Prof. Dr. Ing. Signe Kjelstrup

My main research field is transport theory and energy optimization. I am interested in understanding interacting fluxes of heat, mass and charge, and chemical reactions, and how energy can be converted in the most efficient way in industrial systems. I am currently writing a book on Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics for transport in systems where the surface plays an important role.

Examples of such systems are electrode surfaces in electrochemical cells, membrane surfaces in separation technology and liquid/wapour surfaces for instance in distillation. Simulations are used to investigate the nature of the lost work in the irreversible processes.

A three-dimensional snapshot of gas/liquids particles in a temperature gradient of 10exp8 K/m. Coefficients of transport and entropy production rates are of interest.

New theories are derived and I am very interested in their practical applications; for instance in fuel cells (cf. Anne-Kristine Meland), (cf. Preben J.S. Vie), phase transitions (see snapshot above), distillation (cf. Audun Røsjorde and) reactor modelling (cf. Lars Nummedal), and (cf. Eivind Johannessen) and the environmental effects of industrial activity (cf. Anita Zvolinschi) Industrial ecology.

Student projects in my group are related for instance to these activities.