AR2016

Department of Chemical Engineering

Annual Report 2015

use mathematical and computer tools, and we rely on

the cooperation with our partners for experimental

results. The activities in system biology aee presently in

four main research areas:

BAT BEHAVIOUR.

In corporation with two groups from Israel, (Nachem

Ulanovsky at the Weizman institute, and Yossi Yovel at

Tel Aviv University) we developed a dynamic model that

describe the flight pattern of the bat that wants to catch

a moving target (insect). We found that that the bat uses

a controller with derivative control effect. However, this

amplifies the noise and reduces the ability to detect the

target while flying, increasing the chance to lose its food.

AQUACULTURE MODELLING (BAR)

This project is directed towards several of the main goals

of the Norwegian research Council, aquaculture

program. The activity in the group focuses on two main

subjects: 1) Healthy fish, with the goal to fight fish

parasite through modelling the interaction fish-lice, and

2) Fish Feed, with the goal to create an optimal feed

which reduces the environmental load while maintaining

optimal fish growth. An application to the Research

Council, in corporation with UiB, Bergen, was send in

April, and two more grant applications will be sent in

September. The Aquaculture modelling project extends

the activity to include also modeling of hunger and feed

intake, a very important factor in fish growth and a

significant factor in the aquaculture activity and its

economic benefits. We wish to be able to control the

appetite of the fish in rearing conditions (such as Salmon)

through the effect of the balance of the food ingredients,

without adding any artificial additives such as hormones.

Since this industry produces very large quantities of fish

every year, even a small increase in daily feed intake will

result in a massive increase in fish production and large

profits to both the feed manufacturers and the fish

farmers.

PREDICTION OF GENE EXPRESSION.

This project started in cooperation with the other

system biology groups at the Faculty, namely those of

Martin Kuiper (Department of Biology) and Svein Valla

(Department of Biotechnology). Using bioinformatics

tools, we want to show how the bonds between the DNA

and the mRNA are correlated to gene regulation. During

2011 we conducted experiments at the Department of

Biotechnology. The expression data acquired enables us

to compare the simulations and conclude about the

mechanisms involved. The project involves Jørgen

Skancke, who is planned to finish his PhD work in the

summer of 2016.

EQUIPMENT IN THE SYSTEMS GROUP

The Kaibel distillation column (see picture), which is

currently being reassembled, is 6-meter-high and 5 cm in

diameter and can be used to study "thermally coupled"

columns, including the three-product Petlyuk column

and the four-product Kaibel column. Dr. Ivar Halvorsen

from SINTEF and Sigurd Skogestad manage this

integrated distillation project. An automatic drink robot

is used for demonstration purposes and to study

sequence control based on automata theory (Heinz

Preisig). In ddition, we have extensively used our two-

phase “mini-loop” to test anti-slug control strategies.

The group also has a control teaching laboratory, which

includes three thermal/air flow processes, a pseudo flash

and a mixing process.

Kaibel Distillation column

H=6 m

D=5 cm