Research

The Systems Engineering Laboratory conducts research and teaches in the area of methods of control and systems engineering, and their applications in process automation.

Laboratory’s field of competence is in control of dynamic systems, and its applications in power plant and pulping automation. We are strong in, e.g., methods of artificial intelligence, experimental and grey-box modelling, monitoring and diagnosis of industrial processes and in non-linear process control methods.

Laboratory has teaching and research personnel, working in cooperation with the industry and other research groups inside and outside of University of Oulu. All personnel participates to research and teachin.

Research projects

On-going research projects at the laboratory:

• Novel way to control the combustion of various biomasses (NOCOBI) [Academy of Finland 2009-2012] NOCOBI, pages in Optima
  In cooperation with Laboratory of mass and heat transfer process (Dept Process), and Department of Chemistry at University of Oulu.
• Dynamic simulation and control of a new type of power plant [GETA 2010-2014] Oxy
  In cooperation with Foster-Wheeler Energia.
• Dynamic modelling and control of circulating fluidized bed combustion process (CFBCON) [2011]
  In cooperation with Foster-Wheeler Energia.
• Control of gasification process  [2011]
  In cooperation with Laboratory of Chemical Engineering (Dept Process) kanssa
• Continuous digester runability (MiHa) [EffFibre/Tekes 2010-2012] MiHa, pages in Optima
  In cooperation with StoraEnso
• Measurement-based maintenance development project (KUPI3) [ERDF 2009-2012] KUPI3
  In cooperation with CENTRIA/Kokkola.
• Optimisation of pump scheduling using dynamic probabilistic methods (OPUS) [Academy of Finland 2011-2014] OPUS
  In cooperation with HSD (Budapest University of Technology and Economics)
• Stochastic optimal control models on regional waterwork systems [CIMO 2010-2011] OPUS
  In cooperation with HSD (Budapest University of Technology and Economics)
• Controlled finite Markov chains in process control (FICO) [SYTE] MTM
  In cooperation with ENSIACET/Toulouse.
• Particle filters in process monitoring and control GDT [SYTE]
  In cooperation with ENSIACET/Toulouse.
• Pedagogics in engineering [SYTE]
  As part of Department's education development.

Project proposals waiting for funding decisions:

• Green mining - MINEDATA
• Control of gasification process
  

Selected past projects:

• Neutrality in evolutionary optimization (2007-2009)
• Embedded control and monitoring systems in production machine networks (EMPRONET) [Suomen Akatemia 2005-2008]
• Diagnostics of continuous cooking process [Academy of Finland 2003-2006]
• Nonlinear process modelling and control: linear dynamics and non-parametric methods [Academy of Finland, 2000-2005]

    Laboratory equipment