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vebic building

VEBIC laboratories

Fuel-lab, ICE-lab, geoenergy laboratory and FREESI-lab

Within the interdisciplinary research platform of VEBIC, the University of Vaasa has uniquely integrated laboratories for boosting future fuels (fuel-lab), combustion engines (ICE-lab), geoenergy laboratory and research for reliable integration of electrical and energy systems (FREESI-lab).

The fuel-lab is a research laboratory that provides analyses for liquid fuels. In addition to research projects, it offers services from single analysis to larger customer projects. Ask for more information: fuellab@uwasa.fi

The ICE-lab comprises a medium-speed Wärtsilä 4L20 engine for marine and power plant applications, loaded by an ABB alternator. The test bench uses a Speedgoat model-based control system. An ABB drive enables engine operation at variable speeds. The exhaust system makes it possible to study various exhaust cleaning systems. The large measurement system covers determination of engine performance, combustion analyses, gaseous and particulate emissions, air and exhaust pressures, temperatures and flow rates. The University of Vaasa has also validated in-house and commercial toolchains for simulation of engine and propulsion systems.

Within the geoenergy laboratory, there is mobile research equipment suitable for various field measurements. The DTS measurement device (distributed temperature sensing with fibre optics) has been used to study heat transfer, for example, in sediment and asphalt fields. The TRT carriage has been constructed for testing the thermal response of boreholes and other shallow geothermal sources. These mobile research devices enable on-demand research anywhere in Finland. For further inquiries, please contact sonja.heikkila@uwasa.fi.

The Future Reliable Electricity & Energy System Integration laboratory (FREESI-lab) consists of Protection, Automation and Communication (PAC) laboratory for testing and training the IEC 61850 based protection systems as well as OPAL-RT OP5600 real-time simulator platform, which at present time, enables controller hardware in the loop (CHIL) simulations of Smart Grids. The FREESI-lab is connected to the Sundom Smart Grid living lab environment, which is a real medium voltage grid providing a continuous IEC 61850 based data stream from twenty nodes. The ongoing and future investments into the FREESI-lab will enable the expansion of research activities and cooperation especially in the area of smart and flexible energy systems.

Address, Internal Combustion Engine lab & Fuel laboratory

Yliopistoranta 1, 65200 Vaasa

Address, FREESI laboratory

Wolffintie 36, F11 building, 65200 Vaasa

Internal Combustion Engine & Fuel laboratory (ICE-lab & fuel-lab)

Internal Combustion Engine & Fuel laboratory (ICE-lab & fuel-lab)

  • Wärtsilä 4L20 engine for research use
  • Smaller engines, as well, plus large electric equipment
    • Alternators
    • Frequency converters
    • Transformers
    • Gen-set automation system
    • Data acquisition system: Dewesoft
  • Fuel laboratory works in close cooperation with the engine laboratory and regional chemistry laboratories
    • Unique combination of fuel and engine research

Analyses (fuel-lab)

  • Water content (biodiesels and bio oils), EN ISO 12937
  • Oxidation stability index, EN 14112, EN 15751
  • Density, ASTM D7042
  • Kinematic viscosity, ASTM D7042
  • Acid number, EN 14104
  • Iodine number, EN 14111
  • Surface tension, manufacturer’s device
  • Ester content, EN 14103
  • Trace elements, ICP OES, EN 14538 and manufacturer’s device
    • Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Si, V, Zn, Pb, S
  • Flash point, EN 2719 + others
  • Cold filter plugging point, EN 116
  • Cloud point, EN 3015
  • Pour point, EN 3016
  • Distillation curve, EN ISO 3405 + others
  • Cetane index, EN ISO 4264
wärtsilä engine

Research focus, ICE-lab & fuel-labl

  • Flexible hybrid power generation
  • Fuel flexibility, renewable fuels and blends, combustion
  • Improvement of energy economy and emissions performance
  • Improved electric equipment and automation of engine-driven power plants
  • Validation of new systems
  • Research services for the academic community, companies and research institutes
Workers in the fuel lab

Contact persons, ICE-lab & fuel-lab

Kuva
Sonja Heikkilä

Sonja Heikkilä

Laboratory Manager
School of Technology and Innovations
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498065
Toimisto
VEBIC V314
Open profile page
Kuva
Katriina Sirviö

Katriina Sirviö

Senior Researcher
School of Technology and Innovations, Energy Technology
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498756
Toimisto
VEBIC V313
Open profile page

Future Reliable Electricity & Energy System Integration laboratory (FREESI-lab)

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Facilities at FREESI-lab

  • Real time simulator (OPAL-RT)
  • PAC (protection, automation and communication) lab
  • Power electronics and microgrids
  • Battery cell testing
  • Cyber Physical System Security (CPS) for critical infrastructures (energy systems)
    • Real time simulator (OPAL-RT) based HYPERSIM
    • Communication system simulation/emulation based EXata
  • Central and distributed energy system controllers
  • Sundom Smart Grid living lab

Research focus at FREESI-lab

  • Advanced ICT based protection, fault management and condition monitoring solutions
  • Testing and developing IEC 61850 based protection systems
  • Cyber-physical security & resiliency of energy networks
  • Information security, resilient time synchronization and robust connectivity in cyber-physical systems
  • Control of inverter interfaced DER
  • Hierarchical control and management of microgrids
  • Flexibility services, sector coupling
  • Energy communities & new market structures
  • Battery cell modelling
  • Battery energy storages in various applications
freesi lab
freesi lab

Contact persons, FREESI-lab

Kuva
Kimmo Kauhaniemi

Kimmo Kauhaniemi

Professor
School of Technology and Innovations, Electrical Engineering
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498287
Toimisto
Fabriikki F244
Open profile page
Kuva
Hannu Laaksonen

Hannu Laaksonen

Professor
School of Technology and Innovations, Electrical Engineering
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498303
Toimisto
Fabriikki F245
Open profile page
Kuva
Marcelo Godoy Simoes

Marcelo Godoy Simoes

Professor, flexible and smart power systems
School of Technology and Innovations, Electrical Engineering
Puhelin
+358294498649
Toimisto
Fabriikki F241
Open profile page
Kuva
Heidi Kuusniemi

Heidi Kuusniemi

Professor
School of Technology and Innovations, Computer Science
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498504
Toimisto
Fabriikki F464
Open profile page

FREESI Lab: Cyber Physical System Security

Kuva
Tero Vartiainen

Tero Vartiainen

Professor
School of Technology and Innovations, Information Systems Science
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498588
Toimisto
Ankkuri 2. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Mike Mekkanen

Mike Mekkanen

Senior Researcher
School of Technology and Innovations, Information Systems Science
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498285
Toimisto
VEBIC FREESI
Open profile page

Geoenergy laboratory

Geoenergy laboratory equipment

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  • TRT (thermal response test) carriage:
    • heating power at 1 kW intervals in the 18 kW power range
    • frequency inverter controlled circulator
    • electrical connection 32A / 400V 3~
    • length of measuring pipes ca. 4 m
    • measurement technology implemented with sensors connected to the serial bus
    • data transmission by computer and wireless router
    • remote measurement control
    • heat pump allows two-way testing
    • weather station
  • DTS (distributed temperature sensing) device
    • spatial resolution 1 m
    • temperature resolution <0.01°C
  • Pyranometer
  • Water heat exchanger

Key research areas of the geoenergy laboratory:

  • Heat transfer
  • Heat storage
  • Sector coupling
  • Thermal response tests for dimensioning energy well fields
    • basal temperature of the bedrock and thermal conductivity, thermal resistance and diffusion coefficient of the energy well
  • Simulations

Geoenergy laboratory, contact persons

Kuva
Sonja Heikkilä

Sonja Heikkilä

Laboratory Manager
School of Technology and Innovations
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498065
Toimisto
VEBIC V314
Open profile page