Donald Olsen

Donald Olsen is a Lecturer at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture (HSLU) within the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Technology. His work focuses on industrial energy efficiency, particularly thermal energy systems and process integration using pinch analysis. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Engineering in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Calgary.

Olsen's research emphasizes optimizing energy use in industrial processes through advanced methodologies like hybrid genetic algorithms and nonlinear programming. Key projects include integrating solar thermal systems in breweries, developing thermal energy storage strategies for batch processes, and applying pinch analysis for heat pump integration. He has collaborated on major initiatives such as the SWEET DeCarbCH project and the SCCER-Efficient Industrial Processes consortium.

His publications span topics like multi-period heat exchanger retrofit optimization, energy storage management in non-continuous processes, and graphical approaches for batch process integration. Olsen has extensive industry experience, including roles at Hyprotech Ltd., Rosen Inspection Technologies, and as a Senior Scientist at HSLU, bridging academic research with practical industrial applications.