Project description
A unified computational framework bridges academic and industrial multiphase flow modelling
Fostering collaboration and cooperation between academics and industry accelerates the uptake of innovation in practical applications with tangible societal impact. Multiphase turbulent flows are at the heart of numerous industrial processes. While good academic flow models exist, they are often limited to flows of academic interest without rigorous experimental validation. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the COMETE project will create a training network focused on developing a unified computational framework of existing and emerging complementary methods of flow modelling to support understanding of industrially relevant multiphase flows.
Objective
In this project, we aim at building a computational framework and a network of competence to extend the applicability of state-of-the-art formulations to industrially-relevant multiphase turbulent flows. We focus on applications characterized by the transport of particles/droplets in two-phase flows with gas-liquid or liquid-liquid deformable interfaces, which are ubiquitous in process, chemical, and power engineering. The targeted applications are at the crossroads between academic research and practical concerns (e.g. particle deposition in boiling flows, droplet coalescence/breakup in emulsions, freezing/defreezing in heat pipes or changes in two-phase flow patterns) and their modeling in an industrial context represents a major challenge. This is due to the complexity arising from the co-existence of different phases, but also to a lack of cross-fertilization between academia and industry: Several methods and ideas exist but their application is often limited to flows of academic interest, with scarce transfer of skills, poor experimental validation and, most importantly, no unified framework into which existing methods could be cast. This represents a serious obstacle to industrial developments since engineers and practitioners can be unaware of which method to use and in need of support. To build the new framework, we consider emerging complementary methods, including Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Phase Field.
COMETE leverages on the complementary expertise of the industrial and academic partners to ensure successful combination of technology-driven objectives and original research developments. To this aim, we will build an international network of excellence by putting forward synchronized training-through-research and training-on-the-job activities, and we will form PhD students fully capable of mastering the next-generation scientific methodologies for complex industrial applications of multiphase flow technology.
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Coordinator
33100 Udine
Italy