Projects
Multi-disciplinary Study of Atmospheric Ice Accretion Physics & Developing Optimal Technological Solutions to Minimise Ice Accretion Effects (nICE): The nICE project aims to strengthen the atmospheric icing-related multi-disciplinary research activities in Norway. It will also provide a platform for developing expertise and multi-disciplinary research infrastructure to study and improve knowledge about atmospheric ice accretion physics and its effects. Icing is a concern for cold regions from operational, maintenance, safety, and financial perspectives. Currently, atmospheric icing conditions in cold regions are insufficiently accommodated in the design requirements covered by national and international standards. Therefore, there is a growing need to improve knowledge and strengthen expertise about atmospheric ice accretion physics associated with icing on structures, ice detection and mitigation techniques, ice disaster management, and safety of human industrial operations in icing conditions. The project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council (FRINATEK) program, and UiT-The Arctic University of Norway thematic priorities.
Ventilation of Long-Term Care Resident Rooms Towards Zero Infection: The objective of the project is to provide safe airflow rates, to mitigate cross-contamination risk, and to develop protocols on adequate air filtration and efficient air cleaning technics for COVID-19 and other pathogenic bioaerosols using CFD tools. Furthermore, the project sheds light on transmission and suspension of droplets, bioaerosols including COVID-19, particles and their combination through the air from sneezing, coughing, and speaking. This knowledge can be summarized in a guideline of Norwegian ventilation for special care in nursing homes. The project is a strategic investment to strengthen the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) studies at the Department of Automation and Process Engineering (IAP).
Implementing LiDAR for Sea Spray Flux Estimation for the Evaluation of Marine Icing: The objective of the project is to implement a measurement technique well-established in other disciplines in a field new to LiDARs: studies of sea sprays. LiDAR is capable of visualizing the evolution of the sea spray drift with a high spatial and temporal resolution, which can enable comprehensive real-time measurement of spray flux for the entire sea spray cloud. Accretion of freezing sea spray is the primary contributor to ice accretion on ships, and its prediction is essential for safe marine operation in colder regions. The project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
Plastic Impacts on the Environment: Plastic plays an important role in today's society. However, plastics also represent a significant environmental challenge due to factors such as weakness in the management of plastic waste. The European Commission is developing new guidance on plastic waste; however, the best practices are often affected by specific local conditions. The primary aim of the project is to determine the best plastic waste management strategy based on the life-cycle assessment. The project consortium includes UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Remiks AS, and Sintef Nord AS.
The Sensation of 'cold' via Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT): The objective of the project is to develop a Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) model that integrates thermal dissipation through radiation (electromagnetic radiations, e.g. infrared radiations) and other relevant variables to study the sensation of 'cold'. The project involves multiphysics modeling tools, own code (e.g. ANSYS®, MATLAB®), and infrared thermography (IRT). The project proposes to present a comparison of the simulations and experiments as a validation of the developed models. The project application is linked to quantifying the parameters associated with the sensation of ‘cold’, i.e. wind chill temperature, heat index, and AccuWeather RealFeel® temperature. The industrial partner of the project is Windtech AS.
CO2-based Heat Pumps: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a refrigerant with low global warming potential (GWP) and zero ozone depletion potential (ODP). Amongst the various refrigerants used in industry, CO2-based refrigeration and heat pump units are often considered the best alternative in cold climates. This project aims to model CO2-based designs suitable for cold climates and investigates optimized design parameters for processes such as those used in the fishing industry and low-energy buildings for combined tap water and space heating. Design modifications utilizing an ejector or different refrigerant blends in combination with CO2 are a particular research interest.
Optimization of Linkages in the CCS Value Chain: The objective of the project is to conduct research into how the linkages between the three main elements of capture, transport, and storage can be better optimized. For example, how dehydration of CO2 can be better integrated with CO2 capture, compression, and the requirements of storage. The project will look at the links between all elements of the chain and the chain as an end-to-end process. The focus will be on the combinations of technologies that are as a minimum proven at the pilot scale and therefore could form the links in the near future.
Development of Systems for Monitoring and Modelling of Emissions in the Arctic: The project is devoted to the study of air pollution from local, regional, and long-range anthropogenic sources at Svalbard. The project aims to investigate the environmental fate of air pollution from ships, coal/hydrocarbon-fuelled power plants, and mobiles sources, such as snowmobiles and cars, in the region. This project is conjoint with the projects 'Monitoring of Nitrogen Oxides from Mobile and Stationary Sources at Svalbard' and 'Strengthening Cooperation on Air Pollution Research in Svalbard' funded by the Norwegian Research Council.
Diesel Police - Detection of Controlled Substances in Diesel: The objective of the project is to develop a portable technology to measure the amount of controlled substances in the Diesel, henceforth, enabling the law enforcing agencies to control the use of subsidized Diesel.
Better Roads - Crack Detection and utilizing Innovative Materials for Roads: The objective of the project is to identify key factors for the development of cracks in the roads in a high-north/Arctic environment. In addition, a range of materials is being considered for testing as a substitute for road construction. The project has been publicized in media (Nordlys dated 8th June 2017), ‘Plast Kan Erstatte Asfalt – Forskere Vil Revolusjonere Veiene i Nord’. The project consortium includes Statens Vegvesen, Remiks AS, Murmansk State Technical University, University of Luleå, University of Oulu, Remiks AS, and Sintef Nord.
Windtech - We Develop Cold Climate Technology: The objective of the project is to develop a sensing device to log the sensation of cold. The device uses an innovative method to measure vital environmental parameters to help in the operations in the Arctic. The device is designed uniquely for the oil and gas industry, maritime industry, polar excursions, etc. The device is innovative in the sense that it takes into account temperature, wind, humidity, and irradiance and hence provides true cold exposure. The start-up is supported by UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and Norinnova AS. The start-up has won fundings from VRI Troms, Agenda Nord-Norge and Innovasjon Norge.
Modeling of Shear Stress and Precipitation Effects of Dynamic Flow: The objective of the project is to develop a method to measure the viscosity of fluids online to maintain the quality of chemical and biological processes. We are proposing to use the phenomenon of damping induced by the fluid to determine the viscosity. The eventual goal is to design a non-intrusive sensor capable of accurately measuring viscosity without influencing the flow within the pipe. The project is in collaboration with the UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, and Rheonics GmbH.
Ice Accretion on Ship in Arctic Waters: The objective of the project is to identify the key factors for the accretion of ice on the ship operating in Arctic waters. The project also includes investigating the possible techniques that may be employed to predict and measure the icing rate, ice load, and thickness on and integrate with the automated de-icing systems on a large scale. The icing problem is quite critical for the Norwegian maritime industry. The project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council and Faroepetroelum AS.