L’imagerie cardiovasculaire par RMN est encore aujourd’hui un véritable défi. La difficulté résidedans la nécessité d’acquérir des images avec de fortes résolutions spatiale et temporelle en un tempslimité, et dans certains cas sur des zones en mouvement. Alors que la plupart des images sont acquisesavec des trajectoires cartésiennes, notre choix s’est porté sur l’utilisation de trajectoires 3D radialescomme alternative. En effet, celles-ci bénéficient de nombreux avantages comme leur faible sensibilitéaux artefacts de mouvements et de flux ainsi que la possibilité de fortement sous-échantillonner lesacquisitions. Ainsi, l’objectif de cette thèse a été de développer de nouvelles méthodes utilisant lespropriétés des acquisitions radiales pour l’imagerie cardiovasculaire 3D anatomique et fonctionnellechez le petit animal à hauts champs magnétiques.Tout d’abord, une méthode de mesure des flux sanguins en 3D a été mise au point, basée sur lephénomène de temps-de-vol. L’utilisation de trajectoires radiales a permis de réduire fortement lestemps d’acquisition tout en améliorant les résolutions spatiale et temporelle des images par rapportaux méthodes cartésiennes.Ensuite, en combinant l’utilisation de nanoparticules de Fer qui possèdent une rémanence vasculaireimportante avec des séquences radiales à temps d’écho ultracourt, nous avons montré que l’acquisitiond’images anatomiques cardiaques et vasculaires très haute résolution pouvait être réalisée de manièreprospective ou bien retrospective grâce à l’ajout d’un écho-navigateur dans la séquence permettantl’auto-synchronisation cardiaque.Enfin, cette même méthode a été employée pour réaliser l’imagerie de flux 4D sur l’entièreté dusystème cardio-pulmonaire de l’animal.Les séquences développées lors de ce travail et les résultats obtenus en imagerie anatomique etfonctionnelle montrent l’intérêt et la robustesse des méthodes non cartésiennes en imagerie préclinique.Elles peuvent ouvrir la voie à de nouvelles stratégies en imagerie clinique. / Cardiovascular imaging using NMR is still a real challenge. The difficulty relies on the need toacquire images with high temporal and spatial resolutions, in a limited acquisition time and in somecases of moving areas. While most images are acquired with cartesian trajectories, the use of 3D radialtrajectories was explored as an alternative. Indeed, they benefit from various advantages like their lowsensitivity to flow and motion artefacts as well as the opportunity to highly undersample acquisitions.Thus, the aim of this thesis was to develop new acquisition strategies using radial trajectory propertiesfor 3D cardiovascular anatomical and functional imaging in small animals at high magnetic fields.First, a method for measuring blood flow in 3D was developped, based on a time-of-flight effect.The use of radial trajectories allowed to highly reduce acquisition times while increasing spatial andtemporal resolutions compared to cartesian acquisitions.Then, combining the injection of iron nanoparticles which have a long vascular remanence withultrashort echot time radial acquisitions, we showed that anatomical cardiac images with a high spatialresolution could be obtained prospectively or restrospectively by adding a navigator echo in thesequence in order to synchronize the reconstruction to the cardiac cycle.Finally, this method was used to perform 4D flow imaging on the entire cardiopulmonary systemof the animals.The sequences developed during this work and the results obtained in anatomical and functionalimaging show the interest and the robustness of non cartesian methods in preclinical imaging. Theypaves the way to the development of new strategies in clinical imaging.Keywords : Preclinical MRI, 3D+t, radial trajectories, cardiovascular, flow measurement.

Considerable research is being carried out into the parameters that affect catalyst performance in order to meet the latest emission regulations. The conversion efficiency and the durability of automotive catalytic converters are significantly dependent on catalyst flow performance. Related investigations are commonly conducted using CFD techniques which represent an inexpensive and fast alternative to experimental methods. This thesis focuses on the flow performance of automotive catalytic converters using both experimental and computational techniques. The work describes the effects of inlet flow conditions on catalyst performance, the application of radial vanes to catalyst systems and the refinement of the CFD flow model which increases the accuracy of the predicted catalyst flow performance. the effects of inlet flow conditions on the flow maldistribution across the catalyst face and the total pressure loss through the system were assessed using a steady air flow rig. Tests were conducted over a range of Reynolds numbers typically encountered in automotive catalytic converters using a uniform and a fully-developed inlet flow condition. The results showed that the flow maldistribution significantly increases with Reynolds number notably in wide-angled diffusers. The catalyst flow performance is considerably improved when the inlet flow is uniform rather than fully-developed, the non-dimensional total pressure loss is reduced by 8% at Re=60000 and the flow maldistribution across the catalyst face is decreased by 12.5% and 15% respective Reynolds numbers of 30000 and 60000 when using a 60 degree diffuser. The total pressure loss through the system was found to be mostly associated with the monolith brick resistance. When the flow maldistribution is approximately 2, the pressure loss across the monolith brick represents 80% of the system pressure loss. The flow maldistribution across the catalyst face was improved by locating a system of radial splitters in the diffuser. The optimum flow performance was found to be a complex function of the vane design. A maximum improvement in the flow maldistrution indices M and Mi of 25% and 50% respectively was achieved at the expense of an increase in total pressure loss of 13.5% at Re = 60000. Both CFD and flow visualisation techniques were used as an aid to interpreting the flow field in the diffuser. Although a qualitative agreement was obtained using CFD, the flow maldistribution across the catalyst face was underpredected by up to 20%. The accuracy of the flow predictions was significantly improved by investigating the flow field in the monolith channels. Flow recirculation occurs in the channel entry length when the flow approaches the monolith channels at an angle which induces an additional implemented into four models of the flow through axisymmetric catalyst assemblies using various diffuser geometries and inlet flow conditions. By including the flow entrance effects in the porous media approach, the flow maldistribution was predicted within 8% instead of 15% when these effects are neglected. Further investigation of the flow in the monolith channels will be required to accurately model three-dimentional flows (racetrack catalysts) and to include various channel geometries and system flow rates.

In this thesis, the method of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) is implemented to construct approximate, reduced order models (ROM) of mesh movement methods. Three mesh movement algorithms are implemented and comparatively evaluated, namely radial basis function interpolation, mesh optimization and elastic deformation. POD models of the mesh movement algorithms are constructed using a series of system observations, or snapshots of a given mesh for a set of boundary deformations. The scalar expansion coefficients for the POD basis modes are computed in three different ways, through coefficient optimization, Galerkin projection of the governing set of equations and coefficient interpolation. It is found that using only coefficient interpolation yields mesh movement models that accurately approximates the full order mesh movement, with CPU cost savings in excess of 99%. We further introduce a novel training procedure whereby the POD models are generated in a fully automated fashion. The technology is applicable to any mesh movement method and enables potential reductions of up to four orders of magnitude in mesh movement related costs. The proposed model can be implemented without having to pre-train the POD model, to any fluid-structure interaction code with an existing mesh movement scheme. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Nous nous intéressons aux cristaux liquides nématiques, qui sont une phase de la matière intermédiaire entre les liquides et les solides cristallins. Ces états sont caractérisés par la présence de défauts ponctuels ou de ligne. Le but de cette thèse est d'apporter une contribution à l'étude mathématique des défauts, dans le cadre de la théorie variationnelle de Landau-de Gennes. Dans le premier chapitre, nous étudions les minimiseurs de l'énergie dans des domaines bornés de dimension deux. Lorsque la constante élastique tend vers zéro, les minimiseurs convergent vers une application localement harmonique, avec un nombre fini de singularités ponctuelles. Au voisinage de celles-ci, les minimiseurs sont biaxes (le molécules sont alignées localement dans plusieurs directions). Le deuxième chapitre est consacré à l'analyse asymptotique des minimiseurs en dimension trois, en supposant l'énergie majorée par le logarithme de la constante élastique. Comme dans le cas bidimensionnel, nous obtenons un résultat de compacité des minimiseurs, mais cette fois l'application limite peut présenter à la fois des singularités ponctuelles et de ligne. Nous donnons aussi des conditions suffisantes pour que l'hypothèse sur l'énergie évoquée précédemment soit satisfaite. Le troisième chapitre porte sur l'existence de minimiseurs à symétrie radiale dans une couronne en dimension trois. Enfin, dans le dernier chapitre nous présentons une obstruction topologique à l'existence de champs de vecteurs unitaires de faible régularité, sur des variétés à bord. Ce résultat constitue une étape préliminaire à l'étude de modèles variationnels pour les films nématiques sur une surface. / Nematic liquid crystals are an intermediate phase of matter, sharing properties with liquids and crystalline solids. They are composed of molecules which can flow freely, but tend to align locally along some preferred directions. Nematic phases exhibit defects, which can occur at isolated points or along lines, and are one of their mean features. This thesis mainly aims at discussing some mathematical results about defects and their generation, in the framework of the Landau-de Gennes theory. In the first chapter, we study minimizers of the energy functional in a bounded, smooth domain in dimension two. We show that, as the elastic constant tends to zero, minimizers converge to a locally harmonic map with a finite number of point singularities. Minimizers are biaxial in the core of defects (that is, more than one preferred direction of molecular alignment exists at a given point). Chapter two deals with the asymptotic analysis of minimizers in dimension three. We assume that the energy is comparable to the logarithm of the elastic constant and prove a compactness result. However, the limiting map is now allowed to have line singularities as well as point singularities. We also provide sufficient conditions for the logarithmic energy estimate to be satisfied. In chapter three, we study the existence of radially symmetric minimizers on spherical shells, in dimension three. Finally, in chapter four, we discuss a topological obstruction to the existence of unit vector fields of low regularity, on a compact manifold with boundary. This result can be understood as a first step in the analysis of some variational models for a surface coated with a thin nematic film.

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The aim of this diploma thesis is to propose a drive train of a seven-cylinder radial engine, including strength analysis of selected components. The basic parameters of the engine cylinder are based on the Škoda 1.2 HTP 12V 47kW AZQ engine.

Several types of discrepancies have been examined between CFD simulations, wind tunnel measurements and real world conditions. The results of different wheel rotation methods show that while stationary approaches can often substitute real unsteady wheel rotation, they can also be very sensitive to the exact angular positioning of wheel rims. Using both measured and computed flow fields, the lower part of wheel wake was identified as a key area, showing differences between rotation methods and sources of simulation errors in general. It was also shown that the level of detail in tyre geometry and its deformation near contact patch do not have a large impact on accuracy. Due to the absence of tyre rotation, the tyre sidewall was identified as an important place of flow separation with large effect on flow field and forces. Angle of attack study confirmed that assessing purely straight-line drag causes its under prediction compared to real-world values. This judgement would however benefit from obtaining data in more adverse conditions compared to those currently available. Finally, tyre radial expansion was investigated, causing a drop in drag with increasing vehicle velocity and altering the flow around the rear bodywork. Ignoring this effect can therefore negatively influence the aerodynamic development of a vehicle.

This thesis deals with propagation of pressure and flow pulsations, which are strongly affected by the tube flexibility. There are two mathematic models introduced, which are derived from basic physical relations. First model assumes velocity only in the axis direction. Second one assumes also non-zero radial velocity. Kelvin-Voigt model for viscoelasticity was used. Furthermore, experimental measurement was designed and evaluated. Measured data was used to calculate material properties. In addition, dynamic transfer was determined.

The project conceived within engineer’s studies of branch 2303T002 is subbmitting a proposal for radial bearing cage produce technology. It is also subbmitting a design solution to functional parts for blanking the “windows” and coining the “locks”. The cage will be made from sheet steel 11 300.29. This cage should replace the current one machined from the brass Ms 58 Al. According to the literary research and development experiences of the company ZKL Brno, a.s., two pairs of tools were designed. First one for blanking the “windows” and second one for coining the “locks”. Blanking punch, blanking die and coining punch will be made from the steel 19436, coining die will be made from the steel 19312. Heat-treating process will be accomplished according to the enclosed drawings. Both pairs of tools will be mounted in the press LENR 63 AU (manufactured by the company ŠMERAL Trnava), with nominal force 630 kN.

MACHAČ Stanislav: Spherical rollers process innovation by applicaton of cold bulk forming. Diploma thesis of the attendance engineer´s studies, Institute of technology, 2nd year, 2nd level – summer term, study group 5O / 51, school year 2007 / 2008. FSI VUT Brno, department of forming and plastics, May 2008, 75 pages, 6 tables, 4 enclosures. The topic of this thesis is production innovation of spherical rollers for bearings. The innovation is based on the technology of cold bulk forming. According to the literary research and according to the current stage of production is proposed and conceived manufacturing process for cold upsetting instead of turning using in current spherical rollers production. This manufacturing process is dedicated for the bearing type 22226EJ. The production process is conceived with regard to determinate knuckle-joint press LLR 1000 (Smeral Brno, a.s.). Also with regard to determinate half-closed die upsetting and with regard to formability of the steel 100CrMn6. The proposal and check-up of tool functional parts are designed regarding the current setting of particular parts of the press. In the next part of this thesis the proposal of work-room layout dedicated for hand-filling of semi-factured product is conceived. In conclusion the comparison of spherical roller production budget between cold upsetting and turning is conceived.