DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND PROCESS ENGINEERING

The Waterpower Laboratory at NTNU combines 100 years of experience with state-of-the-art facilities that are unique in Europe. It has played a leading role in the development of global hydropower, including efficient design of hydro turbines.

Its modern facilities include test rigs for Francis, Pelton and pump turbines.  The laboratory offers high pressure pumping system, a long conduit to investigate discharge measurement techniques and several other test facilities for basic research in fluid mechanics.

The laboratory offers research for master’s degree, PhD, postdoctoral and international researchers. Experimental, numerical (CFD and FSI) and analytical studies are conducted. The laboratory also provides a unique opportunity for PhD and postdoctoral researchers to design and develop a turbine their own way using in-house codes.

More about the Waterpower laboratory

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The hydraulic laboratory in its current configuration has formally been under NTNU since 2000, though it was established at NTNU in 1958. The large lab holds an area of 3000 m² – of which 2000 m² can be utilised for custom built hydraulic models. Serving both an educational purpose and providing opportunities for academic research, as well as commercial research with clients across the world. State of the art models are made in-house, as the lab boasts a competent machining shop and a separate workshop for woodwork and plastics.

A large reservoir above the laboratory holds over 150 cubic metres of water, available for model needs. The pump systems were upgraded in 2018 and contains three separate pumping units, fed by six pumps, each with a capacity of 150 l/s. Dual overhead-cranes allow moving models up to eight meters in height. There are three permanent flumes installed, including a tilting flume for steep slope simulation and sediment research. The laboratory is highly flexible and serves all manners of hydraulic research, such as sediment transport, flow analysis, slope stability, hydropower structures and studies in hydropower dynamics.