Elena Vagnoni
EPFL PTMH
AU -1 7014 (Aula des Cèdres - sous-sol)
Av. de Cour 33bis
1007 Lausanne
+41 21 693 36 43
Office: AU -1 7016
EPFL › VPA › VPA-AVP-CP › PTMH › PTMH-GE
Website: https://www.epfl.ch/research/facilities/hydraulic-machines-platform/
EPFL PTMH
AU -1 7014 (Aula des Cèdres - sous-sol)
Av. de Cour 33bis
1007 Lausanne
+41 21 693 36 43
Office: AU -1 7016
EPFL › STI › IGM › IGM-GE
EPFL PTMH
AU -1 7014 (Aula des Cèdres - sous-sol)
Av. de Cour 33bis
1007 Lausanne
+41 21 693 36 43
Office: AU -1 7016
EPFL › STI › STI-SGM › SGM-ENS
Hydropower Technology Cooperation Programme and Vice-Coordinator of the European Energy Research Association joint program Hydropower.
Her research interest focuses on the experimental investigation and predictive modelling of flow phenomena and fluid-structure interactions in hydraulic machines. This research has several applications, namely in improving hydraulic machinery design and operation, and strengthening hydropower technology competitiveness to support the power system decarbonization amid climate change challanges.
Fatigue damage reduction in hydropower startups with machine learning
Nature communications. 2025. DOI : 10.1038/s41467-025-58229-z.Predictions of transient pressure pulsations in a pump-turbine from measurements for enhanced flexible operations
Energy. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138321.A physics-based and data-aided transient prediction framework for sustainable operation of pumped-storage hydropower systems
Applied Energy. 2025. DOI : 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125470.Modeling, optimization and experimental assessment of transient-induced fatigue in hydraulic machines
Lausanne, EPFL, 2025. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-11242.Optimal Short-Term Dispatch of Pumped-Storage Hydropower Plants Including Hydraulic Short Circuit
IEEE Transactions on Power Systems. 2024. DOI : 10.1109/TPWRS.2024.3463951.The new role of sustainable hydropower in flexible energy systems and its technical evolution through innovation and digitalization
Renewable Energy. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120832.CFD-based analysis of pumped storage power plants implementing hydraulic short circuit operations
Applied Energy. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.123474.Enhanced Frequency Containment Reserve provision from battery hybridized hydropower plants: Theory and experimental validation
Electric Power Systems Research. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.epsr.2024.110765.Experimental investigation of repurposed Kaplan turbines as variable-speed propellers for maximizing Frequency Containment Reserve
Electric Power Systems Research. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.epsr.2024.110718.On the prediction of the induced damage by the start-up sequence of Francis turbines: On operational resilience framework
Renewable Energy. 2024. DOI : 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120587.Study of flexible operating conditions in variable-speed hydraulic turbines : advanced models and experimental validation
Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-10760.Evaluation of the fatigue-related influence of start-ups on Pelton turbines based on reduced scale model stress measurements
2024. 32 International Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems, Hybrid, Roorkee, India, 2024-09-11 - 2024-09-14. DOI : 10.1088/1755-1315/1411/1/012040.Upper part-load instability in a reduced-scale Francis turbine: an experimental study
Experiments In Fluids. 2023. DOI : 10.1007/s00348-023-03649-0.Structural impact of the start-up sequence on Pelton turbines lifetime: Analytical prediction and polynomial optimization
Renewable Energy. 2023. DOI : 10.1016/j.renene.2023.119341.Optimal grid-forming control of battery energy storage systems providing multiple services: Modeling and experimental validation
Electric Power Systems Research. 2022. DOI : 10.1016/j.epsr.2022.108567.Prediction of unstable full load conditions in a Francis turbine prototype
Mechanical Systems And Signal Processing. 2022. DOI : 10.1016/j.ymssp.2021.108666.Local Effects of Grid-Forming Converters Providing Frequency Regulation to Bulk Power Grids
2022. 2021 IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies - Asia (ISGT 2021), Brisbane, Australia, December 5-8, 2021. DOI : 10.1109/ISGTAsia49270.2021.9715628.Improving frequency containment reserve provision in run-of-river hydropower plants
Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.segan.2021.100538.Numerical investigation on the volute cutwater for pumps running in turbine mode
Renewable Energy. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.renene.2021.04.112.Assessing the energy potential of modernizing the European hydropower fleet
Energy Conversion and Management. 2021. DOI : 10.1016/j.enconman.2021.114655.Teaching & PhD
Current Phd
Nathan Justin Veuthey, Elie Saroufim, Sara Bocconi, Jonas Ariel Peter
Past Phd As Codirector
Martin Seydoux, Aldo Leonardo Alerci
Courses
Hydraulic turbomachines
ME-453
Master lecture on Hydraulic Turbomachines: operating principles and design of impulse and reaction turbines, industrial pumps and pump-turbines.
Hydropower plants: generating and pumping units
EE-456
Master Lecture on the layouts, compenents and operating principles of hydropower plants and hydroelectric units for generation and pumping.