Kyushu University Institute of Mathematics for Industry

The IMI Colloquium Report in December 11, 2024

■Title : Numerical Simulation and Mathematical Problems in Air Conditioner
■Place : IMI Auditorium(W1-D-413) and Live streaming with Zoom
■Speaker : TAKANEZAWA, Satoru (DAIKIN Industries, Ltd)
■Attendance: 31(Students: 11; Staff: 17;Others:3)

At the December colloquium, Mr. Takanezawa of DAIKIN Industries, Ltd. introduced numerical simulations used in the design of air conditioners and mathematical challenges appeared in their design.

First, he introduced the business activities of DAIKIN Industries, Ltd., and then introduced some current issues in the design of air conditioners based on physical phenomena and the results of numerical simulations, and at the same time, he touched on mathematics that is expected to lead to solve these issues.

Then, he explained on the current situation of mathematical human resources in the manufacturing industry and their future importance. Especially, he started with a topic such as “Gear Geometry” by Prof. Kubota, Tadahiko, who was mathematician and enrolled at Tohoku University, where Mr. Takanezawa graduated, and the contributions of the famous mathematician Pontryagin to engineering, and emphasized the importance of “mathematician (included people graduate from Dep. of Math.)” and mathematical knowledge as a new axis that is different from the conventional one in engineering and manufacturing.

Through this colloquium, we discussed the various challenges DAIKIN Industries, Ltd. faces in the design of air conditioners, The participants were able to learn how mathematics is actually useful, or is expected to be useful, in manufacturing. Faculty members conducting joint research with industry were abdle to learn knowledge that will be extremely useful in future industry-academia collaborations, and students were able to learn examples of how the mathematics they learned is being used in industry.
Furthermore, it was impressive to see that discussions and information exchanges continued between Mr. Takanezawa and the students who participated in the colloquium well beyond the end of the lecture.