Research Activities
The research activities of our group lie primarily on the fields of Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics with particular
emphasis on the fundamentals of multi-phase flows, complex fluids,
reacting flows, and electrohydrodynamics. Our activities cover: i)
development of models for the flows of interest, ii) algorithm
development and implementation for these models, iii) software
verification and validation, and iv) detailed numerical studies and
simulations via high performance computing.
As regards multi-phase flows, our current research activities focus on i) fluid-saturated granular materials and granular suspensions with application to sediment transport in coastal and fluvial environments, ii) pneumatic conveying of powders with application to process industries, iii) flows through porous media with application to fuel cells and industrial filters, and iv) liquid-vapor flows with applications to nuclear-reactor safety.
As regards reacting flows, we are currently pursuing research on both subsonic and supersonic combustion. Examples include the study of spray combustion porous-media combustion with application to forest fires and fluidized beds, thermal explosions, ignition and propagation of gaseous detonations, and modelling and simulation of two-phase detonations.
Funding of these ongoing projects is provided by the European Union, the National Fund of Scientific Research of Belgium (FNRS), BelV: a subsidiary of the Federal Agency of Nuclear Control of Belgium, and by private companies.