The impact of swirl (i.e., flow with axial and azimuthal velocity components) on the turbulent flow in a pipe is studied using two-component laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV). There are practical motivations for the flow geometry. For example, previous studies demonstrate that introducing swirl in the tube bank of a paper machine headbox can significantly increase mixing, and hence increase fiber dispersion and orientation isotropy in the finished paper product. The flow characteristics in a pipe downstream of a single straight tapered fin, a single fin with 180??ist but otherwise identical geometry, and four twisted fins were therefore studied at a pipe-based Reynolds number of 80,000. Radial profiles of the mean and rms fluctuations of the streamwise and azimuthal velocity components are measured; results for the straight and twisted single fin are compared to determine the effects of fin geometry and swirl on the turbulent wake downstream of the fin. From a practical viewpoint, it is also desirable to have adjustable swirl, where swirl can either be turned on or off depending upon the type of paper product being produced. The next generation swirler concept consists of fins fabricated from two-way shape memory alloys. Using the two-way memory effect, the fins will be in their straight configuration when cold and twisted configuration (hence acting as a swirler) when hot. This study is the initial phase in developing new active control mechanisms, known as the Vortigen concept, for increasing productivity, and hence reducing wasted raw material and energy, in the pulp and paper industry.

The role of energy in wealth and development is evident but the manner that a population’s access to energy effects overall growth is unclear. Understanding the role of energy in society can impact policies to push improvement in underdeveloped countries. Therefore, it is necessary to know how energy improves quality of life and what improvements need to be made to provide the necessary resources to underdeveloped populations. The first half of the thesis focuses on the role of energy use in society and its effect on human development. It is established that underdeveloped countries are in fact positively affected from increased energy access. Additionally, that the use of renewables will improve all the aspects of human development: health, wealth, and education. These results suggest that policy makers should focus on increasing clean energy in developing countries to also improve overall development. The second half shifts to the design and characterization of a water tunnel and the role it has in understanding fluid flow for near-wall visualization. Using refractive index matching (RIM) this experimental method can be used to study micro-surfaces that could improve efficiency in transportation or renewable energy. The water tunnel herein can achieve turbulent flows, unlike previous RIM designs.

The purpose of this work is to test the feasibility of using particle image velocimetry(PIV) for measurements of flow through a porous medium, more specifically in this casea rotating bed reactor S3. The results from experiments preformed can then be usedto validate and improve computational fluid dynamics models. The report presentsdifferent possible combinations of solids and fluids for refractive index matchingand tests some velocity limits of the optical equipment used. PIV appears to be apromising method for measuring flow through a porous medium. The theoreticallimit due to motion blur is an angular velocity of around 3800 RPM, and the actualtested lower bound for this limit is 453 RPM.

Ce travail est financé par le fond européen Interreg VA (projet "PowderReg"). L'optimisation du transport, du stockage et du mélange des dispersions granulaires passe par le contrôle de leur écoulement, par exemple en ajoutant des vibrations mécaniques. Ce travail permet d'apporter une meilleure compréhension de l'influence des vibrations sur la rhéologie apparente de dispersions granulaires modèles dans le régime quasi-statique. Des travaux expérimentaux et numériques sont réalisés afin de sonder les modifications de la dynamique locale ainsi que les hétérogénéités qui apparaissent lors de leur mise en écoulement. Deux géométries présentant des intérêts fondamentaux, géophysiques et industriels sont étudiées : la cellule de type Couette et le plan incliné. Dans un premier temps, des mesures iso-indice couplées à de la fluorescence induite par laser ont été réalisées sur des suspensions granulaires dans une cellule de type Couette sous vibrations. Les vibrations rendent la rhéologie locale en homogénéisant le système. Elles suppriment la contrainte seuil apparente et font apparaître un plateau Newtonien à bas gradient, intrinsèque à la dynamique locale qui est de nature diffusive. Il est apparu que le temps de réarrangement des particules, dépendant de l'intensité des vibrations, est relié au volume libre disponible autour de chaque particule. L'étude numérique de cette géométrie dans le cas d'une dispersion granulaire sèche a mis en évidence des résultats similaires. Dans un second temps, des écoulements de dispersions de grains secs sur un plan incliné vibrant ont été réalisés. Des travaux numériques sur cette même géométrie ont permis d'enrichir cette étude. Les résultats mettent en évidence l'existence de deux régimes sous vibrations. Le comportement dans le régime dominé par la gravité n'est pas influencé par les vibrations, et un profil de Bagnold est observé. Les vibrations permettent principalement de baisser la friction basale, influant alors la hauteur des dépôts. Dans le régime dominé par les vibrations, les écoulements sont déclenchés par les vibrations elles-mêmes. Il est apparu qu'elles induisent des fluctuations de vitesses, qui créées alors une température granulaire. Cette température permet d'activer les réorganisations à l'échelle de la particule, éliminant le seuil apparent responsable du blocage des écoulements et permettant leur contrôle au travers du taux de cisaillement / This work is funded by the European Founds Interreg VA ("PowderReg" project). The optimization of the transport, storage and mixture of granular dispersions involves their flow control, by adding mechanical vibrations, for example. The present work enables a better understanding of the influence of the vibrations on the apparent rheology of model granular dispersions in the quasi-static regime. Experimental and numerical studies were carried out in order to probe the modifications of the local dynamic and heterogeneities that appear during the flow. Two geometries, interesting for diverse applications in fundamental science, geophysics and industries, were studied: the Couette cell geometry and the inclined plane. In the first step, refractive-index matching technique, coupled to the planar laser induced fluorescence was used to make measurements in granular suspensions in a vibrated Couette cell geometry. Vibrations make the rheology local by homogenizing the system. They suppress the yield stress and result in the appearance of a Newtonian plateau at the low shear, intrinsic to the local dynamic, which is diffusive in nature. It appears that the rearrangement time of the particles, depending on the intensity of the vibrations, is linked to a free volume available around each particle. The numerical study of this geometry in the case of a dry granular dispersion shows similar results. In the second step, flows of dry granular dispersions down the inclined and vibrated plane were realized. This study was completed with a numerical work. The results demonstrated the existence of two distinct regimes under vibrations. The behavior in the gravity-driven regime is not affected by the vibrations and a Bagnold profile is observed. The vibrations mainly cause the decrease of the basal friction and thus influence the height of the deposits. In the vibration-driven regime, however, flows are triggered by the vibrations themselves. It appears that they induce velocity fluctuations that create a granular temperature. That temperature allows the activation of the reorganizations at the grain scale. This suppresses the apparent yield responsible for the flow jamming, and thus enables their control through the shear rate

L’incorporation de particules inorganiques dans une matrice polymère confère de nouvelles propriétés au matériau ou améliore de manière significative les propriétés déjà existantes. Cependant, l’apparence visuelle perçue, telle que la transparence, peut être altérée par des phénomènes de diffusion de la lumière par les particules. Cette diffusion de la lumière est principalement conditionnée par la dimension des particules –ou agrégats de particules- et la différence d’indice de réfraction entre la matrice et les charges. Afin de traiter ces deux problèmes, l’objectif de nos travaux était de contrôler simultanément l’état de dispersion des nanoparticules inorganiques dans la matrice polymère et l’indice de réfraction des nanoparticules de façon à l’ajuster à celui de la matrice. Pour élaborer ce nouveau composite, nous avons synthétisé des nanoparticules hybrides cœur@écorce avec un cœur inorganique qui apporte les nouvelles propriétés et une écorce polymère d’épaisseur contrôlée, obtenue par polymérisation radicalaire contrôlée par voie nitroxyde amorcée à la surface des nanoparticules inorganiques. L’écorce polymère limite l’agrégation des particules et permet de modifier l’indice de réfraction moyen des nanoparticules cœur@écorce. En contrôlant l’épaisseur et la nature chimique de l’écorce polymère, nous cherchons à ajuster l’indice de réfraction des nanoparticules cœur@écorce à celui de la matrice. Les nanoparticules ont ensuite été dispersées dans une matrice de poly(méthacrylate de méthyle). Les propriétés optiques des composites ont été caractérisées par spectrogoniophotométrie, afin d’obtenir des informations sur l’intensité et la distribution angulaire de la lumière transmise par le composite. La transparence des nanocomposites a été fortement améliorée en ajustant l’indice de réfraction des nanoparticules cœur@écorce à celui de la matrice. / The incorporation of inorganic particles into a polymer matrix confers new properties to the material or enhances significantly existing properties. However, the perceived visual appearance, such as loss of transparency, might be modified by the scattering of light by the particles. This light scattering is mainly due to the particle –or aggregates of particles- dimensions and the refractive index difference between matrix and fillers. In order to address both issues, the objective of the present work was to control simultaneously the dispersion state of the inorganic nanoparticles into the polymeric matrix and the refractive index of the nanoparticles to match the one of the matrix. To achieve this new composite, we designed hybrid core@shell nanoparticles with an inorganic core that brings new properties and a polymer shell of controlled thickness, obtained by surface-initiated nitroxide mediated controlled radical polymerization. The polymer shell limits the aggregation of the particles and enables us to tune the average refractive index of the hybrid core@shell particle. By controlling the thickness and the chemical nature of the polymeric shell, we targeted to match the refractive index of the hybrid core@shell particle to the one of the polymeric matrix. The nanoparticles were further dispersed into a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. Optical properties of composites were characterized by spectrogoniophotometry which gave us informations about the intensity and the angular distribution of the transmitted light by the nanocomposites. The transparency of the nanocomposites was strongly enhanced for core@shell particles fulfilling the refractive index matching conditions.