The urgent need to reduce green house gas emissions from the transport sector, particularly from heavy-duty trucks, has underscored the importance of developing more efficient internal combustion engines. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), this work investigated the impact of valve seat geometry on in-cylinder swirl, addressing a gap in research. Additionally, the suitability of steady-state simulations for providing valid qualitative data on port flow was assessed. To answer both research questions, two approaches were followed: steady-state port flow RANS simulations, and transient RANS simulations in a running engine setup. The results from the steady-state simulations highlighted the limitations of this approach to qualitatively predict swirl, as this quantity is highly dependent on the mesh. Despite these limitations, the steady-state simulations were still able to capture the trade-off between swirl and discharge coefficient, outlined in the literature. Transient simulations revealed that in-cylinder swirl is affected by the geometry of the valve seats. It was found that valve seats that direct the flow towards the liner, while avoiding strong flow separation tend to promote higher swirl, whereas valve seats that induce strong flow separation lead to lower swirl ratios. Despite the trade-off between swirl and volumetric efficiency, the volumetric efficiency losses were found to be practically negligible. The study emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive set of simulations, including more valve lifts and pressure ratios. Given the unsuitability of the steady-state simulations to predict swirl trends, future investigations should focus on replacing this approach by transient simulations with steady-state geometry and boundary conditions, properly addressing flow time-dependency at relatively low computational cost, and facilitating validation with experimental data.

The history of surgery is nearly as old as the human race. Control of wound infection has always been an essential part of any surgical procedure, and is still an important challenge in hospital operating rooms today. For patients undergoing surgery there is always a risk that they will develop some kind of postoperative complication. It is widely accepted that airborne bacteria reaching a surgical site are mainly staphylococci released from the skin flora of the surgical staff in the operating room and that even a small fraction of those particles can initiate a severe infection at the surgical site.  Wound infections not only impose a tremendous burden on healthcare resources but also pose a major threat to the patient. Hospital-acquired infection ranks amongst the leading causes of death within the surgical patient population. A broad knowledge and understanding of sources and transport mechanisms of infectious particles may provide valuable possibilities to control and minimize postoperative infections. This thesis contributes to finding solutions, through analysis of such mechanisms for a range of ventilation designs together with investigation of other factors that can influence spread of infection in hospitals, particularly in operating rooms. The aim of this work is to apply the techniques of computational fluid dynamics in order to provide better understanding of air distribution strategies that may contribute to infection control in operating room and ward environments of hospitals, so that levels of bacteria-carrying particles in the air can be reduced while thermal comfort and air quality are improved.  A range of airflow ventilation principles including fully mixed, laminar and hybrid strategies were studied. Airflow, particle and tracer gas simulations were performed to examine contaminant removal and air change effectiveness. A number of further influential parameters on the performance of airflow ventilation systems in operating rooms were examined and relevant measures for improvement were identified. It was found that airflow patterns within operating room environments ranged from laminar to transitional to turbulent flows. Regardless of ventilation system used, a combination of all airflow regimes under transient conditions could exist within the operating room area. This showed that applying a general model to map airflow field and contaminant distribution may result in substantial error and should be avoided. It was also shown that the amount of bacteria generated in an operating room could be minimized by reducing the number of personnel present. Infection-prone surgeries should be performed with as few personnel as possible. The initial source strength (amount of colony forming units that a person emits per unit time) of staff members can also be substantially reduced, by using clothing systems with high protective capacity. Results indicated that horizontal laminar airflow could be a good alternative to the frequently used vertical system. The horizontal airflow system is less sensitive to thermal plumes, easy to install and maintain, relatively cost-efficient and does not require modification of existing lighting systems. Above all, horizontal laminar airflow ventilation does not hinder surgeons who need to bend over the surgical site to get a good view of the operative field. The addition of a mobile ultra-clean exponential laminar airflow screen was also investigated as a complement to the main ventilation system in the operating room. It was concluded that this system could reduce the count of airborne particles carrying microorganisms if proper work practices were maintained by the surgical staff. A close collaboration and mutual understanding between ventilation experts and surgical staff would be a key factor in reducing infection rates. In addition, effective and frequent evaluation of bacteria levels for both new and existing ventilation systems would also be important. / Tidigt i mänsklighetens utveckling har kirurgin funnits med i bilden. Hantering av infektioner har genom tiderna varit en oundviklig del av alla kirurgiska ingrepp, och finns kvar ännu idag som en viktig utmaning i operationssalar på sjukhus. För patienter som genomgår kirurgi finns alltid en risk att de efter ingreppet utvecklar någon behandlingsrelaterad komplikation. Allmänt accepterat är att de luftburna bakterier som når operationsområdet huvudsakligen består av stafylokocker frigjorda från hudfloran av operationspersonalen i operationssalen, och att endast en liten del av dessa partiklar behövs för att initiera en allvarlig infektion i det behandlade området. Sårinfektioner innebär inte bara en enorm börda för hälso- och sjukvårdsresurser, utan utgör också en betydande risk för patienten. På sjukhus förvärvad infektion finns bland de främsta dödsorsakerna i kirurgiska patientgrupper.. En bred kunskap och förståelse av spridningsmekanismer och källor till infektionsspridande partiklar kan ge värdefulla möjligheter att kontrollera och minimera postoperativa infektioner. Denna avhandling bidrar till lösningar genom analys av en rad olika ventilationssystem tillsammans med undersökning av andra faktörer som kan påverka infektionsspridningen på sjukhus, främst i operationssalar. Syftet med arbetet är att med hjälp av CFD-teknik (Computational Fluid Dynamics) få bättre förståelse för olika luftspridningsmekanismers betydelse vid ventilation av operationssalar och vårdinrättningar på sjukhus, så att halten av bacteriebärande partiklar i luften kan minskas samtidigt som termisk komfort och luftkvalité förbättras.  Flera luftflödesprinciper för ventilation inklusive omblandade strömning, riktad (laminär) strömning och hybridstrategier har studerats. Simuleringar av luft-, partikel- och spårgasflöden gjordes för alla fallstudier för att undersöka partikelevakuering och luftomsättning i rummet. Flera viktiga parametrar som påverkar detta undersöktes och relevanta förbättringar  föreslås i samarbete med industrin. Av resultaten framgår att mängden genererade bakterier i en operationssal  kan begränsas genom att minska antalet personer i operationsteamet. Infektionsbenägna operationer skall utföras med så lite personal som möjligt. Den initiala källstyrkan (mängden kolonibildande enheter som en person avger per tidsenhet) från operationsteamet kan avsevärt minskas om högskyddande kläder används. Av resultaten framgår också att ett horisontellt (laminärt) luftflöde kan vara ett bra alternativ till det ofta använda vertikala luftflödet. Ett horisontellt luftflöde är mindre känsligt för termisk påverkan från omgivningen, enkelt att installera och underhålla, relativt kostnadseffektivt och kräver vanligen ingen förändring av befintlig belysningsarmatur. Framför allt begränsar inte denna ventilationsprincip kirurgernas rörelsemönster. De kan luta kroppen över operationsområdet utan att hindra luftflödet. En flyttbar flexibel skärm för horisontell spridning av ultraren ventilationsluft i tillägg till ordinarie ventilation undersöktes också. Man fann att denna typ av tilläggsventilation kan minska antalet luftburna partiklar som bär mikroorganismer om operationspersonalen följer en strikt arbetsordning. Bra samarbete och förståelse mellan ventilationsexperter och operationsteamet på sjukhuset är nyckeln till att få ner infektionsfrekvensen. Det är också viktigt med effektiva och frekventa utvarderingar av bakteriehalten i luften, för såväl nya  som befintliga ventilationssystem. / <p>QC 20160129</p>

La turbine basse-pression est un composant essentiel d'un turboréacteur car elle entraine la soufflante qui génère la plus grande partie de la poussée dans la configuration actuelle des turboréacteurs à double flux. Dans la perspective d'accroître son rendement en termes de consommation de carburant, il y a une recherche permanente dans la réduction du nombre d'aubage (c'est-à-dire la réduction de la masse) qui implique un chargement plus élevé par aube de rotor. Cet environnement est caractérisé par un écoulement dont le nombre de Reynolds est faible ainsi qu'une large diffusion le long de la partie aval de l'extrados. Par conséquent, l'écoulement le long de cette surface est potentiellement sujet à une séparation laminaire qui, suivant le statut de la bulle de recirculation, pourrait causer une diminution de la performance aérodynamique (sillages plus larges et plus profonds). La présente thèse de doctorat se concentre sur l'investigation du phénomène de la transition induite par séparation dans les écoulements de turbines basse-pression. L'accent est mis sur les prédictions numériques basées sur une approche CFD RANS utilisant le modèle innovant de transition γ-Reθt à deux équations de transport (la première équation pour l'intermittence numérique et la seconde équation pour le nombre de Reynolds dont la longueur caractéristique est l'épaisseur de quantité de mouvement au début de transition γ-Reθt). Neuf aubes différentes de rotor de turbine basse-pression constituent une base de données de référence et couvrent les plages de fonctionnement de différents nombres de Reynolds de sortie isentropique, de nombres de Mach de sortie isentropique, d'intensités de turbulence d'entrée, avec ou sans sillage provenant d'une rangée d'aubes amont et avec deux configurations de rugosité locale. Une première analyse de cette base de données met en évidence l'effet de la séparation sur le début de la transition et sur les performances. La définition d'une corrélation a été tentée et permet de lier le taux de diffusion d'un aubage au nombre de Reynolds de sortie isentropique à la condition de « Bursting ». Une méthodologie numérique fiable et robuste a été établie afin de prédire la transition dans le cas d'un écoulement amont uniforme. Les résultats sont en bon accord avec les mesures expérimentales même si il a été nécessaire d'adapter les conditions limites dans le but de prédire une séparation laminaire numériquement pour des aubages fortement chargés et fia fort taux de diffusion uniquement. La résolution des profils de vitesse de la couche limite permet d'obtenir une évaluation détaillée des paramètres de la topologie de l'écoulement. Cela fournit une information sur l'épaisseur de quantité de mouvement qui est le paramètre principal définissant les corrélations de transition. La technique « Chimère » des maillages recouvrants est utilisée pour faciliter la modélisation des moyens de contrôle passif pour déclencher la transition. C'est une technique appropriée pour l'implémentation de géométries simples ou plus élaborées. / The Low-Pressure Turbine is a critical component of an Aero-Engine as it drives the Fan which produces most of the thrust in the current turbofan configuration. In order to increase the eficiency in terms of fuel consumption, there is a continuous research for blade count reduction (i.e. mass reduction) which entails a higher loading per rotor blade. It is well-known that this environment is characterised by a low Reynolds number low condition associated with high diffusion along the aft region of the suction side. Consequently, the flow along this surface is prone to laminar separation which, depending on the status of the separation bubble, would lead to detrimental decrease in the aerodynamic performance (larger and deeper wake). The present PhD thesis focuses on the investigation of the separation-induced transition phenomenon occurring in a Low-Pressure Turbine environment. The emphasis is put on the numerical predictions based on a CFD RANS approach using the innovative γ-Reθt transition model based on transport equations for the numerical intermittency (γ) and the transition onset momentum thickness Reynolds number (γ-Reθt). Nine Low-Pressure Turbine rotor blades form a comprehensive experimental reference database and cover a significant range of different isentropic outlet Reynolds numbers, isentropic outlet Mach numbers, inlet turbulence intensity levels, with or without incoming wakes and with two local roughness configurations. A first analysis of this database stresses the effect of the separation on the transition onset and on the performance. A correlation definition is attempted and allows to link the diffusion rate of a blade to the isentropic outlet Reynolds number at bursting. A reliable and robust numerical methodology is established to predict the transition in the case of uniform upstream flow. The results are in good agreement with the experiments even though it was necessary to adapt the boundary conditions to predict the laminar separation numerically for highly-loaded and strong diffusion rate blades only. The resolution of the boundary layer velocity profiles allows to have an in-depth examination of the flow topology parameters. This gives proper information on the momentum thickness which is the main driving parameter of transition correlations. The Chimera technique for overlapping meshes is used to ease the modelling of passive control devices to trigger transition. It is a decent technique to implement standard geometries or more elaborate designs.

In recent years, application of confluent jets for design of ventilation supply devices has been studied. Similarly, numerus studies have been made on the potential and application of variable air volume (VAV) in order to reduce the energy demand of ventilation systems. This study investigates the combination of supply devices based on confluent jets and VAV, both in terms of the nearfield flow behavior of the device and the impact on thermal comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency on a classroom-level space when the airflow rate is varied. The method used in this study is an experimental field study where the confluent jets-based supply devices were compared to the previously installed displacement ventilation. The field study evaluated the energy efficiency, thermal comfort and indoor air quality of the two systems. In the case of the confluent jets supply devices, airflow rate was varied in order to see what impact the variation had on the performance of the system for each airflow rate. Furthermore, the confluent jets supply devices were investigated both experimentally and numerically in a well insulated test room to get high resolution data on the particular flow characteristics for this type of supply device when the airflow rate is varied. The results from the field study show nearly uniform distribution of the local mean age of air in the occupied zone, even in the cases of relatively low airflow rates. The airflow rates have no significant effect on the degree of mixing. The thermal comfort in the classroom was increased when the airflow rate was adapted to the heat load compared to the displacement system. The results lead to the conclusion that the combination of supply devices based on confluent jets can reduce energy usage in the school while maintaining indoor air quality and increasing the thermal comfort in the occupied zone. The results from the experimental and numerical study show that the flow pattern and velocity in each nozzle is directly dependent on the total airflow rate. However, the flow pattern does not vary between the three different airflow rates. The numerical investigation shows that velocity profiles for each nozzle have the same pattern regardless of the airflow rate, but the magnitude of the velocity profile increases as the airflow increases. Thus, a supply device of this kind could be used for variable air volume and produce confluent jets for different airflow rates. The results from both studies show that the airflow rate does not affect the distribution of the airflow on both near-field and room level. The distribution of air is nearly uniform in the case of the near-field results and the room-level measurement shows a completely uniform degree of mixing and air quality in the occupied zone for each airflow rate. This means that there is potential for combining these two schemes for designing air distribution systems with high energy efficiency and high thermal comfort and indoor air quality. / Under senare tid har applikation av Confluent jets för design av tilluftsdon studerats. Många studier har även utförts över potentialen av att applicera variabelt luftflöde (VAV) för att minska energianvändningen i ventilationssystem. Denna studie undersöker möjligheten att kombinera Confluent jets-don med VAV, både med avseende på den lokala flödesbilden och dess påverkan på termisk komfort, luftkvalitet och energieffektivitet i en klassrumsmiljö där luftflödes varieras. Denna studie baseras dels på en experimentell fältstudie där tilluftsdon baserade på Confluents jets jämfördes med befintliga deplacerande tilluftsdon. Fältstudien utvärderade energieffektiviteten, den termiska komforten och luftkvaliteten för båda typerna av tillluftsdon. Confluent jets-donen testades under varierat luftflöde för att se påverkan av flödesvariationen på ventilationens prestation under de olika flödena. Utöver fältstudien testades Confluent jets-donen experimentellt och numeriskt i ett välisolerat test-rum för få den detaljerade flödeskarakteristiken för den här typen tilluftsdon vid varierat luftflöde. Resultaten från fältstudien visar på en jämn fördelning av den lokala luftsmedelåldern i vistelsezonen, även för fallen med relativt låga luftflöden. Luftflöden har ingen signifikant effekt på omblandningen. Den termiska komforten i klassrummet ökade när luftflödet anpassades efter värmelasten jämfört med de deplacerande donen. Slutsatsen från fältstudien är att kombinationen av VAV och Confluent jets-don kan användas för att minska energianvändningen på skolan och bevara luftkvaliteten och den termiska komforten i vistelsezonen. Resultaten från den experimental och numeriska studien visar luftflödet och lufthastigheten i varje enskild dysa är direkt beroende på det totala luftflödet genom donet. Dock är flödesfördelningen mellan dysorna oberoende av de tre olika luftflödena. Den numeriska undersökningen visar att flödesprofilen för varje dysa är konstant trots att flödet varieras, men amplituden för varje profil ökar med en höjning av luftflödet. Det betyder att tilluftsdon av den här typen kan användas med VAV för att producera Confluent jets för olika luftflöden. Resultaten från båda studierna visar att luftflöde inte påverkar fördelningen av luften vare sig längs luftdonen eller på rumsnivå. Fördelningen av luften är nästan helt jämn längs donen och på rumsnivå är omblandningen och luftkvalitet den samma för varje luftflöde. Det betyder att det finns potential för att kombinera det här två teknikerna för att designa luftdistribueringssystem med hög energieffektivitet och hög termisk komfort med god luftkvalitet.

In recent years, the increasing impacts of landslide hazards on human lives and lifeline facilities worldwide has advanced the necessity to find out both economically acceptable and useful techniques to predict the occurrence and destructive power of landslides. Though many projects exist to attain this goal, the current investigation set out to establish an understanding of the initiation and propagation mechanisms of landslides via numerical simulations, so that mitigation strategies to reduce the long-term losses from landslide hazards can be made. In this research, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have been used to investigate the mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of granular materials involved in landslides. The main challenge is to provide rational analyses of large scale landslides via small scale numerical simulations. To solve this problem, dimensional analyses have been performed on a simple granular column collapse model. The influence of governing dimensionless groups on the debris runout distance and deposit height has been studied for the terrestrial and submerged granular flows. 3D DEM investigations of granular flows in plane strain conditions have been performed in this research. The input parameters of the DEM model have been calibrated by the numerical triaxial tests, based on which, the relationships between the microscopic variables and the macroscopic soil strength properties are analysed. Using the simple granular column collapse model, the influences of column aspect ratio, characteristic strain, model size ratio and material internal friction angle on the runout distance and deposit height of granular materials have been examined. Additionally, the deformation and energy evolution of dry granular materials are also discussed. The DEM-CFD coupling model has been employed to study the mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of highly mobilized terrestrial / submarine landslides. This model has been validated via numerical simulations of fluid flow through a porous soil sample and grain batch sedimentations. The simulations of granular flows in the submerged environment have led to some meaningful insights into the flow mechanisms, such as the mobilization of sediments, the generation and dissipation of excess pore water pressures and the evolution of effective stresses. Overall, this study shows that the proposed numerical tools are capable of modelling the mechanical and hydraulic behaviour of terrestrial and submarine landslides.

Quad-rotor helicopters are agile aircraft which are lifted and propelled by four rotors. Unlike traditional helicopters, they do not require a tail-rotor to control yaw, but can use four smaller fixed-pitch rotors. However, without an intelligent control system it is very difficult for a human to successfully fly and manoeuvre such a vehicle. Thus, most of recent research has focused on small unmanned aerial vehicles, such that advanced embedded control systems could be developed to control these aircrafts. Vehicles of this nature are very useful when it comes to situations that require unmanned operations, for instance performing tasks in dangerous and/or inaccessible environments that could put human lives at risk. This research demonstrates a consistent way of developing a robust adaptive controller for quad-rotor helicopters, using fuzzy-neural networks; creating an intelligent system that is able to monitor and control the non-linear multi-variable flying states of the quad-rotor, enabling it to adapt to the changing environmental situations and learn from past missions. Firstly, an analytical dynamic model of the quad-rotor helicopter was developed and simulated using Matlab/Simulink software, where the behaviour of the quad-rotor helicopter was assessed due to voltage excitation. Secondly, a 3-D model with the same parameter values as that of the analytical dynamic model was developed using Solidworks software. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was then used to simulate and analyse the effects of the external disturbance on the control and performance of the quad-rotor helicopter. Verification and validation of the two models were carried out by comparing the simulation results with real flight experiment results. The need for more reliable and accurate simulation data led to the development of a neural network error compensation system, which was embedded in the simulation system to correct the minor discrepancies found between the simulation and experiment results. Data obtained from the simulations were then used to train a fuzzy-neural system, made up of a hierarchy of controllers to control the attitude and position of the quad-rotor helicopter. The success of the project was measured against the quad-rotor’s ability to adapt to wind speeds of different magnitudes and directions by re-arranging the speeds of the rotors to compensate for any disturbance. From the simulation results, the fuzzy-neural controller is sufficient to achieve attitude and position control of the quad-rotor helicopter in different weather conditions, paving way for future real time applications.

La trempe à l’air est largement utilisée dans les procédés de production de verre de sécurité. L’obtention d’une distribution de contraintes adéquate requiert un refroidissement intense et homogène à la fois, et ces deux propriétés sont difficiles à obtenir sur la courte durée de la trempe. Les batteries de jets utilisées dans la plupart des systèmes de trempe produisent un refroidissement adéquat mais souffrent d’inhomogénéité, à l’origine de défauts de trempe et de casse durant le processus.L’objectif de cette thèse est d’explorer des nouvelles configurations qui améliorent l’homogénéité du refroidissement en préservant son intensité. L’approche choisie consiste à implanter des jets rotatifs dans les réseaux de manière à accentuer le mélange des jets avant impact. Les études ont été menées principalement par simulation numérique, corroborées par des visualisations par enduit gras sur un banc d’essai dédié, conçu et réalisé dans le cadre de cette thèse.La première phase a été consacrée à la conception des générateurs de jets rotatifs et à l’étude de leur dynamique en mode isolé. Le développement d’une structure tourbillonnaire se formant à l’entrée de chaque lobe du dispositif de mise en rotation a été mis en évidence. L’interaction des jets rotatifs dans le réseau de refroidissement constitue la deuxième phase. Il apparait que la structure cellulaire du schéma d’impact n’est que marginalement perturbée par les jets rotatifs et que la présence de ces derniers n’influe que peu sur la dynamique de l’écoulement. Enfin, la modélisation détaillée des transferts de chaleur sur la plaque d’impact montre que les jets rotatifs ne contribuent que faiblement au refroidissement, mais que l’interférence avec le réseau de jets simples augmente légèrement le transfert de chaleur local au niveau de leur impact. Sans avoir obtenu les résultats escomptés, cette thèse a toutefois montré la complexité du système et le couplage fort entre les phases d’alimentation et d’évacuation de l’air de refroidissement. / Air quenching is widely applied in security glass manufacturing processes. Proper residual stresses distribution requires strong and homogeneous cooling and both are difficult to achieve over the very short time of the tempering process. Jet arrays used in most processes provide with sufficient cooling but suffer from inherent inhomogeneity, leading to quality loss of the glass product and, in extreme cases, to unacceptable breaking numbers during production.The objective of the present study is to investigate ways to improve cooling homogeneity while maintaining efficiency. For this purpose, swirling jets are located inside the jet arrays to enhance jet mixing prior to impingement. Numerical simulation is performed, corroborated by oil flow visualization and a dedicated test bench has been designed and set up within the frame of this thesis.The first part was concerned with the design of swirlers and their dynamic behaviour in standalone mode. It has been shown that a vortex is forming at the inlet of each swirl compartment. Inserting the swirlers within jet arrays constitutes the seconf phase. It turns out that the cellular structure of the impingement pattern is only marginally affected by the swirlers, which have a weak influence on the flow dynamics. Last, the detailed heat transfer modeling on the impingement surface shows that the swirlers themselves do barely contribute to the overall cooling, while the coupling with the simple jet array slightly improves the local heat transfer close to the impingement area. Although the expected outcome was not achieved, this thesis showed the flow complexity as well as the strong coupling between the feeding and the exhaust phases experienced by the cooling air.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-12-21T13:22:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 José Henrique Nazzi Ehms_.pdf: 4808489 bytes, checksum: b590c723912ffe1d5d90006182f8cff2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-21T13:22:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 José Henrique Nazzi Ehms_.pdf: 4808489 bytes, checksum: b590c723912ffe1d5d90006182f8cff2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-10-31 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Armazenamento térmico apresenta grande potencial de utilização em diversas aplicações, como energia solar, climatização, conservação de alimentos ou aproveitamento de calor residual em processos industriais. O armazenamento térmico de calor latente é realizado com materiais de mudança de fase (PCM), através dos processos de fusão e solidificação. A representação destes processos através de simulação numérica é realizada com o acréscimo ao modelo matemático básico, composto pelas equações da conservação da massa, quantidade de movimento e energia, modelos para descrever o calor latente e a transição na velocidade entre as fases, tais como: Darcy STM (source term method), VVM (variable viscosity method) e SOM (switch-off method). No entanto, a grande maioria das pesquisas nesta área utiliza o primeiro método. Além disso, são poucos os estudos comparativos de diferentes métodos para descrever processos de mudança de fase. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo é comparar os métodos Darcy STM, VVM e misto (utilizando elementos dos dois anteriores) na simulação numérica de processos de fusão e de solidificação do PCM RT27 no interior de uma esfera. O estudo foi realizado utilizando-se fluidodinâmica computacional, através do método dos volumes finitos. O Modelo numérico foi validado com resultados experimentais da literatura. Os resultados quantitativos e qualitativos de fração líquida mostram que o método Darcy STM é mais adequado ao processo de solidificação, enquanto o método VVM produz resultados mais próximos aos experimentais no processo de fusão. O custo computacional foi menor para o método Darcy STM e maior para o método VVM, enquanto o método misto apresenta custo computacional pouco inferior ao do método VVM. Na análise da camada líquida na fusão de contato, foram analisadas a velocidade descendente do sólido, a espessura da camada e a vazão na camada. Os resultados referentes a camada líquida indicaram significativa influência das configurações do método Darcy STM. No entanto, são pouco influenciados pelas configurações do método VVM. / Thermal energy storage presents great potential of utilization in several applications, such as solar energy, HVAC systems, food conservation or waste heat recovery in industrial processes. Latent heat thermal energy storage is realized with phase change materials (PCM), through solidification and melting processes. Representation of such processes through numerical simulation is performed with the addition to the basic numerical model, composed of the conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy, models to account the latent heat and the velocity transition between the phases, such as: Darcy STM (source term method), VVM (variable viscosity method) and SOM (switch-off method). However, the large majority of the research on such area employ the first method. Besides that, there are few comparative studies of different methods to describe phase change processes. Thus, the objective of the present work is compare Darcy STM, VVM and mixed method (using elements of the two prior) in the simulation of melting and solidification processes of PCM RT27 inside a sphere. The study was realized using computational fluid dynamics, with the finite volume method. The numerical model was validated with experimental results from literature. Quantitative and qualitative results of liquid fraction show that Darcy STM is most suitable to solidification process, while VVM produces results closer to experimental in the melting process. Computational cost was smaller for Darcy STM and greater for VVM, while mixed method presents computational cost slightly lower than the one of VVM. In the analysis of the liquid layer in close contact melting, were analyzed descending velocity of the solid, liquid layer thickness and the flow in the liquid layer. The results regarding the liquid layer denote significant influence of the configurations for Darcy STM. However, such results are little influenced by the configurations of VVM.

This thesis focuses on the evolution of zonal flows in self-gravitating accretion discs and their resulting effect on disc stability; it also studies the process of disc gravito-turbulence, with particular emphasis given to the way the turbulent state is able to extract energy from the background flow and sustain itself by means of a feedback. Chapters 1 and 2 provide an overview of systems involving accretion discs and a theoretical introduction to the theory of accretion discs, along with potential methods of angular momentum transport to explain the observed accretion rates. To address the issue of the gravito-turbulence self-sustenance, a compressible non-linear spectral code (dubbed CASPER) was developed from scratch in C; its equations and specifications are laid out in Chapter 3. In Chapter 4 an ideal (no viscosities or cooling) linear stability analysis to non-axisymmetric perturbations is carried out when a zonal flow is present in the flow. This yields two instabilities: a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (active only if the zonal flow wavelength is sufficiently small) and one driven by self-gravity. A stability analysis of the zonal flow itself is carried out in Chapter 5 by means of an axisymmetric linear analysis, using non-ideal conditions. This considers instability due to both density wave modes (which give rise to overstability) and slow modes (which result in thermal or viscous instability) and, thanks a different perturbation wavelength regime, represents an extension to the classical theory of thermal and viscous instabilities. The slow mode instability is found to be aided by high Prandtl numbers and adiabatic index γ values, while quenched by fast cooling. The overstability is likewise stabilised by fast cooling, and occurs in a non-self-gravitational regime only if γ ≲ 1.305. Lastly, Chapter 6 illustrates the results of the non-linear simulations carried out using the CASPER code. Here the system settles into a state of gravito-turbulence, which appears to be linked to a spontaneously-developing zonal flow. Results show that this zonal flow is driven by the slow mode instability discussed in Chapter 5, and that the presence of zonal flows triggers a non-axisymmetric instability, as seen in Chapter 4. The role of the latter is to constrain the zonal flow amplitude, with the resulting zonal flow disruption providing a generation of shearing waves which permits the self-sustenance of the turbulent state.

La prédiction des vibrations induites par un écoulement est essentielle dans la conception des conduits de nombreuses installations industrielles, en particulier dans l’industrie du gaz. Notre étude concerne la prévision du bruit et la vibration des conduits soumis à un écoulement turbulent à faible nombre de Mach. Notre objectif est de présenter une étude numérique et expérimentale permettant aux ingénieurs de mieux comprendre le couplage entre l’excitation aléatoire et le conduit pour deux géométries (circulaire ou rectangulaire). Une approche expérimentale est développée et utilisée pour valider les prévisions numériques. Deux cas sont étudiés : (i) un conduit droit sans singularité, où les modes acoustiques du conduit sont excités par une couche limite turbulente (TBL) et (ii) un conduit droit avec un diaphragme inséré en amont qui génère une source acoustique localisée. La contribution acoustique est déterminée soit par des méthodes de mesure d’interspectres, soit à l’aide des outils de mécanique des fluides numérique (CFD) et d’analogies aéroacoustiques. La réponse de la structure est estimée par une approche dite de « couplage faible » qui utilise des fonctions de transfert modale d’un conduit fini simplement appuyé. Les mesures conduiront à évaluer et suggérer des améliorations de modèles empiriques existants de densité interspectrale de puissance (CPSD) dans un contexte d’écoulements internes turbulents. Une analyse modale expérimentale d’un conduit rectangulaire finie est confrontée à des méthodes de calcul pour évaluer l’effet des conditions aux limites, du rayonnement acoustique et de l’amortissement aérodynamique. Le couplage fluide structure est analysé par la fonction de « joint acceptance » à la fois dans le domaine spatial et dans le domaine des nombres d’onde. L’excitation comprend à la fois les contributions acoustiques et hydrodynamiques à l’aide des CPSD exprimées sur la base des fonctions de cohérence de type Corcos, champ diffus et modes acoustiques d’ordre élevé. Enfin, les études numériques et expérimentales de cette thèse ont été utilisées pour développer un cadre d’étude et de modélisation du bruit et des vibrations dans les conduites, qui relie la dynamique des fluides, les modèles analytiques et empiriques à des techniques efficaces d’analyse aléatoire. / Pipeline and duct vibrations can cause a range of issues from unplanned shutdownsto decreased equipment life time. Thus, the prediction of flow-induced vibrations is essential in piping design in many industrial plants, especially, for Gas industry. This study deals with the prediction of pipe flow noise and vibration at low Mach number. We aim to present a numerical and experimental study which can offer engineers a better understanding of the coupling between random excitation and duct section for two geometries (circular or rectangular). An experimental facility and measurement approach is developed and used to validate numerical predictions. Two cases are investigated: (i) a straight duct with no singularity, duct acoustic modes are excited by the Turbulent Boundary Layer (TBL) and (ii) a straight duct with a diaphragm inserted upstream generating a localized acoustic source. The acoustic contribution is either measured via cross-spectra based methods or calculated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and aeroacoustic analogies. The response of the structure is estimated via a ‘blocked’ approach using analytical modal Frequency Response Functions (FRFs) of a simply supported finite duct. Measurements will lead to evaluate and suggest improvements to existing Cross Power Spectral Density (CPSD) empirical models in a context of internal turbulent flows. Experimental modalanalysis of a finite rectangular duct are confronted to computational methods to assess the effect of the Boundary Conditions (BCs), the resistive damping from coupling with the internal acoustic medium and aerodynamic damping. The fluid-structure coupling is analyzed through the joint acceptance function both in the spatial and wave number domain. The excitation includes both the acoustic and hydrodynamic contributions using CPSD written on the basis of Corcos, Diffuse Acoustic Field (DAF) and acoustic duct mode coherence functions. Finally, the numerical and experimental studies in this thesis were used to develop a framework for studying and modelling pipe flow noise and vibration which links CFD, analytical and empirical models to efficient random analysis techniques.