Research

The semi-industrial test rig combines a 100 kW fluidized bed reactor with a steam cycle for integrated thermal conversion studies. It enables research into combustion, gasification and heat recovery systems and supports the development of advanced energy and process technologies under realistic operating conditions.

Semi-industrial 100 kW fluidized bed with steam cycle test rig

The large-scale facility supports the research and development of thermal energy storage technologies on a megawatt scale. It enables the testing of high-temperature storage systems, energy output and thermal efficiency for decarbonization applications in industry and in the field of renewable energy. The test rig is owned by Carbon Clean Technologies GmbH.

The cold battery test rig is used for research into thermal energy storage at low temperatures such as -25 ^oC. It enables studies on phase change materials, system integration and cooling strategies for energy-efficient applications such as refrigeration, building cooling and industrial processes.

25 kW_th Cold battery test rig
 

This special test rig enables experiments with osmotic energy storage, a novel method of using salinity gradients to generate electricity. It supports research into membrane technologies, process efficiency and sustainable power generation from low-grade energy sources.

3 kW_el Osmotic energy storage test rig

The CO₂ capture test rig is designed to study how carbon dioxide can be removed from air or from simulated flue gas using water or amine-based solutions. Experiments with ambient or pressurized air and/or simulated flue gas investigate both absorption and regeneration, during which the CO₂ is captured and concentrated. Different operating conditions can be tested to assess their effects on carbon capture performance and pressure drop.

Technology provider: LESSMANN Gmbh

CO₂ capture test rig

The Laboratory for Industrial Energy Systems (IES) is actively optimizing pulp and paper industry processes where raw materials (mainly wood) are converted into a wide range of paper-based products, including printing paper, packaging materials and specialist items. The test rig is used for the production and characterization of stone paper, a sustainable alternative to conventional wood-based paper. It supports process development, material testing and scale-up studies with a capacity of up to one ton per day under industrial conditions.

This test rig focuses on the role of ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in the emerging hydrogen economy. It enables the investigation of ammonia synthesis, decomposition and energy release processes and thus supports research in the field of clean fuel technologies and carbon-neutral energy systems.

The planar heat pipe test rig is dedicated to the development and testing of novel planar heat pipes, supported by multiple patents. This advanced setup enables cutting-edge research in thermal management for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and other high-power electronic systems.

A0 planar heat pipe test rig

This 5 kWₜₕ test rig is designed for detailed studies of liquid-vapor interactions and enables the investigation of two-phase flow dynamics, heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics. It supports applications ranging from heat pipes and condensers to advanced thermal management systems.

Two-phase flow test rig

The test rig enables the investigation of anaerobic digestion, in which organic materials such as biomass and industrial waste (e.g. pulp mill sludge) are broken down by bacteria under oxygen-free conditions. This process produces biogas and biomethane as renewable gaseous fuels. The system comprises a reactor with an impeller for vacuum operation as well as connections for gas supply, pH and temperature sensors.

Anaerobic digestion test rig

The test rig is designed for biochemical conversion, this test rig facilitates the fermentation of biomass and waste. The main deliverables are liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biobutanol. The plant has a flexible control unit with options for gas and liquid feed, temperature control and sensor integration.

Fermentation test rig

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This test rig with quartz tube reactor supports the pyrolysis of all types of biomass in an oxygen-free environment and produces solid (biochar), liquid and gaseous fuels. The system includes conditioning units to separate solids and remove condensable gases such as water and heavy hydrocarbons, enabling comprehensive biofuel analysis.

Pyrolysis test rig

The hydrothermal treatment test rig is designed to process moist, low-grade biomass at moderate temperatures and high pressure using water as a reaction medium. Liquid, gaseous and solid fuel products are produced. The treatment components remove solids and condensable gases and provide comprehensive support for detailed characterization of the biofuels.

Hydrothermal test rig

The calorimeter is used to determine the gross heating value (HHV) of solid fuels and biomass through controlled combustion in an oxygen-rich environment. It provides accurate fuel characterization and quality assessment for materials such as coal, coke, lignite, wood, biomass, and waste-derived fuels. The system supports research, academic studies, and energy-related applications by delivering reliable measurements of fuel energy content.

Calorimeter

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The digester is a bench-scale bioreactor used for microbial cultivation and anaerobic digestion experiments. It enables studies on biogas production, biomass growth, and the bioconversion of organic and renewable materials

Digester

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The gas chromatograph is used to separate, identify, and quantify gaseous and volatile compounds. It supports research, environmental monitoring, and fuel analysis by providing detailed information on gas composition.

Gas Chromatograph

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The Parr High-Pressure Reactor is designed for experiments under elevated temperature and pressure conditions. It is used for hydrothermal processing, gas-liquid reactions, carbon capture studies, and other energy and environmental research applications.

Parr High-Pressure Reactor

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The autoclave is used for steam sterilization of laboratory glassware, instruments, culture vessels, and other reusable equipment. It ensures safe and contamination-free laboratory operations by eliminating microorganisms through high-temperature, pressurized steam.

Autoclave

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The Soxhlet Extraction Unit is used to extract soluble compounds from solid materials using a solvent-based extraction process. It is commonly applied for the analysis of biomass, plant materials, oils, fats, and other organic compounds in research and laboratory studies.

Soxhlet Extraction Unit

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The Vertical Tube Reactor is a bench-scale system for studying thermochemical conversion processes and high-temperature reactions. It is used for biomass and waste conversion, catalyst evaluation, and material testing under controlled gas atmospheres up to 1000 °C.

Vertical Tube Reactor

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The Heavy-Duty Cutting Mill is used for the size reduction and preparation of solid materials for laboratory analysis and testing. It can process biomass, plastics, polymers, fibrous materials, and other solid samples into controlled particle sizes.

Heavy-Duty Cutting Mill

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The pH Meter is used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of liquid samples with high accuracy. It is widely used in research, water and wastewater analysis, quality control, and process monitoring applications.

pH Meter

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The Tube Furnace is a high-temperature experimental system used for thermal treatment and thermochemical studies under controlled atmospheres. It supports applications such as pyrolysis, calcination, material testing, and catalyst research at temperatures up to 1200 °C.

Tube Furnace

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The Muffle Furnace is a high-temperature laboratory furnace used for heat treatment, calcination, sintering, and thermal decomposition of materials. It provides precise temperature control for material characterization, quality control, and research applications.

Muffle Furnace

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The oven is used for drying, heating, and thermal conditioning of laboratory samples and materials under controlled temperatures. It supports sample preparation, material testing, and hot-air sterilization in research and laboratory applications.

Oven

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The Shimadzu Analytical Balance is a high-precision weighing instrument with a maximum capacity of 220 g and a readability of 0.1 mg. It is used for accurate mass measurements in sample preparation, material characterization, and analytical laboratory work.

Shimadzu Analytical Balance

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The Shimadzu Electronic Balance is a precision weighing instrument with a maximum capacity of 6.2 kg and a readability of 0.01 g. It is used for routine weighing of larger samples, reagents, and materials in laboratory research, sample preparation, and quality control applications.

Shimadzu Electronic Balance

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The process simulations involve modeling and analyzing industrial processes to optimize performance, improve energy efficiency, and reduce operational costs. The simulations are validated against experimental measurements to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results. Globally recognized simulational tools are utilized such as Apros and Openfoam. MillFlow (an Excel-based calculation tool of pulp mills) was also developed in IES laboratory and verified with Finnish wood pulp mill data.

For more information, please refer to our review papers on process simulations here: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128516300375

Dynamic model of a polygeneration power plant that uses coal, wind and solar energy as fuel and generates electricity, heat, cooling and drinking water.

Dynamic model of a 600 MW power plant fired with pulverized coal and torrefied biomass.              

Steady-state model for a 350 MW combined-cycle power plant.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to analyze fluid flow, heat transfer and related physical phenomena in complex systems. CFD s mulations enable the visualization and optimization of performance in a wide range of applications from energy systems and heat exchangers to multiphase reactors and environmental processes. Globally recognized simulational tools are utilized such as Ansys, Epsilon and Comsol Multiphysics.

For more information, please refer to our review papers on CFD simulations here: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128521000289

 

Velocity and temperature field (longitudinal section through the waste-to-energy plant), CFD simulation.

CFD DEM Simulation of a fluidized bed - Experimental.

We integrate AI, Machine Learning (ML), statistical methods, and general data-driven analytics into our research to enhance data analysis and accelerate innovation. For example, applications in process efficiency, optimization and monitoring; soft sensing; and operations diagnostics. Data can be collected directly from facilities or generated from process simulators, from which surrogate models can perform more comprehensive analysis studies in less time. The data-driven approach allows us to push the boundaries of conventional methodologies and develop smarter, more efficient solutions to modern science and engineering challenges.

For more information, please refer to works below involving real data collected from industrial facilities (the topics covered are in parentheses).

(Predictive modelling, and operational diagnosis) On the diagnosis of a fouling condition in a kraft recovery boiler combining process knowledge and data-based insights.

https://doi.org/10.32964/TJ22.3.162

(Predictive modelling, soft sensing, and process optimization) Prediction of mechanical properties of steel tubes using a machine learning approach.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-020-05345-0

(Predictive modelling, and process efficiency) Heat-loss cycle prediction in steelmaking plants through artificial neural network.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01605682.2020.1824552

(Predictive modelling, process monitoring, and data visualization) Detecting an abnormality in a recovery boiler using dynamic multivariate data analysis with parallel coordinate plots.

http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=807082445007158;res=IELENG

(Predictive modelling, process monitoring, and data visualization) Detecting an abnormality in a recovery boiler using dynamic multivariate data analysis with parallel coordinate plots.

http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=807082445007158;res=IELENG

Engineering optimization problems are often difficult: multi-constrained and anything but smooth. We use advanced global optimization and sensitivity analysis tools for optimize equipment, plants and processes. We have applied these methods at e.g., heat exchangers and pressure vessels; evaporator plant configuration; district heating network production plant portfolio; and wind farm turbine and infrastructure layout optimization.

With the LUT-developed global sensitivity analysis tools, we can also uncover and visualize model behaviours, including the interactions with each other as multiple inputs are investigated.

Optimized back pressure condenser dimensions under different electricity price assumptions.

Sensitivity of optimal thermal energy storage (TES) capacity to main drivers, optimized electric and biomass boiler (EB and BB).