Energy Transformation Laboratory
Our Energy Transformation Laboratory here at Swinburne is used for research and teaching in fluid dynamics.
Located in the Advanced Manufacturing and Design Centre, it includes two facilities dedicated to renewable energy – the wave channel facility and the solar simulator, as well as a dedicated microfluidics room.
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Professor Richard Manasseh uses the wave-maker for studies of the fundamental fluid dynamics of waves interacting with generic wave-energy converters. -
Swinburne's 11 metre wave channel facility is used for studies of the fundamental fluid dynamics of waves interacting with generic wave-energy converters.
Applications for the lab include renewable and conventional energy industries, minerals, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food processing industries, building services, civil and environmental engineering, aerospace technologies, transport technologies, defence systems, biomedical technologies and general manufacturing industries.
Wave channel facility
Swinburne’s 11 metre wave channel facility is presently the only wave-maker in Australia dedicated to ocean renewable energy. It is used for studies of the fundamental fluid dynamics of waves interacting with generic wave-energy converters.
It is equipped with a new random wave maker developed with contributions from a Swinburne benefactor and a set of probes measures wave heights.
Contact Professor Richard Manasseh to find out more about the wave channel facility.
Swinburne on Scope TV
Professor Richard Manasseh explains how Swinburne University's wave channel facility is used for studies of the fundamental fluid dynamics of waves interacting with generic wave-energy converters.
This facility is dedicated to the fabrication of microfluidic devices and related experiments, complementing Swinburne’s biomedical and microfluidic experimentation facilities in the Factory of the Future and ATC building Level 9.
It is equipped with a fume cupboard, reticulation of gases and water, and is designed to accommodate class IV laser equipment.
Contact Professor Paul Stoddart or Professor Richard Manasseh to find out more about the microfluidics room.
Swinburne’s solar simulator is one of only three of its kind in the world and is unique in Australia. It’s used to study the potential for solar energy to smelt metals. It includes an array of seven 6-kilowatt lamps that mimic the sun. Swinburne researchers designed the simulator with metal halide arc lamps, overcoming issues with other simulators elsewhere.
Its extremely high temperatures (approaching 2000°C) allow applications to iron ore, glass or cement.
Contact Associate Professor Akbar Rhamdani or Professor Geoffrey Brooks to find out more about the solar simulator.
The robot fish tank has the capacity to enable the testing of depth control, obstacle avoidance and navigation capabilities of various underwater robot configurations including robot fish.
Contact Associate Professor Jinchuan Zheng to find out more about the robot fish tank.
Want to access this facility?
It’s available for Swinburne students and staff as well as researchers from other universities to use. Just use our handy online booking system.
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Contact the Energy Transformation Laboratory Team
Whether you’re a PhD student, media, or an organisation looking to collaborate and partner with us, please contact Professor Richard Manasseh on +61 3 9214 8929 or via rmanasseh@swinburne.edu.au.