PRO FILE 2022 AU ENGINEERING RESEARCH COLLABORATION EDUCATION THE ENERGY AND WILD IDEAS Celines Bachelors project was a cornerstone in a new wasteseperation technology developed in an industrial collaboration. Remember the engineering students, says company CEO and project partner SURGEONS AND ENGINEERS SMART INDUSTRY EXPERIMENTAL CONSTRUCTION New healthcare-tech is developed Increasing demand for automation Denmarks first 3D-printed in collaboration with industry led to partnership with AU on house was built in Holstebro. and the health sector. new robot technology. Hasan tells the story. PRO FILE 2022 AU ENGINEERING RESEARCH COLLABORATION EDUCATION THE ENERGY AND WILD IDEAS Celines Bachelors project was a cornerstone in a new wasteseperation technology developed in an industrial collaboration. Remember the engineering students, says company CEO and project partner SURGEONS AND EN 2 EMNE DAILY MANAGEMENT 2022 Lars Ditlev Mørck Ottosen, head of the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Mikael Bergholz Knudsen, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Anders Brandt, head of the Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering Mikkel K. Krag Photo: Jesper Rais AU research center in Foulum. 4 CONTENTS CONTENTS CAE 18 CAE 12 BCE Experimenting with 3D construction The company 3DCP has embarked on a potential 3D-printing revolution in the building industry, exemplifying the way forward for the entire industry. Energy renovation and building culture New decision-making tools for r 5 CONTENTS 42 ECE The future of healthcare tech Clinicians and engineers team up to develop next-gen technologies. MPE Testing ideas close to risk-free Engineering interns: A mutually beneficial opportunity. 66 55 Keeping Denmark at the front Collaboration is a must, if we are to maintain mom Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo Associate Professor Morten Knudsen lecturing civil engineering students. ENGINEERING PROFILE 2022 7 The changing face of university-business collaboration Changes in the broad economic, political, societal, environmental and technological development are creating a greater sense of urgency around our research and educational activities at AU Engineering. Our ambition i Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo Fall in the Aarhus University park. ORGANISATION 9 Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering Engineering is key in the technological revolution and the digital and green 10 CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING CAE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING cae.au.dk Keywords: Building design and construction, structural engineering, building design, building physics, building production, construction automation and information technologies, fluid dynamics a CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo From the exhibition Connecting Lines: The Tectonics of Ruled Surface Structures that showcased the results of our research-based MSc course Tectonics in Engineering and Architectural Design. 11 CAE UNIVERSITY CITY LIVING LAB: DEVELOPING NEW DECISIONMAKING TOOLS FOR RENOVATION Graphics: AART Architects 14 CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING CAE A major new international research project aims to develop new decision-making tools for renovation featuring sustainability certification. The tools will be developed and tested directly in the design and construction of Aarhus Universitys new campus, t CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING 15 CAE Contact: Steffen Petersen Head of section Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering - Design and Construction stp@cae.au.dk Energy renovation and building culture Buildings gobble up energy, and primarily the older building stock is very energy- CAE WEB EXCLUSIVE Inspiring the next generation was the theme of the famous architectural engineering symposium IASS in 2021. Masters student Leo Heinzl won the second placement in the conferences research competition with his innovative foldable pavilion, showcased here at the AU Deep Tech Experi Photo: Marjun Danielsen, AU Photo Private photo CAE CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING 19 Hasan is 3D printing a tiny-house in Holstebro Hasan Alsofi graduated as a civil engineer in January 2021. He has now established a building contractor company called 3DCP with his friend Mikkel. Together with the Municipality of Holstebro, they are building 20 CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING CAE Contact: Hasan Alsofi 3DCP ApS Tel.: 2197 1308 ha@3dcp.dk Were looking into the future with this pilot project, says Kasper Lynge. Automation and digitalisation are becoming increasingly important in construction for several reasons. Firstly, we can bui CIVIL AND ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING 21 CAE Contact: Kasper Lynge Deputy Head of Department Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering kl@cae.au.dk Why experimental construction is the way forward That the company 3DCP embarked on a 3D-printed building in Holstebro is not merely interestin Photo: Kasper Hornbæk WORLDS FIRST The Aarhus University-based Novo Nordisk Foundation CO2 Research Center (CORC) is the worlds first interdisciplinary research center aimed at developing novel knowledge and technology that can be used to capture and recycle CO2 to replace fossil carbon and fossil Photo: Søren Kjeldgaard Aarhus University park. COLLABORATING WITH AU ENGINEERING 25 BE INSPIRED The engineering departments at Aarhus University cooperate with a wide range of organisations, companies and authorities on research and development projects. As this magazine illustrates, we establish partnerships with businesses of all sizes and l 26 BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BCE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING bce.au.dk Keywords: Industrial biotechnology, food technology, environmental technology, materials and polymer chemistry, medical biotechnology, electrochemical technology and process technology. BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING Photo: Anders Trærup Biomass turned to biocrude at the universitys research center in Foulum. 27 BCE CELINES BACHELORS PROJECT WAS THE CORNERSTONE IN A NEW WASTESEPARATION TECHNOLOGY Photo: Anders Trærup Photo: Anders Trærup BCE BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 31 It is important to remember the energy and wild ideas of the young engineering students, says the plastic separation company Plastix, who speak warmly about Celine Ballegaard Karlsen and her Bachelors project which was part of the Re-Plast research project (p Photo: Anders Trærup BCE Were living at a time when we throw out masses of plastic that we cant recycle. In fact, we can only separate a small fraction for reuse, and I think its a shame that all these resources are just being incinerated, says Celine Ballegaard Karlsen. among engineering student Photo: Anders Trærup Old fishing nets and rope piled up at the Lemvig-based cleantech company PLASTIX. 34 BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BCE The Re-Plast project is a breakthrough in separating plastic waste For the first time, we can now tell the difference between a wide range of plastic types and thereby separate plastics according to their chemical composition. This is absolutely ground-b BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING These methods can separate certain plastic fractions (for example PE, PP, and PET), but not with the same accuracy as the new technology, and therefore not with the chemical purity in the composition, and this is vital to be able to increase the recycling rate of BCE Photo: iStock WEB EXCLUSIVE Prior to 2011, firefighting foam containing potentially carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting chemicals has been used in Denmark. The foam contained fluorinated substances known as forever chemicals. In 2021, a case came to light in Korsør, where water from a fire schoo 38 BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BCE New demonstration plant at AU Viborg in Foulum may significantly reduce carbon emissions from methanol production In collaboration with Haldor Topsøe, Aarhus University has launched a new demonstration plant to produce sustainable methanol from biogas. T BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 39 Photo: Thomas Lundgaard The new demo plant being installed at research center Foulum. The project is being managed by Haldor Topsøe, and the project partners are Sintex A/S, Blue World Technologies, the Technical University of Denmark, Energinet A/S, Aalbor AU IN SPACE The Aarhus Space Centre, SpaCe, is the universitys centre for interdisciplinary space activities and a facilitator for collaboration between space research and innovation and the Danish space industry. The center officially started operations on 1 January 2022. space.au.dk The Aarhu s Photo: NASA 42 ENGINEERING PROFILE 2022 An important interplay interplay Every year, Aarhus University sends more than 700 engineering interns into the business community with knowledge about existing and emerging technologies, sustainability and digitalisation. This is a stable and targeted form of tech tran Photo: Anders Trærup Frederik Linding Povlsen is an intern at Bang & Olufsen in Struer. He is working to optimise the chemical process that makes it possible to colour aluminium for the companys iconic products. Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo During her engineering education, Sandra Maria Sørensen w 44 MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING MPE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING mpe.au.dk Keywords: Energy systems, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer, materials technology, robot technology and machine dynamics and construction, materials technology, mechatronics. MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING Photo: Claus Melvad The underwater robot North Rov 3D scanning an iceberg below the Arctic Ocean surface. 45 MPE DEVELOPING ROBOT TECHNOLOGY IN A SMART INDUSTRY COLLABORATION Photo: Jesper Bruun 48 MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING MPE Increasing demand for automation meant that the Danish company, NIZE equipment ApS, was losing customers. Now, in collaboration with engineering students and researchers from AU, the company has started work on developing robots to work with humans in MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING 49 NIZE NIZE equipment ApS is a medium-sized mid-Jutland company located in the town of Odder. The company has 17 employees and is active in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The company was founded by Lars Nikolajsen in 2008, and in 2013 the company began MPE Im on my own here. No one else has gone this way before. But I believe my idea is worth pursuing. It may prove to give us a new understanding of cancer and cancer treatment at the molecular level, and it may just pave the way for mechanics-inspired design of new medicines, says Lili Zhang, assistant Photo: Colourbox MPE MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING Worn-out industrial milling tools and damaged materials cost the manufacturing industry billions each year. Now, researchers have developed a model that can predict the mechanism for chip formation and its transition for almost every material. The model reveals 54 MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING MPE Contact: Ramin Aghababaei Head of Section Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering - Mechanics and Materials ra@mpe.au.dk A common aspect of most manufacturing processes is to shape components by removing chips from materials surface. Now, MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING 55 MPE Its vital that we work together to keep Denmark competitive. More Danish companies and knowledge institutions have to collaborate if we are to maintain momentum for Danish competitiveness. This is the message from the DAMRC and others who are calling o Facilities Aarhus University has multiple state-of-theart theoretical and experimental facilities for research, development, innovation, entrepreneurship and educational activities within the classical engineering disciplines. A selection is shown here. The facilities are used by students, lecturers BIOGAS PLANT CARDIOVASCULAR EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY LABORATORY FOR LOAD-BEARING STRUCTURES NEURO TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY See all facilities online ROBOTICS LAB 58 MECHANICAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING ECE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING ece.au.dk Keywords: Communication and networks, control and automation, photonics, signal processing, software and IT systems, robot technology, medical technology, health technology, electrical energy ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo Artificial Intelligence in Robotics Laboratory at the Aarhus University Deep Tech Experimental Hub. 59 ECE WHEN THE SPEED OF LIGHT JUST ISNT FAST ENOUGH Photo: Lars Kruse, AU Photo 62 ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING ECE With a grant from Independent Research Fund Denmark, a team of researchers and experts from industry and Aarhus University will try to solve the fundamental problem that the speed of light simply is not fast enough for the internet of the future. In the 63 ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING DIGITAL TWINS A digital twin is a complete digital model that approximates to a physical system, for example a process or device. A digital twin is so accurate that it acts, reacts, ages and fails in the virtual world in exactly the same way as the physical t ECE DIGITAL FOCUS In 2021, Aarhus University inaugurated DTL Ringkøbing-Skjern - the first of several strategically planned laboratories in the Central Denmark Region with a focus on digital transformation. The purpose of the labs is close collaboration between local business communities, local mu Photo: Søren Kjeldgaard ECE PHD STUDENT INVENTS A RING FOR LEAKING HEART VALVES Photo: Anders Trærup 68 ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING ECE A small ring around the main artery may cure patients with leaking heart valves. Researchers have documented its effect on animals and they hope they will make it possible to use the technology on humans. A leaking heart valve or in technical terms, ao ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING adjust the rings rigidity and strength to the individual patients anatomy. This gives us some fantastic options, and the technology has been promising during animal trials, says Mariam Noor. Lots of physics in the main artery Mariam Noor has especially focused on NEW CAMPUS IN FOULUM The Faculty of Technical Sciences is establishing a new integrated education and research campus in Foulum near Viborg with up to 800-900 students. This new unified campus, AU Viborg, will serve as a centre for the green transition, veterinary medicine and primary food producti Photo: Anders Trærup 72 KEY FIGURES KEY FIGURES AU ENGINEERING, AARHUS UNIVERSITY TOTAL ENGINEERING TURNOVER (M DKK) 516,7 536,3 Based on annual FC3 budget 500 400 300 240.2 192.6 200 143 100 0 90 104 2012 2013 154.5 157.2 2016 2017 119 75 2011 2014 2015 2018 2019 2020 2021 143,6 134,1 EX 73 KEY FIGURES ENGINEERING PHD STUDENTS 130 127 129 2020 2021 120 110 100 87 90 80 67 70 71 2017 2018 60 60 52 50 70 45 46 2011 2012 55 40 30 20 10 0 2013 2014 2015 2016 2019 4024 ENROLLED ENGINEERING STUDENTS 4,000 MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ENGINEERING BACHELOR OF SCIEN 74 EMNE Our demo underground green energy storage facility being built in collaboration with the entrepreneurial company AquaNamic as part of the EUDP funded project Underground Pumped Hydro Storage (UPHS). Other partners include Vestas, SOLMAX, ARKIL, AquaEnergy, European Energy, PlanEnergi and E AU ENGINEERING, PROFILE 2022 Produced by: AU Engineering, March 2022 Editors: Kim Harel and Jesper Bruun Design & layout: Nikolai Lander, AU Design Photos: Rene Larsen, Anders Trærup, Søren Kjeldgaard, Lars Kruse, Jesper Bruun, Claus Melvad, NASA, 3DCP, Thomas Lundgaard, Kasper Hornbæk, Marjun Danie EMNE Worn-out industrial milling tools and damaged materials cost the manufacturing industry billions. The need for the next generation of tools is urgent if we are to maintain momentum for Danish competitiveness. Its important that we work together across universities and industry to generate new