MSc Thermal Power & Fluid Engineering

This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates

This module covers the backbone of modern fluid mechanics, starting with analysing in depth the Navier-Stokes equations and the turbulence emergence process. These provide a solid foundation that enables students to professionally analyse and tackle practical engineering problems involving fluid flows.

The concept of flow management is then introduced together with a broad description of available techniques to modify fluid flows in practical engineering applications, such as boundary layers modification in external aerodynamics and transport enhancement with nanofluids in internal channel flows.

The module then describes multiphase flows in general and gas-liquid two-phase flows in particular, covering both conventional channels and microchannels and highlighting the advantages of boiling two-phase flows for several cutting-edge, high heat flux cooling applications, such as nuclear fission reactors, nuclear fusion reactors, high energy physics particle detectors and microelectronics components (CPUs).

This unit involves:

Study in depth to acquire coherent and detailed knowledge of modern fluid mechanics (about 50%);

Study of topics (flow management, multi-phase flows) and practical engineering applications (about 50%);

This unit helps prepare students to tackle and solve a substantial range of engineering problems involving fluid flow.

For students to acquire a solid understanding of the Navier-Stokes equations that describe fluid flow phenomena, and their most important limiting cases: creeping flows, inviscid flows, and boundary layers.

For students to develop a qualitative understanding of turbulence, an introductory understanding of the Reynolds decomposition to describe turbulent flows, and familiarize with turbulence models;

 For students to meet and familiarize with the concept of flow management, which is the modification of the character of a flow to achieve a beneficial outcome, such as drag reduction, pressure drop reduction, heat transfer enhancement,…;

 For students to meet multiphase flows, and familiarize with gas-liquid boiling two-phase flows in channels for high heat flux applications (nuclear fission reactors, nuclear fusion reactors, high energy physics particle detectors, and microelectronics components);

 For students to learn to analyse experimental data professionally, and practice presenting scientific information in written form.

   The Navier-Stokes equations:

Derivation of the Navier-Stokes equations from first principles; discussion of their limitations and practical applicability; discussion of their mathematical and physical properties; exact solutions for selected fluid flow problems; limiting forms of the Navier-Stokes equations: inviscid potential flows, creeping flows, and boundary layers;

Turbulence:

The turbulence emergence process; properties of turbulent flows; the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for the analysis of turbulent flows; presentation and discussion of selected turbulence models;

Flow management:

Definition of flow management and its practical relevance in real-world applications; presentation of selected flow management techniques: boundary layer modification, drag reduction, pressure drop reduction in channel flow, heat transfer enhancement in channel flow, turbulence promoters, nanofluids.

Multiphase flows:

Introduction to and description of multiphase flows with practical engineering examples; basics of gas-liquid two-phase flows in channels and micro-channels (flow patterns, flow pattern maps, pressure drop, heat transfer, the boiling crisis), basics of atomization and sprays.

Laboratory:

Measurement of velocity profiles and turbulence intensity in channel air flow using hot-wire anemometry; analysis and post-processing of the measured data; error analysis; presentation of the results in the form of a technical journal paper. The students attend the laboratory in small groups (4-5), while the final report is individual, i.e. each student presents his/her own report.

Marked laboratory report with feedback

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