Originally known as the “National Engineering Research Center for Vibration of Thermal Power Units,” the center was established in 1994 with approval from the State Planning Commission and is based at Southeast University. Its mission is to conduct engineering research and development in vibration analysis, fault diagnosis and mitigation, dynamic characteristic optimization of shaft systems, condition monitoring and detection, and control and operational optimization of generator units, thereby enhancing the safety and reliability of large-scale units in China.
The center is jointly supported by nine schools and 10 first-level disciplines, including the School of Energy and Environment, the School of Electrical Engineering, the School of Mechanical Engineering, the School of Instrument Science and Engineering, the School of Automation, the School of Electronic Science and Engineering, the School of Computer Science and Engineering, the School of Materials Science and Engineering, and the School of Mathematics, with the School of Energy and Environment as the main constructing unit.
The center has an independent office building. It has independently designed and built more than 20 large-scale facilities, including a large-scale shafting vibration simulation test bench, a large-scale sealing dynamic characteristic test device, a bearing dynamic characteristic test device, an airflow-induced vibration test bench, a wind turbine drive system test bench, and an integrated energy system cooperative control experimental platform, all of which are leading in China. It is equipped with more than 100 sets of advanced equipment and instruments, such as a large-scale unit structure excitation system, a mobile dynamic balancing machine, rotor dynamics engineering development software, and a logic analyzer. It has also established the Jiangsu Laboratory of Vibration Test Measurement and Environmental Simulation, laying a solid foundation for undertaking major national scientific and technological projects and major engineering projects, as well as conducting multidisciplinary engineering research and development.
The center is committed to ensuring the safe operation of power generation equipment in China. Over the past three decades, with the advancement of thermal power technology and the strategic transformation of the energy structure—from 100 MW subcritical units to 1000 MW ultra-supercritical units, and from coal-fired power to million-kilowatt nuclear power, large-scale wind power, and heavy-duty gas turbines—new unit types have continuously emerged, and new energy sources have steadily developed, bringing about new challenges in unit safety and operation. The center has consistently focused on national strategic tasks and major industry needs, engaging in continuous innovation and research to address key issues related to the safe operation of power generation equipment, providing critical technical support for China's energy and power security.
Through long-term engineering practice in solving major and complex vibration faults for the power industry and ensuring the safe and economical operation of units, the center has conducted research on key technologies including fault mechanisms, accurate diagnosis, efficient mitigation, and operational optimization. From ensuring the safe operation of thermal power units to overcoming common technical challenges in the safe operation of heavy-duty gas turbines, nuclear power units, and wind turbines; from turbine vibration detection to achieving intelligent perception and advanced monitoring of large-scale power generation equipment; and from optimizing coal-fired power operations to breaking through intelligent control bottlenecks for large-scale renewable energy integration—the center has developed three major technology and product categories: “Safe Operation of Large-Scale Power Generation Equipment,” “Intelligent Perception and Advanced Detection,” and “Intelligent Control and Operational Optimization.” These form a comprehensive technical system for the safe operation of power generation equipment, serving coal power, gas turbines, nuclear power, wind power, and the power grid.
Vibration sensors and detection instruments, condition monitoring and fault diagnosis systems, and unit control and operational optimization technologies developed independently by the center have been widely applied in industries such as power, petrochemicals, metallurgy, machinery, shipbuilding, and defense, and have been exported to overseas power plants in India and Vietnam. These technologies have been fully applied to major power generation unit types, including ultra-supercritical coal-fired units, million-kilowatt nuclear power units, heavy-duty gas turbines, and large-scale wind turbines, providing technical products and services to over 85% of power plants in China. The center has resolved over 1,000 difficult problems in large coal-fired units and addressed more than 50% of vibration faults in gas turbine power plants. It achieved the world's first application of deep peak regulation for thermal power units down to 15% of rated load, playing a pivotal role in ensuring the safe operation of generator units, enabling large-scale renewable energy integration, and maintaining the stability and security of the power system, delivering significant social and economic benefits.
As a pioneer in vibration technology for the power generation industry, the center has made outstanding contributions to the development of safe operation technologies for large-scale generator units in China. It has received the “National Engineering Research Center Outstanding Contribution Award” from the National Development and Reform Commission (an honor granted to only 12 engineering research centers nationwide) and the “May Day Labor Award.” To date, it has accumulated over 50 provincial and ministerial-level science and technology awards.
The center has also made significant contributions to technology transfer and the development of related industries. It maintains long-term, close industry-university-research partnerships with major upstream and downstream enterprises in China's energy sector, including the five major power generation groups, two major power grids, and three major electrical equipment groups. It has established strategic partnerships with State Power Investment Corporation, China Energy Investment Corporation, and Huaneng Jiangsu, providing technical support for vibration and operational safety issues to these enterprises.
In December 2021, the center passed the optimization and integration evaluation of the National Development and Reform Commission, was included in the new national management sequence, and was renamed the “National Engineering Research Center for Safe Operation and Intelligent Measurement and Control of Large Power Generation Equipment,” jointly established by Southeast University and State Power Investment Corporation.
The center is dedicated to serving the national strategic goals of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” and “building a new energy system.” Its mission is to promote the low-carbon, safe, efficient, and intelligent operation of power generation equipment and systems in China. Focusing on technical directions such as safe operation and vibration control of power generation equipment, novel sensing and intelligent detection, and advanced control and operational optimization, the center fully leverages the talent and disciplinary advantages of Southeast University and the industry strengths of State Power Investment Corporation. It strives to become a world-class research platform for independent technological innovation in China's energy sector, a hub for high-end talent, and a driver of outstanding achievement transfer, serving as a key national strategic scientific and technological force for undertaking major national research projects, solving critical industry challenges, and helping achieve the “dual carbon” goals.
