1. technology and computing

History of High-Speed Technology
in Finland
Jari Backman
Jaakko Larjola
LUT School of Energy Systems
2
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Introduction
 High-Speed Technology means a system, where the electric machine (motor or
generator) and the turbo machine (turbine, compressor or pump) are connected
together directly without a reduction gear, and where the rotational speed of this
common rotor is bigger than the synchronous speed (3000 rpm in the 50 Hz
network). Typically this speed is over 10 000 rpm.
 In Finland there has been a great number of high-speed technology research
projects, in co-operation of LUT, the Aalto University and industrial enterprises since
1981.
 This development is described in this presentation.
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In the beginning …
 1976 Prof. S.S. Wilson from Oxford
presented the idea of a household ORC
mini power plant in a conference in
Copenhagen.
 Jaakko Larjola liked it and got Prof. Pertti
Sarkomaa interested and they applied
funding from the MTI to build a prototype
for a 30 kW ORC turbo generator.
 Funding was granted 15.2.1981.
 For the generator design Prof. Lauri Aura,
who recruited his colleague Prof. Tapani
Jokinen from Aalto University.
 The practical work on the most innovative
part, gas bearings, were in the hands of
technicians Ilpo Taipale and Jouni
Ryhänen. Later, they were awarded the
Skilled Expert Prize in 1982.
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First Press Conference and more funding
 The 30 kW high-speed turbo generator and
feed pump facility was tested in 1982 and
functioned with promising results (speed 30
000 rpm).
 LUT organized a press conference, where the
expected advantages of the ORC Power Plant
were such a success that the Director of
Energy Department Seppo Hannus and
Inspector Pertti Laine from MTI granted
funding to build the actual prototype. During
this same time the term high-speed
technology was launched in Finland.
 With the 100 kW test facility Esa Vakkilainen
and Olli Lindgren started their research
careers.
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Companies are interested
 In 1981 Larjola got a recommendation from MTI
to start patenting the high-speed turbogenerator,
which later became three patent applications.
The funding to this work came from the
Foundation of Invention (Keksintösäätiö), and
the main patent was granted also internationally.
 To cover they costs the FI marketed the
invention to the industry and the CTO Pekka
Kunttu from the Kuopio based Saastamoinen
Oy travelled to Lappeenranta to negotiate about
commercialization process.
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ORC and Industry
 Before the 100 kW test facility was
in operation, Saastamoinen Oy
started the follow-up project to
build a new 100 kW power plant
into the industrial environment, to
make electricity from the waste
heat at Saastamoinen Oy
Rauhanlahti sawmill.
 The split turbogenerator is on
display in the LUT corridor.
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Research portfolio grows
 The research at LUT advanced also on other
sectors: The compressor prototype (Jari
Backman and technician Pekka Eskelinen)
and one of the first frequency converters
(Reijo Päivinen) were developed in a Tekes
project in 1983-84. The construction of the
compressor was ready first and without a
frequency converter it was run at Aalto
university with a 500 Hz motor-generator set.
 In 1983 a 5 kW, 150 000 rpm motor (Juha
Pyrhönen) with gas bearings (Jaakko Larjola)
was developed. This is still in operation and
demonstrates the high-speed technology in
the laboratory for visitors. Gas and liquid
bearing modelling was started (Petri
Sallinen).
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Industrial compressor trial
 The first effort to develop a commercial
product was made by Korpivaara-Hydor
(Jouko Peussa, Mauri Airila) (company is
today Sarlin). The target in 1986 was to make
a compressor for pneumatic transport. The
key players were Jouko Peussa, Jukka
Peltola and Pertti Sormunen in Vantaa and
Jari Backman as well as Pekka Eskelinen
were hired to work at LUT.
 Two working prototypes were done and a
high-pressure concept was in mind, but after
30 months it was clear that the frequency
converter technology was not yet ready.
 The first prototype was run with a 700 Hz
synchronous generator designed by Juha
Pyrhönen.
 The first axial magnetic bearings were
developed by Olli Lindgren (PID) and Mikko
Paavoseppä (adaptive control).
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High-speed technology concept
 To our best knowledge the conference publications in 1984 ja 1986 were the first in the
world to launch the concept of High-speed technology to cover all applications, where
the high-speed turbo machine and the electric machine are connected without the gear
box, and where the electric machine is connected to the grid with a frequency converter.


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Larjola J.: High-Speed Turbomachinery and Its Application in the Conversion of Energy.
ASME Winter Annual meeting, Anaheim, USA, December 7 –12, 1986, ASME publ. 86WA/FE-4, 1986.
Larjola J.: ORC-plant with high-speed gas lubricated turbogenerator. VDI-Berichte 539:
ORC-HP-Technology (proceedings of VDI-Seminar: ORC-HP-Technology, September 10
–12, 1984, ETH Zurich), pages 697 –705, Dusseldorf 1984.
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Rauma-Repola and ORC
 The Oceanics Unit from Rauma-Repola
Oy got interested in the ORC process as
they needed a small power plant that
could be operated in the deep sea
conditions. Oceanics was manufacturing
two deep sea submarines to the Science
Academy of Soviet Union.
 These submarines were able to operate at
the depth of 6 000 m and were later used
in the popular Titanic movie.
 The presentation of the Kuopio ORC plant
convinced Oceanics, and RR ordered the
25 kW power plant. It was developed with
the work of many researchers (Jaakko
Larjola, Per-Holger Sahlberg, Jukka
Lattu among others), but Jarmo Alamäki
was in charge of the work.
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Conference on High-Speed Technology and
establishment of HST
 First International Conference on High Speed Technology was organized at LUT in
August 1988, and there were 72 experts from 12 countries.
 Also commercial patterns developed: Pekka Kunttu, Jaakko Larjola, Seppo
Sulkakoski and Tapani Jokinen established High Speed Tech Oy on 12.10.1988.
The company was first only on paper, but there was eager quest for financing.
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Rauma-Repola to finance High Speed Tech, aeration
compressor becomes the first product
 During the deep sea project Larjola got the management of the Oceanics to start the operation
of High Speed Tech. 1990 Rauma-Repola acquired all the stocks of High Speed Tech and
Kauko Helevirta started as the first CEO and had assistance from Pekka Maunumäki and
Jaakko Säiläkivi. From LUT Timo Kytömäki, Jarmo Alamäki, Pekka Sahlberg, Hannu Esa,
Olli Lindgren and from HUT Juha Saari, Erkki Lantto and Ville Tommila among others started
to work in HST. The company first concentrated to develop a high-pressure pump and after few
years MSc Timo Kytömäki discovered the concept of high-speed aeration compressors, which
even today is the main product of the company.
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References a key to get ORC interesting
 There were many endeavors to get ORC
commercialized in Finland, and the deal with
Wärtsilä was almost successful.
 At the end of 90’s Tri-O-Gen B.V. from Holland
was very enthusiastic about the process and
made an agreement with HST and LUT.
 The implementation of the 160 kW prototype
turned out to be a considerable challenge for the
LUT design team as well as for LUT machine
shop.
 Today the power plant is in use in the landfill site
of Groningen and produces electricity by using
waste gas as fuel.
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References a key to get Sundyne interested
 The interest for developing the high-pressure (9
bar abs.) compressor resurfaced in 2002.
Sundyne Corporation (Bill Mabe and Juha Saari)
commissioned the research, where Jari Backman,
Arttu Reunanen, Hannu Esa and Teemu
Turunen-Saaresti made the first design for the
300 kW high-speed compressor, HST provided
the electric motor and the AMB bearings. The
technicians Petri Pesonen, Juha Haikola and
Erkki Nikku were in the key role to build the test
facility.
 The prototype (at least three versions) was
developed in less than five years to a commercial
product that has an exceptionally high power-todensity ratio in the electric machine. It also is the
quitest compressor in the market.
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High-speed technology products 1
 Aeration compressor is the main product of HST
(later Cardo Production Finland Oy, today Sulzer
Pumps Finland Oy). The annual production volume
is 150… 200 units and the product is exported to
20 countries (total volume by the year 2010 was
over 1000 compressors). The compressor is using
active magnetic bearings and it’s selling points are
the very small need of service and the long
operational life. A major part of the work for the
HST success was perhaps done by the third CEO,
Heikki Kellomäki.
 High-pressure compressor Quantima is the
product of compare that was developed by
Sundyne in cooperation with LUT and HST. The
compressor is based on the similar technology as
the HST compressors and it produces oil-free
pressurized air (8 bar gauge).
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High-speed technology products 2
 The ORC power plant is the most longterm
development project by LUT and HST, which
finally was commercialized by the Dutch TriO-Gen B.V. So far, the company has
delivered 26 units, and the prospects are
promising. Many parts of the power plant
such as the heat exchangers (Vahterus),
frequency converters (Vacon) and electric
rotors (HST) are made in Finland.
 The ORC is capable of producing electricity
from waste heat in the industry (exhaust
gases from reciprocating engines), bio gas,
bio mass and land fill gas. The major selling
points are low service need and the long
operational life thanks to the medium
lubricated and hermetic high-speed
generator. The engine behind Tri-O-Gen is
Prof. Jos van Buijtenen.
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High-speed technology products 3
 MAN is manufacturing large gas
compressors with high-speed electric
machines designed and made by the cooperation of LUT and The Switch (Juha
Pyrhönen). The typical power of the
compressor is 8 to 10 MW, in some
applications even 18 MW.
 Vacuum compressor is the product of the
Ecopump Oy (Jouni Mussalo, Juha
Karvinen), today Runtech Systems Oy.
The main application is in paper mills,
where it replaces traditional, low
efficiency water ring pumps. The
production volume tallies over 500 units
and compressors are exported to
numerous countries.
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High-speed technology products 4
 A revolutionary gas turbine concept. Electric power 450 kW,
33 000 rpm and exceptionally high efficiency.
 Developed by Aurelia Turbines Oy (Matti Malkamäki, Toni
Hartikainen) in co-operation with LUT. Also, Green Campus
Innovations is a shareholder in the company.
 In operation 2015
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LUT School of Energy Systems
 Annual high-speed technology research budget annually 1 - 2 M€.
 Researchers 30 persons with a significant level of experience and knowledge.
 Dissertations around two per year.
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Academic figures LUT + Aalto University 1981- 2009
−
−
−
−
24 doctoral degrees (2010…2015 about 10)
47 peer-reviewed publications (2010…2015 about 25)
136 international conference publications (2010…2015 about 25 )
35 patents (2010…2015 about 10 - 15)
Public funding Tekes (eg. Lauri Ala-Opas), Academy of Finland and
earlier MTI
High-speed technology business with all subcontractors is estimated to
70….90 persons with an annual turnover of 20…25 M€.
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Important Observations
Distribution of responsibility and profit is extremely crucial.
Media publicity can be helpful especially in the application stage.
Company partners are a must.
Start-up focuses the operation, but there has to be a well-established sponsor
(Rauma-Repola, Wärtsilä etc.).
 Technically a good idea and mastering the technology is not enough, the
commercial process requires professional skills with appropriate funding.
(Kellomäki).
 Concatenation: to secure funding and new projects it is important to have
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references and successful marketing.
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Further info (in Finnish):
 Larjola, Arkkio, Pyrhönen (ed.): Suurnopeustekniikka.
Yliopistopaino, Helsinki 2010 (2. painos, 163 s.)
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Thank you for attention!
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