The Maritime University

THE MARITIME

UNIVERSITY AALBORG UNIVERSITY

FOREWORD:

AALBORG UNIVERSITY COOPERATES CLOSELY WITH THE MARITIME BUSINESS COMMUNITY Aalborg University holds a particularly strong position in terms of working with challenges across professional fields. The university has a longstanding tradition for interdisciplinary research of a very high quality and an equally high level of cooperation with the business community.

Aalborg University works continually to strengthen and develop its interdisciplinary research and its cooperation with the business community. The university focuses on a strongly integrated approach incorporating elements from basic science, applied research, innovation and education. Aalborg University has always attached great importance to the problem-based approach as well as to the cooperation with public and private companies and organisations. As a result, the university is recognised as an innovative university, while the basic science strengths are less recognised. Particularly the Faculty of Engineering and Science works to promote a series of visible, interdisciplinary initiatives that are useful to society. Over the past years, there has been an increased focus on the maritime business communities, including the offshore sector and its challenges. The university is well placed with campuses at three locations (North Denmark, South Denmark and the capital of Copenhagen) and focuses on local, regional, national as well as international challenges for the maritime sector. It is a goal at Aalborg University that students and researchers alike work to translate theory into practice in close cooperation with relevant companies, organisations and authorities in order to ensure maximum value for all parties involved.

When it comes to education, Aalborg University has in later years upheld a close dialogue with the schools of maritime engineering in order to develop new Masters’ programmes making it possible to further qualify Maritime Engineers and others with Bachelor level education to broaden their job opportunities in “Blue Denmark” at sea or on land. As an example, relevant Master’s degrees in technical and scientific fields are available today in Aalborg as well as Copenhagen. A Master’s programme specifically aimed at the offshore industry has been established in Esbjerg, focusing on risk and safety management. Research-wise, the university’s projects are many and different, ranging from small cooperations with e.g. West Danish ports to large business and technological projects involving multinational shipping companies, hardware and software suppliers and authorities relevant to the fishing and offshore industries. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the maritime business community and to further contribute to its development.

Eskild Holm Nielsen I Head of Faculty Faculty of Engineering and Science

MARITIME CLEANTECH

BIO OIL

THE OFFSHORE SECTOR

12 WAVE ENERGY

ENERGY OPTIMISATION

MATRICULATION OF OCEANS

SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE

SHIPPING

COMPOSITES MATERIALS:

LOGISTICS

LOAD TESTS

COLOPHONE: PUBLISHER: Aalborg Universitet TEXT, LAYOUT & PRINT: Conexia+PR

ENERGY OPTIMISATION:

GREENER SHIPS ON THE BLUE WAVES Pollution can be minimised and money saved when researchers at Aalborg University optimise and streamline the energy consumption aboard ships.

When it was built in 2006, Emma Maersk was the world’s largest container vessel. On average – depending on its speed – it daily consumes the same amount of heavy oil as a large provincial town. That is why research performed by Associate Professor Kim Sørensen and his colleagues at the Department of Energy Technology can make a huge difference with even tiny improvements to the efficiency and optimisation of ships’ engines and propulsion systems. - The goal is to show the way to more energy efficient and less polluting ships to transport goods around the world, says Associate Professor Kim Sørensen, Department of Energy Technology at Aalborg University. Their research covers most elements on a ship that are significant to its energy

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consumption or emission – either how effectively the ships’ systems makes use of the infused energy or how much the ships’ smoke emissions pollute the surroundings. - Our research is mix of theory and practice. One day, we may be working on complicated models and calculations, the next day we may be getting our hands dirty deep inside a ship’s engine, explains Kim Sørensen. Their latest project is about how to make the most of the energy in the engine’s exhaust gasses in order to improve the total efficiency. Almost all the research has taken place in close cooperation with companies that deal with these problems on a daily basis when delivering products for the shipping industry – companies such as Alfa Laval, MAN Diesel, Mærsk and Haldor Topsøe.

- Shipping is and will continue during the coming years to be constantly challenged by increasing demands on the efficiency of the equipment on board. This affects the maritime industry which needs solutions that can help meet these new demands, says Kim Sørensen. Recently, Aalborg University has made a contract with the maritime college Martec in order to help strengthen education, know-how and knowledge in the maritime sector.

∞ Kim Sørensen | Associate Professor

Department of Energy Technology Phone: +45 9940 3813 E-mail: kso@et.aau.dk

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Danish waters are to an increasing extent becoming the scene for important activities in the energy industry, but the Achilles heel of the offshore sector are the high costs related to establishing and running the oil, gas and wind turbine activities at sea. The Department of Civil Engineering is looking at the options for reducing these costs, thereby increasing the sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitiveness.

â&#x2C6;&#x17E; Anders Schmidt Kristensen | Associate Professor

Department of Civil Engineering, Esbjerg Phone: +45 4218 0842 E-mail: ask@civil.aau.dk

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During past years, the energy sector has helped create many jobs in Denmark, and energy is an important business area for Danish companies. They specialise in the development of advanced technology, produce equipment and tools or offer consultancy services based on unique knowledge and know-how about green solutions. Recently, the offshore sector has seen remarkable growth, and there is reason to believe that this trend will continue. But the enormous costs related to offshore activities are stunting the growth. Durability an Important Factor Today, most wind turbines are erected at sea where they can be higher and thereby more efficient. But service and maintenance on wind turbines constitutes up to 25-30 % of the price of the electricity that they provide. The costs for installation and service at sea are high, because these activities are highly dependent on the so-called weather windows. At the same time, safety is a recurring theme at sea where the lives and health of workers must be protected. - In general, building, transporting and repairing things at sea is expensive, partly because the structures are difficult to access, partly because the weather dictates the speed at which activities can be carried out. And the meter is ticking for every hour that a wind turbine, an oil rig or a pipe system is not in operation. At the same time, the biggest players in the energy market are demanding that the cost of energy be reduced. This is why the entire energy sector is talking about COE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cost of Energy, explains Anders Schmidt Kristensen, Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Aalborg University and continues:

THE OFFSHORE SECTOR:

THE COSTS ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE - Establishing for example pipe systems for oil and gas purposes or foundations for offshore wind turbines and oil rigs are more expensive and more difficult than establishing similar structures on land, because the weather plays such an important part and special equipment is required. Finally, some specific safety precautions have to be taken, complicating work further. This is why it is very important what materials are used and what lifespan, we can anticipate. Virtual Tests The Department of Civil Engineering performs research to do with offshore structures such as the bearing parts of oil or gas rigs or wind turbine structures and different types of transport vessels. The department specialises in advanced calculations of strain and lifespan and has in-depth knowledge about materials, their qualities and how they act under strain. One of the department’s special skills is computer simulations where data about strain and different weather and wave conditions are included. These simulations can be used as a type of test before large structures at sea are constructed. Safety and durability are issues of vital importance. Computer based calculations are to an increasing extent being used as a tool to simulate different solutions, thereby reducing the need for expensive tests as well as the risk of making wrong decisions. There are several examples of projects where the Department of Civil Engineering in Esbjerg has cooperated with the industry on calculations that have made an important difference. The latest project was a cooperation between the department and Ramboll

Oil & Gas aiming to find a durable substitute for a pipe system that needed replacing every two years at very large costs. Today, a pipe system has been established that – according to the computer simulation – will last for 25 years. Equipment should be Recycled Another reason for the large costs in the offshore industry is expenses for replacing tools and equipment. For safety reasons, large amounts of equipment are discarded after single use, and even though this process is carried out in a way that does not affect the environment in a negative way, the costs for buying new equipment constitute a growing budget post for offshore companies. This is why the Department of Civil Engineering is working on methods to recycle equipment, and computer simulations can help determine what is possible without compromising on safety precautions. The calculations are based on data such as wave heights and the subsequent strain on the equipment that holds wind turbine parts down during transport at sea. - The automobile industry is very good at recycling the production machinery, and we would like to transfer that way of thinking to the offshore sector. This sector’s main challenge is that safety is a whole other issue, and that’s why we’re discarding equipment that isn’t worn, only because we don’t really know what condition it’s in after single use. This is very price raising for the processes and worth taking a closer look at, says Anders Schmidt Kristensen.

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Aalborg University is working on a revolution in the area of fuel technology. Researchers are making oil from all sorts of organic waste. The first bottles of bio oil made from manure, branches and sludge have already been produced and the raw oil is actually so good that it can be used in the shipping industry without further treatment. They don’t look like much, and sometimes they smell bad. But the dumpsters next to the Department of Energy Technology at Aalborg University actually symbolise world class research. In these dumpsters, professor Lasse Rosendahl and his colleagues are attempting to make oil from organic waste.

The test plant at Aalborg University is based on the Hydrofaction™ technology developed by the company Steeper Energy. Aalborg University and Steeper Energy have initiated a so-called publicprivate partnership aimed at researching and developing this technology based on results obtained at the test plant.

- We’ve been working very hard on this project for many years and as a researcher, it is a dream come true. The project is truly groundbreaking and will have many positive effects on people and the environment, says Lasse Rosendahl from the Department of Energy Technology.

Throughout 2014, the two parties will work intensely on establishing the first full scale plant in the world. The prospects are realistic, as 100,000 ships yearly pass through the ocean between Danish town Frederikshavn and Swedish city Gothenburg. Their fuel need amounts to approx. 900,000 tons of fuel.

Their research into this area may very well prove to have great perspectives on a global level, if their methods can be commercialised. Bio oil is so similar til fossil raw oil that the oil industry’s current plants and facilities only need relatively small adjustments in order to be able to process the bio oil further and make diesel, petrol and even aviation fuel. This means that the engines will not have to be altered or replaced in order to use the bio fuel either pure or mixed with fossil fuel.

To begin with, the partners are planning to establish a plant that can produce 50-150,000 tons of fuel yearly, depending on the financial circumstances and how much wood waste can be procured in the area around The Baltic Sea. In the long term, the plant should be able to receive other types of biomass such as local energy crops, manure, straw etc. These adjustments to the plant are the main focus for the research performed at Aalborg University.

Consequently, the bio oil can relatively easily be used with existing technology, thereby offering an opportunity to efficiently adjust to sustainable fuels in the transport sector without investing heavily in infrastructure. Furthermore, the raw bio oil may be used directly as fuel for ships. This is why the shipping companies are very interested. They are facing a new law that will force vessels, which operate in The Baltic and The North Sea as well as along the Californian coastline to either cleanse their fuel for sulphur or switch to a sulphur free fuel type. For the shipping companies, this may costs millions. - Our wood-based bio oil is practically sulphur free. So we can help companies live up to these demands, says Lasse Rosendahl.

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- Hopefully, our research will result in the plant being able to process all types of organic waste. This would mean that the plant would be able to tap into local resources and use local waste, thereby minimising variations in price and activity level. And there is no reason why similar plants should not be established in Shanghai, Hamburg or anywhere else, where bio oil can be produced using local resources, delivering environmentally friendly oil to ships all over the world, says Lasse Rosendahl. ∞ Lasse Rosendahl | Professor

Department of Energy Technology Phone: +45 9940 9263 E-mail: lar@et.aau.dk

BIO OIL:

GREEN OIL FOR THE SHIPS OF THE WORLD

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WAVE ENERGY:

GIGANTIC AMOUNTS OF POWER IN THE WAVES

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The whole world can be supplied with power from the waves on the ocean, but it is difficult to extract the power from the waves. Researchers at Aalborg University know more about this secret than most. We have all felt the power of the waves on the beach in the summer. If all the power in all the waves in the whole world could be collected, we would have an almost inexhaustible energy source. In the Danish part of the North Sea alone, the amount of energy available is estimated to a staggering 30 TWh per year. To give you an idea of how much we are talking about, the collective Danish electricity consumption is approx. 33 TWh per year. - The problem with making use of this huge potential is that there are so many factors involved, and we have to understand the dynamics of how these factors affect each other, before it will be technically and financially possible to make use of this abundance of energy, says Associate Professor Jens Peter Kofoed from the group of wave energy researchers at Aalborg University. One of the major challenges is finding the right locations for wave energy plants based on an assessment of the waves’ height, length and direction. The trick is to find the location where the plant’s efficiency will be optimal, i.e. where the plant will be able to make the most of the waves. Another great challenge is designing plants that can withstand the strain of extreme weather. A plant off the coast of Denmark must be different from one

located off the Californian coast, because the wave patterns are not similar. During the past 15 years, research in the area has been very practical, focusing on ideas that come from developers of wave energy plants helped along or discouraged by researchers. Now however, this research is supported by generic projects where methods and tools for the optimisation of plants are developed. Researchers are also discovering how waves combined with wind or solar power may contribute to a more consistent power supply. - The biggest challenge for non-fossil energy is that power plants cannot control, increase or decrease the production of power such as they can with coal. We can contribute with models that show how waves combined with solar or wind power can ensure more predictable power production, explains Jens Kofoed. He estimates that within a few years and after many hours of research, wave power may become the next great Danish energy trademark.

∞ Jens Peter Kofoed | Assoc Prof Department of Civil Engineering

Phone: +45 9940 8474 E-mail: jpk@civil.aau.dk

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Our wood waste based bio oil is virtually sulphur free. This means that we can help meet the new demands Lasse Rosendahl, Department of Energy Technology

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Our goal is to prove that there are ways to achieve higher energy efficiency and less pollution in the ships that transport our goods around the word Kim SĂ¸rensen, Department of Energy Technology

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MARITIME CLEANTECH:

WHEN THE ENVIRONMENT BECOMES YOUR BUSINESS

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Our society is undergoing a transformation in the area of energy and environment. Rising energy prices and laws to limit pollution increase the need for constant optimisation of production processes, procedures and transportation. However, these new terms also spur on innovation. In later years, environmental conditions have to an increasing extent been the reason for optimisations and cost reductions, because raw materials and resources have become more expensive. But it would be a mistake to perceive the environment only as a source of extra costs and administrative burdens. The increased focus on the environment is Denmark’s great opportunity to put ourselves in the lead when it comes to bluegreen high quality solutions. Denmark is already a pioneering country in the area of environmentally sustainable solutions, and this constitutes a unique business opportunity. Danish skills in the area of clean technology are highly competitive, and although Danish solutions are rarely the cheapest to purchase, they are often the most cost-effective in the long run, when service and maintenance expenses are taken into account. The environment has been a Danish focal point for many years, much longer than in other regions such as Asia. The Environment is a Competitive Resource - At Aalborg University, we have been working from this positive agenda for the past 25 years. We can continue to do better and constantly make improvements that will benefit our economy as well as the environment by developing new technology or by proposing more stringent laws to protect the environment – this will ultimately give Danish products a com-

petitive edge. More stringent environmental protection laws are not necessarily a threat, but have in some industries been a catalyst for the development of green solutions that can strengthen Denmark’s position as an expert country in the areas of cleantech and high quality service and maintenance, says Professor Arne Remmen from the Department of Development and Planning at Aalborg University and continues: - We shouldn’t compete with the Koreans on building the cheapest ships, but on developing the most advanced, most resource efficient solutions that will save money in the long term, because they are of a superior quality. The cooperation between the maritime industry and the Department of Development and Planning is very close. The department gives seminars and lectures for the industry, keeping companies informed about the newest research. In addition, an industrial researcher works part-time at the university and part-time at the maritime development centre, MARCOD in Frederikshavn. A Shared Future - Our main focus is learning about the best ways to establish clusters and cooperations between companies and knowledge institutions, city administrations, ports and other relevant parties, thereby working together to develop

sustainable solutions. We also work in the cross-field between energy and the maritime sector, e.g. by establishing service systems for offshore wind parks and see a huge potential for more cooperation of this type, says Arne Remmen. - In general, it is too limited a scope to only focus on technological developments. It is also necessary to have a well-educated work force and to continuously develop our competencies. Finally, it is important to understand the local and regional dynamics that maritime clusters operate within and how best to create a beneficial cooperation between companies, the public sector and the knowledge institutions. Aalborg University is known for having much experience with the triple helix approach where public authorities and the business community cooperate closely with the university and other knowledge institutions. This approach results in a unique dynamic where a profound understanding of the interaction between new technologies, new market demands and the entire innovation dynamic of the industry.

∞ Arne Remmen | Professor Department of Development and Planning

Phone: +45 9940 8318 E-mail: ar@plan.aau.dk

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SATELLITE SURVEILLANCE:

AAU KEEPS AN EYE ON GREENLAND

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A satellite developed and built by students at Aalborg University is keeping an eye on ship traffic near Greenland. A new satellite project is to help the EU control the environment in the atmosphere.

It is difficult not to get childishly excited by the idea that Aalborg University’s latest satellite can be followed on a computer screen in real time. It takes only an astonishingly short time for AAUSAT3, as the satellite is called, to move 800 km across the North American continent and further out over the Arctic Ocean and across Russia. The speed is a staggering 25,000 km/h.

- With AAUSAT3, we have proven that our students are capable of producing satellites of a high quality. It is still in space, collecting data for the Danish Maritime Authority. Not many universities can do that. This means that we have obtained substantial experience which will benefit other projects, says Jens Dalsgaard Nielsen.

- This is the third mini satellite that we have orbiting the Earth, and we have another two on the way within the next couple of years, says Associate Professor, Jens Dalsgaard Nielsen. In cooperation with Associate Professor, Jesper Larsen, he is in charge of the university’s space laboratory. More than 20 years of experience with space research has resulted in a cooperation between the university and the Danish Maritime Authority on monitoring the ship traffic in Greenlandic seas. As global warming is melting Antarctica, more ships are travelling to and from Greenland, and this activity has increased the attention on safety at sea in the area.

One such project is ESA, which has chosen Aalborg University to participate in a Cubesat launch in 2014. The new satellite will contain upgraded algorithms and optimised software, enabling it to process more than 10 times as much AIS information as the AAUSAT3. - In the future, there will many new, exciting missions. If all goes well, we may get to help when the first Danish astronaut, Andreas Mogensen, visits the International Space Station in 2015, says Jens Dalsgaard Nielsen.

The satellite is a so-called Cubesat measuring 10x10x10 cm and weighing around 800 grams. Attached to the satellite are two AIS receivers. AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a maritime radio system used to automatically identifying vessels. It is compulsory by law for all vessels weighing 400 brute register tons or more to have an AIS transmitter on-board. It automatically transmits a digital signal containing information such as the name of the ship, its geographical position, course, speed, draught etc.

∞ Jens Dalsgaard Nielsen | Associate Professor

Department of Electronic Systems Phone: +45 9940 8702 E-mail: jdn@es.aau.dk

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SHIPPING:

AN ESSENTIAL COMPETITIVE RESOURCE The time, when logistics in ports and shipping companies could be handled manually with the help of spreadsheets and calculators, are over. Today, ensuring perfect logistics and optimal management of time and resources requires advanced computer systems.

Competition has never been more fierce. Danish companies are competing with global giants over business opportunities at sea, and logistics play an important part. - Danish shipping companies are under a lot of pressure to compete. During the past decades, the market has kept growing, but the situation is changing, and companies must now seek to gain larger market shares in the areas of freight or passenger transport. Shipping companies compete over price, dependability, quality and safety, geographical presence etc. At the same time, the business must make a profit. This is why Danish ports and shipping companies constantly have to streamline their business and logistics processes and invest in modern

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it systems in order to be able to support data driven, operational and commercial decisions in real time at all levels, says Niels Gorm Rytter, Associate Professor at the Department for Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Aalborg University in Copenhagen and continues: - These modern it tools may be decisionsupport systems that provide an overview of expected orders or the capacity of a container ship, thereby continuously allowing decision makers in the company to adjust the price of different types of cargo or passenger bookings in order to optimise capacity utilisation and the profit margin. At the Department for Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, the research-

ers are experts in how the maritime industry can use modern management principles to simplify, standardise and automate business processes in a globalised world. One Step Ahead - It is important that we stay ahead of the demands that competition imposes on the companies. Logistics and it remain important factors, because high operating costs make it very expensive for shipping companies that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do these things right. With the right tools, costs and fuel consumption can be minimised and capacity utilisation, the ability to supply and customer loyalty optimised, overall resulting in a very complex logistics structure, says Niels Gorm Rytter.

The Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering helps shipping companies develop business models and processes as well as it solutions that support the shipping industry of the future. This work is performed in close cooperation with software houses that have the necessary know-how to carry out the ideas. Recently, the container shipping industry has been helped to identify future opportunities for capacity management and pricing, important factors in the global competition. During this process, solutions from other industries such as air traffic have been studied and adapted. Demonstrating the Possibilities Another important project looks closer at logistics challenges, business opportuni-

ties and market developments in the offshore wind energy industry. The growth in the offshore wind sector constitutes a significant challenge for wind turbine manufacturers and owners or operators of offshore wind farms, and logistics and shipping companies play a key role in the industry in its attempts to reduce the costs related to the production of wind power as well as to the timely establishment of offshore wind farms. - When Anholt Offshore Wind Farm was built, more than 100 ships, special vessels and rigs were used to transport turbine parts and personnel, and a special port was built in the town of Grenaa. This is an example of a case where logistics played an important role in the realisation of the

Danish goals for renewable energy. In the future, turbine parts will be even larger and heavier than today, and we will need different ships and trains to handle the transport. There are many potential jobs in the Danish energy, offshore and shipping sectors, and we can help shed light on the possibilities as well as the challenges, says Niels Gorm Rytter.

â&#x2C6;&#x17E; Niels Gorm Rytter | Assoc Prof

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Phone: +45 2910 3729 E-mail: i9nr@m-tech.aau.dk

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LOGISTICS:

THE PORT OF THE FUTURE IS INTELLIGENT Intelligent slot times, systems for optimal stock management and forward-looking order processing are examples of digital strategies that may in the future make all the difference for Danish companies with activities in ports.

- In many ways, a port functions much like a train station, in that the port’s main objective is to facilitate companies and make it appealing to use the port, says Hans-Henrik Hvolby, Professor at the Department for Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Aalborg University. He is part of a group of researchers that work in methods, systems and techniques for analyses, planning, optimisation and integration in the supply chain. The research group cooperates with the industry which functions as a type of laboratory. One of our current research areas is investigating the opportunities for optimising the coordination of activities in the port by looking at systems for booking cranes and other facilities – in general, the aim is to make processes as simple as possible and chain of command as short as possible. These are important aspects for companies that use port services, and there are many parties involved in ship arrivals, all of which must be considered. This makes processes complex and necessitates systems that can handle this kind of complexity, he says. Efficient and Forward-Looking The research group is deeply involved in a series of projects with the Port of Aalborg, which has a strategic goal of becoming an intelligent port. This involves using computer tools to simulate scenarios that can be used to identify present and future needs in the port, so that the port can offer relevant facilities at the relevant time. - It’s all about remaining one step ahead and continuing to think forward, predicting the needs that will occur and prepare to

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react to them in due time. A large part of the project is about optimising internal routines in the port and changing paper based processes for digital ones. It should be easy to find the right information, but ideally, systems should be able to alert you beforehand, if there are things, you should respond to, says Hans-Henrik Hvolby. One example of how modern logistics tools can help improve processes in a port is the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;intelligent slot timesâ&#x20AC;?. When a lorry is to be emptied of goods at delivery in the port, the driver is given a slot time to indicate the date and time when he needs to be present at the port and ready for unloading. If he is late, he is moved to the back of the line, making him even more late. If one was to imagine that several lorries to arrive the same day were all late, this would drivers who arrived early a chance to move ahead in line, if they could be notified. With GPS systems in the lorries, slot times can be adjusted, so that drivers are notified if other drivers are late, thereby getting the opportunity to adjust their route or slot time if convenient. Data is Valuable Knowledge The group of researchers are working on a long list of initiatives developed in cooperation with private companies, and many projects have already been launched. One of them is a cooperation with Fragtmandscentralen, where an advanced stock management and order processing system is to optimise the operation. Hans Henrik Hvolby and his colleagues have completed a pre study and given recommendations as to how the system can recommend the best place for certain goods in the stock

based on analyses of which goods are often sold together etc. Furthermore, the system is going to collect data about changes in orders that can provide important knowledge about delivery time and customer behaviour. - Knowledge about history that can form the basis for analyses is an important tool, because that knowledge and those analyses can be used to predict how we should proceed in the future. It is also a strong argument to present to a customer that you have previously delivered the right amount of goods at the right time, even if the order was changed. If you had changed an order placed with a company in India or China, maybe that company would not have been able to accommodate these changes. This means the Danish company can prove its flexibility, says Hans-Henrik Hvolby. Data is knowledge, and knowledge is power. But it takes advanced technology to collect, analyse and process data from the operation of the company and use them wisely to make the right decisions at the right time. This is exactly the area of expertise of the group of researchers.

â&#x2C6;&#x17E; Hans-Henrik Hvolby | Professor

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Phone: +45 9940 8963 E-mail: hhh@celog.dk

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We shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compete with the Koreans on building the cheapest ships, but on developing the most advanced, most resource efficient solutions that will save money in the long term, because they are of a superior quality. Arne Remmen, Department of Development and Planning

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Aalborg University’s Department of Civil Engineering has access to several basins, pressure chambers and other facilities that can simulate conditions at sea down to the last detail. The facilities are used for testing different structures and how they react to different types of loads and strain such as waves, wind and currents. Offshore Wind Turbines and Port Facilities - Based on the measurements performed in the basins, we can determine the lifespan of different structures and compare them to each other. This is sometimes relevant in the development of new types of foundations for offshore wind turbines

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or it can be a good idea before making large investments such as expanding port facilities which has recently been the case in Frederikshavn, Hanstholm and Hirtshals, says Head of Department Peter Bak Frigaard.

Partners on these projects are the large energy companies, national authorities or advisory engineering companies. Apart from specific projects, the department also performs traditional research in the area.

The department can deliver descriptions of piers and other structures in ports such as wharfs and make calculations to determine how currents and winds affect materials’ and structures’ lifespan. Information about weather and currents at the specific location are important data in these calculations, and so are the topography and elements of the seabed.

Growth Means Business Peter Bak Frigaard and his colleagues are known all over Europe as some of the best when it comes to realistic simulations of maritime conditions, and the department has been involved in testing many of the structures in the world’s oceans. The recent, rapid growth in the offshore sector has made the department extra busy, be-

LOAD TESTS:

WAVE EXPERTS Aalborg University has some of the world’s leading experts and most advanced facilities for testing maritime structures. Foundations for wind turbines, bridges, piers and many other structures are tested under realistic circumstances in mini scale on one of the university’s locations in Aalborg.

cause the demand for qualified decision support in the form of calculations and advice on the choice of structure type for specific locations is in the rise. - Aalborg University is already known for being extremely skilled at computersimulated tests, and these qualifications combined with our physical test facilities provide unique opportunities, says Peter Bak Frigaard. Qualified Support Another trend, which is making the department busy at the wave basins, is the need to build bigger and more complex

ports from where gigantic wind turbine parts can be shipped out. Wind turbines are getting ever larger, also at sea, and this means new and different requirements for ships and infrastructure in ports, not only in Denmark, but everywhere in the world where green energy is a priority. The many wind turbines that are erected at sea are exposed to extreme waves and currents. When waves are high, they may damage the turbine by breaking off parts or causing erosion of the material. Currents may undermine the foundation of the turbine, if potential problems have not been taken into account. There are differ-

ent methods for protecting the turbine to prevent it from beginning to “lean” over time. The Department of Civil Engineering can help determine which precautions to take at a specific location and what safety measures are necessary.

∞ Peter Bak Frigaard | Head of Dept.

Department of Civil Engineering Phone: +45 9940 8479 E-mail: pf@civil.aau.dk

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COMPOSITES MATERIALS:

LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE SHIPS Research at Aalborg University helps build more energy efficient ships by using new material technology such as lightweight composites instead of steel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to the benefit of the environment.

In a few years, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first completely CO2-neutral ship will sail Danish waters in the form of a new ferry which will be made from carbon fibre composites. This means that the ship will only weigh half as much, compared to a similar ferry made from steel. Of course, this has a significant effect on the energy consumption. Seeing as the ship will be propelled by electricity supplied by wind turbines, it will save the environment the burning of approx. 118,000 litres of diesel oil per year. - The demand for composite materials will continue to grow steadily in the future. This trend applies to the energy sector at large as well as the aviation, automobile, shipping and sports industries, says Associate Professor Lars Chr. T. Overgaard from the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. Composites are layers of thin fibres mixed with an adhesive. The fibres may be carbon, glass or aramid (Kevlar), just to mention some of the most commonly used types. The advantage of using composite materials is that they combine high

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strength, rigidity and lightness in the same material. This means that the finished product does not require nearly as much energy to move as traditional materials - whether it be a human foot moving a ski boot or a ship’s engine moving a ship. - There is a huge scientific and practical potential for composites. Composites with modern engineering applications have only been introduced in the commercial market within the last few decades, explains Lars Chr. T. Overgaard. At the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (Mtech) at Aalborg University, researchers are discovering how composites act across length scales, i.e. from the atomic material level to large structures such as wind turbine blades. M-tech is known for having researchers with extensive knowledge of materials, composites, lightweight structures, computer-based design and optimisation as well as a connection to experimental structure mechanics. Particularly the research aspects of designing wind turbine blades made from composites are currently keeping researchers very busy at M-tech – in close cooperation with companies such as Siemens, LM Wind Power and Suzlon. Although the focus is currently on wind turbine blades, it all began with ships and so-called sandwich structures in the form of the Danish Navy’s ships, the Standard Flex, in the mid-eighties. And this focus will shift again, predicts Lars Chr. T. Overgaard, because the potential for utilising different composites for real products is so large and versatile. - I feel quite confident that the knowledge accumulated at Aalborg University through long-term research and education of engineers for the Danish composite industry will benefit us, whether we are researching or teaching others our knowledge about wind turbine blades, ships’ hulls or something completely different, says Lars Chr. T. Overgaard.

∞ Lars Chr. T. Overgaard | Associate Professor

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Phone: +45 9940 3047 E-mail: lcto@m-tech.aau.dk

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MATRICULATION OF OCEANS:

BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENT MUST BE PROTECTED 30

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Today, human beings have many different activities at sea. This means that detailed planning is necessary in order to ensure that all interests are protected as well as possible. The oceans are a workplace for the energy sector, the fishing, transport and shipping industries, but also the habitat of thousands of birds, fish and mammals.

So far, each individual member state in the EU has been allowed to manage its own waters autonomously, but the EU will soon issue a directive that will set standards for matriculation, i.e. the planning of how oceans may be used. Such rules already apply on land and have done for many years, and these traditions are now to be transferred to the oceans. But so far, no methods have been developed, and there is little to no precedent for managing oceans so that all interests are protected in a suitable way. Our neighbouring countries have had matriculation activities at sea for years, but so far, Denmark has been a bit behind when it came to co-thinking maritime activities in a physical plan. But very soon, bigger demands will be put on the planning and administration, and we might as well prepare ourselves for this job. Blue Governance At least this is the attitude at Aalborg University, where a new group of scientists at the Department of Planning, called Blue Governance, will develop methods for matriculation of oceans and look into the possibilities for integrating different areas of administration, which are separate today. One of the goals is to establish a cooperation between relevant authorities, knowledge institutions, business organisations etc. Danish waters are the backdrop for recreational activities, fishing, oil and gas extraction, wind and wave energy facilities, transport etc. – and all this must be planned in a responsible way. Many interests are at stake, and many parties conduct their business or have other activities at sea. This has reached a level, where all of theses activities must be coordinated, and room has to be found for co-existence, while environment is protected, explains Jesper Raakjær, Professor of Marine Administration and Coastal Politics at the Department of Development and Planning.

The researchers are going to be working on methods and theories to form the basis for solutions for public authorities as well as the industries that must be present at sea. One purpose is to involve the state and individual municipalities in the work, because issues such as coast preservation and tourism are also important when oceans are to be managed. Sustainability is a Recurring Theme The marine environment is a complex entity, not only to do with fish and seaweed, but also currents, ocean bed, vegetation, birds and mammals. Fishing, ferries and offshore wind parks can affect all of the above. This is why sustainability is a theme central to marine physical planning and coastal administration. All in all, it requires quite a few kinds of expert knowledge to incorporate all the necessary aspects in a responsible coast and ocean administration. Not least, there is a need for methods and templates for efficient cooperation, because areas of administration which have always belonged to very different authorities must now be coordinated. There are many directives, laws and rules for each relevant area such as fishing, transportation etc., but these must be balanced. In the future, this exercise will be a key focal point at Aalborg University, where experts from the most important areas of expertise have now been put together in the newly established group.

∞ Jesper Raakjær | Professor

Department of Development and Planning Phone: +45 9940 3673 E-mail: jr@ifm.aau.dk

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