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This doctoral thesis deals with the study of electro-hydrodynamics in the area of numerical modelling of biomechanical systems, concretely in the method of bioimpedance plethysmography. Solving tasks of pulsatile blood flow in the elastic vessel wall is currently one of the most complicated problem in mechanics and biomechanics due to the interaction of two continua on the common boundary. The whole system is additionally loaded by diagnostic electric current. This doctoral thesis was created in cooperation with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the CAS, v. v. i. Brno with the team engaged in medical signals (the leader Ing. Pavel Jurák, CSc.). Experimental measurements were made independently in the St. Anne's University Hospital Brno in the International Clinical Research Center ICRC and in the Mayo Clinic USA.

Orientador: Geraldo de Freitas Maciel / Resumo: Esta pesquisa tem como principal objetivo verificar experimentalmente a presença de instabilidades na superfície livre de escoamentos lamosos, em canal com 10 metros de comprimento. Estes escoamentos, quando em condições favoráveis de vazão e inclinação, podem constituir um domínio favorável à geração de roll waves, instabilidades que evoluem adquirindo característica periódica e que se propagam com amplitudes, comprimentos e velocidade de propagação bem definidas. O fluido teste utilizado nos ensaios foi uma mistura de água+argila caulinítica (representativo do material lamoso em desastres naturais), confeccionada com uma concentração em volume de 25% e caracterizada reologicamente pelo modelo de Herschel Bulkley. Foram testados dois surfactantes (estabilizantes químicos), Tween 80 e goma xantana, para estabilizar os parâmetros reológicos da mistura, tendo a goma xantana garantido maior tempo de estabilização. A aferição da superfície livre foi realizada por meio de sistema não-intrusivo (transdutor ultrassônico), que se mostrou eficiente para aferição de ondas íngremes e de pequenas amplitudes. Os resultados de ensaios experimentais exploratórios foram confrontados com o modelo matemático 1D desenvolvido pelo grupo de pesquisa. / Abstract: This project has as main objective to experimentally verify the presence of instabilities in the free surface of muddy flows in a ten meter long channel. These flows, when situated under favorable flow and slope conditions may constitute a favorable domain for the generation of roll waves, instabilities that evolve acquiring periodic characteristics and propagate itself with well-defined amplitudes, lengths and velocity. The test fluid used in the experiment was a mixture between water + kaolinitic clay (representative of the muddy material in natural disasters), made with a 25% volume concentration and rheologically characterized by the Herschel Bulkley model. Two surfactants (chemical stabilizers), Tween 80 and xanthan gum, were tested to stabilize the rheological parameters of the mixture, with the xanthan gum ensuring longer stabilization time. The free surface measurement was performed using a non-intrusive system (ultrasonic transducer), which proved to be efficient for the measurement of steep waves with small amplitudes. The results of exploratory experimental tests were compared with the 1D mathematical model developed by the research group. / Mestre

Yes / In this paper, an Euler-Lagrange model for computational fluid dynamics was used to model a full-scale gas-mixed anaerobic digester. The flow profiles, local values of non-Newtonian viscosity and average shear rate were analysed. Recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of mixing were given. In particular, the gas mixing input power can be reduced without appreciable detrimental effects on the mixing effectiveness.

Drilling is crucial to many industries, including hydrocarbon extraction, CO2 sequestration, geothermal energy, and others. During penetrating the subsurface rocks, drilling fluid (mud) is used for drilling bit cooling, lubrication, removing rock cuttings, and providing wellbore mechanical stability. Significant mud loss from the wellbore into the surrounding formation causes fluid lost-circulation incidents. This phenomenon leads to cost overrun, environmental pollution, delays project time and causes safety issues. Although lost-circulation exacerbates wellbore conditions, prediction of the characteristics of subsurface formations can be obtained. Generally, four formation types cause lost-circulation: natural fractures, and induced fractures, vugs and caves, and porous/permeable medium. The focus in this work is on naturally fractured formations, which is the most common cause of lost circulation. In this work, a novel prediction tool is developed based on analytical solutions and type-curves (TC). Type-curves are derived from the Cauchy equation of motion and mass conservation for non-Newtonian fluid model, corresponding to Herschel-Bulkley model (HB). Experimental setup from literature mimicking a deformed fracture supports the establishment of the tool. Upscaling the model of a natural fracture at subsurface conditions is implemented into the equations to achieve a group of mud type-curves (MTC) alongside another set of derivative-based mud type-curves (DMTC). The developed approach is verified with numerical simulations. Further, verification is performed with other analytical solutions. This proposed tool serves various functionalities; It predicts the volume loss as a function of time, based on wellbore operating conditions. The time-dependent fluid loss penetration from the wellbore into the surrounding formation can be computed. Additionally, the hydraulic aperture of the fracture in the surrounding formation can be estimated. Due to the non-Newtonian behavior of the drilling mud, the tool can be used to assess the fluid loss stopping time. Validation of the tool is performed by using actual field datasets and published experimental measurements. Machine-Learning is finally investigated as a complementary approach to determine the flow behavior of mud loss and the corresponding fracture properties.

A mathematical model is developed for quantification of aquifer deformation due to ground-water withdrawal and, with some modifications, is potentially applicable to petroleum reservoirs. A porous medium saturated with water is conceptually treated in the model as a nonlinearly viscous fluid continuum. The model employs a new three-dimensional extension, made in this thesis, of Helm's poroviscosity as a constitutive law governing the stress-strain relation of material deformation and Gersevanov's generalization of Darcy's law for fluid flow in porous media. Relative to the classical linear poroelasticity, the proposed model provides a more realistic tool, yet with greater simplicity, in modeling and prediction of aquifer movement. Based on laboratory consolidation tests conducted on clastic sedimentary materials, three phases of skeletal compaction are recognized. They are referred to as "instantaneous compression", "primary consolidation" and "secondary compression" according to Terzaghi and Biot's theory of poroelasticity. Among the three modes of consolidation, material behavior during the secondary compression phase has a nonlinear stress-strain relationship and is strongly time-dependent, exhibiting a phenomenon often known as "creep". In poroelasticity, the primary and secondary compressions have been conceptually considered as two separate physical processes that require two sets of material parameters to be evaluated. In contrast, the proposed poroviscosity model is a unified theory of time-dependent skeletal compression that realistically describes the physical phenomena of sediment compression as one single transient process. As a general model, two sets of governing equations are formulated for Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates, respectively, and allow for mechanical anisotropy and the assumption of principal hydraulic directions. Further simplifications of the governing equations are formulated by assuming mechanical isotropy, irrotational deformation and mechanical axisymmetry, which are more suitable for field applications. Incremental forms of the governing equations are also provided. / Ph. D.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text for abstract / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks vir opsomming

O processamento térmico de alimentos visa garantir qualidade e inocuidade pela inativação de micro-organismos e enzimas. Geralmente ocorre sobreprocessamento, levando à perda de características nutricionais e sensoriais e à elevação de custos operacionais. Foi desenvolvida a modelagem matemática (modelos térmico, mássico, hidráulico e reativo) de um equipamento bitubular para o processamento térmico contínuo de um alimento líquido homogêneo em regime laminar difusivo, para determinação das distribuições de temperatura e letalidade. No modelo foram incorporados parâmetros para quantificar os efeitos das difusividades térmica e mássica efetivas na direção radial ao escoamento. O modelo contempla três seções: aquecimento; tubo de retenção e resfriamento, em que as seções de aquecimento e resfriamento são trocadores de calor modulares. Foram considerados os seguintes volumes de controle: alimento, tubo interno, fluido de utilidade, tubo externo, isolamento térmico e ar ambiente. Balanços diferenciais de energia e massa foram aplicados para modelar as trocas térmicas e a distribuição de micro-organismos, enzimas ou nutrientes. Condições de contorno foram aplicadas para manter a continuidade entre as seções e módulos. O modelo foi resolvido através do método de diferenças finitas, discretizando as componentes axiais e radiais. No estudo de caso foram feitas simulações para o processamento térmico de suco de amora, quantificando os efeitos dos parâmetros difusivos e das variáveis de processo sobre os atributos de qualidade nutricional (antocianina) e qualidade microbiológica (levedura). Na validação dos modelos térmico e mássico os efeitos de mistura e difusão na direção radial foram quantificados através do ajuste da condutividade térmica efetiva e número de Peclet modificado. Utilizou-se um pasteurizador em escala laboratorial e os fluidos: mistura glicerina/água 80% (newtoniano) e solução de CMC 1% (pseudoplástico) nas vazões de 10 a 50 L/h. Os resultados indicam que o modelo proposto representou satisfatoriamente as distribuições de temperaturas, letalidade e comportamento experimental com reduzida complexidade computacional. / The thermal processing ensures quality and safety by inactivation of micro-organisms and enzymes. Generally, over-processing occurs, resulting in sensorial and nutritional losses and operating costs increase. A mathematical model (thermal, mass, hydraulic and reactive) of a double-pipe pasteurizer has developed for the continuous thermal processing of a liquid food in laminar diffusive regime, to obtain the temperature and lethality distributions. Parameters to quantify the effects of thermal and mass effective diffusivities in the radial direction were incorporated in the model. The model comprises three zones: heating; holding tube and cooling, where the heating and cooling zones are modular double-pipe heat exchangers. The following control volumes were considered: food, inner tube, utility fluid, outer tube, thermal insulation and ambient air. Energy and mass differential balances were used for modeling the heat transfer and the destruction of micro-organisms, enzymes or nutrients. Boundary conditions were applied to maintain the continuity between zones and modules. The finite difference method was used to discretize the model in the axial and radial directions. A simulation study case for blueberry juice thermal processing was made, analyzing the effects of the diffusive parameters and processing variables of the thermal treatment in the nutritional quality (anthocyanin) and microbiological quality (yeasts) attributes. In the validations of the heat and mass models, the mixture and diffusive effects in the radial direction were quantified by adjusting the heat conductivity and the modified Peclet number. A laboratory scale pasteurizer was used with the following fluids: glycerin/water mixture 80% (newtonian) and CMC 1% solution (pseudoplastic) in flows rates between 10 and 50 L/h. The obtained results indicate that the proposed model successfully represented the temperature and lethality distributions and experimental behavior with reduced computational complexity.

Estudos aplicados ao processo de filtração tangencial têm sido o objetivo de muitos trabalhos devido a sua ampla capacidade de adequação aos mais diversos processos industriais. Os mecanismos de transferência associados a esse processo envolvem basicamente o escoamento em tubos permeáveis (ou membranas) com fenômenos de transferência de massa presentes junto à superfície. Esta tese de doutorado apresenta uma modelagem numérica capaz de representar o escoamento de fluidos newtonianos e não-newtonianos em tubos permeáveis aplicada ao processo de filtração tangencial, para os regimes de escoamento laminar e turbulento. No regime turbulento, utilizou-se o modelo de comprimento de mistura de Prandtl. O modelo numérico envolveu as equações de conservação da massa, da quantidade de movimento e das espécies químicas, acopladas a adequadas condições de fronteira. Em particular, por se tratar de um modelo numérico, analisou-se a discretização dos termos convectivos por meio da implementação de três esquemas: WACEB, CUBISTA e QUICKEST adaptativo. Os resultados produzidos pela implementação dos esquemas convectivos foram analisados por meio de comparações com resultados analíticos e experimentais da literatura, para regimes de escoamento laminar e turbulento. De acordo com as comparações realizadas, o esquema QUICKEST adaptativo apresentou melhor desempenho na modelagem desse escoamento. Diversas simulações numéricas geraram resultados, os quais foram comparados com expressões analíticas e dados experimentais da literatura e com dados produzidos pelo laboratório do Núcleo de Engenharia Térmica e Fluidos (NETeF) da USP São Carlos. Verificou-se, assim, que o modelo matemático produziu resultados compatíveis com o fenômeno estudado, tendo-se, portanto, uma ferramenta para descrição do problema convectivo mássico do escoamento em tubos permeáveis. / Studies applied to the crossflow filtration process have been the goal of several researches due to its large capacity for adaptation to the various industrial processes. The mechanism of transfer associated with this process basically involves fiows in permeable tubes (or membranes) with the phenomenon of mass transfer on the surface. This doctoral thesis presents a numerical modeling able to represent the fiow of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fiuids in permeable tubes applied to the process of crossflow filtration, in laminar and turbulent flow regimes. In the turbulent regime the Prandtl mixing length model was used. The numerical model involved the mass conservation, momentum conservation and mass transport equations coupled to the appropriate boundary conditions. In particular, as it is a numerical model, the discretization of convective terms was analyzed through the implementation of three schemes: WACEB, CUBISTA and adaptative QUICKEST. The results produced by the implementation of the convective schemes were analyzed through comparisons with experimental and analytical results from the literature, for laminar and turbulent flow regImes. According to the comparisons made, adaptative QUICKEST scheme showed the best performance in the modeling in this flow. Several numerical simulations generated results, which were compared with experimental data and analytical expressions of the literature and with data produced by the laboratory of the Center of Thermal Thermal and Fluids Engineering (NETeF) of the EESC- USP/São Cados. It was possible to verify, that the mathematical model produced results consistent with the phenomenon studied, and can be considered a tool for the description of the mass convective problem flow in permeavel tubes.

Estudos aplicados ao processo de filtração tangencial têm sido o objetivo de muitos trabalhos devido a sua ampla capacidade de adequação aos mais diversos processos industriais. Os mecanismos de transferência associados a esse processo envolvem basicamente o escoamento em tubos permeáveis (ou membranas) com fenômenos de transferência de massa presentes junto à superfície. Esta tese de doutorado apresenta uma modelagem numérica capaz de representar o escoamento de fluidos newtonianos e não-newtonianos em tubos permeáveis aplicada ao processo de filtração tangencial, para os regimes de escoamento laminar e turbulento. No regime turbulento, utilizou-se o modelo de comprimento de mistura de Prandtl. O modelo numérico envolveu as equações de conservação da massa, da quantidade de movimento e das espécies químicas, acopladas a adequadas condições de fronteira. Em particular, por se tratar de um modelo numérico, analisou-se a discretização dos termos convectivos por meio da implementação de três esquemas: WACEB, CUBISTA e QUICKEST adaptativo. Os resultados produzidos pela implementação dos esquemas convectivos foram analisados por meio de comparações com resultados analíticos e experimentais da literatura, para regimes de escoamento laminar e turbulento. De acordo com as comparações realizadas, o esquema QUICKEST adaptativo apresentou melhor desempenho na modelagem desse escoamento. Diversas simulações numéricas geraram resultados, os quais foram comparados com expressões analíticas e dados experimentais da literatura e com dados produzidos pelo laboratório do Núcleo de Engenharia Térmica e Fluidos (NETeF) da USP São Carlos. Verificou-se, assim, que o modelo matemático produziu resultados compatíveis com o fenômeno estudado, tendo-se, portanto, uma ferramenta para descrição do problema convectivo mássico do escoamento em tubos permeáveis. / Studies applied to the crossflow filtration process have been the goal of several researches due to its large capacity for adaptation to the various industrial processes. The mechanism of transfer associated with this process basically involves fiows in permeable tubes (or membranes) with the phenomenon of mass transfer on the surface. This doctoral thesis presents a numerical modeling able to represent the fiow of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fiuids in permeable tubes applied to the process of crossflow filtration, in laminar and turbulent flow regimes. In the turbulent regime the Prandtl mixing length model was used. The numerical model involved the mass conservation, momentum conservation and mass transport equations coupled to the appropriate boundary conditions. In particular, as it is a numerical model, the discretization of convective terms was analyzed through the implementation of three schemes: WACEB, CUBISTA and adaptative QUICKEST. The results produced by the implementation of the convective schemes were analyzed through comparisons with experimental and analytical results from the literature, for laminar and turbulent flow regImes. According to the comparisons made, adaptative QUICKEST scheme showed the best performance in the modeling in this flow. Several numerical simulations generated results, which were compared with experimental data and analytical expressions of the literature and with data produced by the laboratory of the Center of Thermal Thermal and Fluids Engineering (NETeF) of the EESC- USP/São Cados. It was possible to verify, that the mathematical model produced results consistent with the phenomenon studied, and can be considered a tool for the description of the mass convective problem flow in permeavel tubes.