Grundfos Student Award 2008 for Topology specialist

Constantly variable speed in pumps is a great advantage because limiting a pump’s performance to what is absolutely necessary saves energy. However, the variable speed may have the disadvantage of producing vibration and noise from the pump.

The risk of this situation is particularly high in large pumps. The problem arises when structural resonance occurs in the same speed interval as that of the pump. To obtain optimum pump operation it is important to move the pump’s resonance ad far away as possible from the speed at which the pump is supposed to operate. For this purpose a state-of-the-art computerised method called topology optimising is used.

Brian Boe Christensen made research in vibration and topology together with Grundfos through 18 months, at first in a project during the 8th University semester, later on in a traineeship during the 9th semester and at last he made his final thesis during the 10th semester.

His studies and results had so much weight and gave Grundfos so many valuable results that he won Grundfos Student Award 2009, consisting of DKK 10,000 and a work of art. The award is given out to a student who has made an outstanding traineeship or final thesis in co-operation with Grundfos.

The jury, among other things, said that Brian showed unique drive, great willpower and dedicated diligence in his research, which had an extraordinary level of professional knowledge and profundity. He completed his studies with a nice mark of 12.

The Grundfos Student Award of DKK 10,000 is given once a year to a commercial and engineering project respectively, made in co-operation with Grundfos during the past year. The award is only given out if suitable candidates apply for it.