies that can contribute to achieving carbon neutrality and the development of high-performance quantum computing systems."

This research goes beyond simple cooling technology, drawing attention as a next-generation technology that applies AI-based topology optimization design, enabling autonomous learning and optimization of complex fluid-thermal behaviors. By combining functional gradient materials (FGM) that control heat transfer paths with 3D additive manufacturing technology, it becomes possible to realize highly reliable systems that maintain performance even in extreme environments. In particular, there is significant potential for application in thermal management technologies for high-heat-generating AI chips and quantum computing devices, attracting considerable interest from the global semiconductor, electric vehicle, and aerospace industries.

A representative from Chonnam National University stated, "Through this project, we plan to promote international joint research with leading institutions such as Stanford University, UT Austin, and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in the United States. We will also focus on nurturing next-generation advanced R&D talent by forming a convergence research team centered on young postdoctoral researchers and doctoral students."