Introduction to Fluid Dynamics and the covered topics

We target Fluid Dynamics by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and experimental methods. In this way, we are able to target scientific questions ranging from optimization of existing engineering applications to novel process developments. The availability of reliable CFD codes has opened a wide field for scientific research to assist the engineering challenges with their special fluid dynamic requirements.  

For our numerical investigations we mainly work with OpenFOAM and Ansys Fluent. Our fluid dynamics activities can be divided in to reactive flows and engineering fluid dynamics.  

The research focus Reactive Flows in Chemical Engineering investigates aerodynamic flows involving chemical reactions in one or more phases. Our research focuses on the design and optimization of thermochemical conversion processes for gaseous, liquid, and solid materials. 

We use various simulation approaches resolving different scales in our research: 

  • Largescale simulations are used to design and optimize industrial scale equipment and processes. Furthermore, largescale simulations help us to understand the processes inside chemical engineering appliances and provide non measurable quantities like spatial temperature and concentration distributions. 
  • Detailed simulations are used for detailed investigations of specific phenomena at small scales and for supporting the evaluation and interpretation of experimental results. Furthermore, we use detailed simulations for the model development for largescale simulations. 
  • Experimental investigations are used to develop and validate our simulation models. Our experimental focus is on the thermochemical solid conversion under high temperatures, high heating rates or elevated pressures. Combining simulation strategies and experimental data allows us to maximize the knowledge gain.

Our simulation activities are focused on the open-source platform OpenFOAM ®. This is in-line with our strategy to comminute research results openly and widely in accordance with the Berlin Declaration (TU Bibliothek). 

In the recent years, we have developed codes for combustion simulation, and a large multiphase chemistry framework. This enables us to simulate various types of heterogeneous reactions (e.g. coke conversion, iro ore reduction, reversible gas-solid reactions). For further information, please contact Markus Bösenhofer (contact information, opens an external URL in a new window) or Eva-Maria Wartha (contact information, opens an external URL in a new window).

Having a strong focus and exposure to the real life (mostly industrial related) fluid dynamic problems, we try to look into and analyse them using an applied scientific approach. We try to derive and validate computational models relying on  available experimental methods. Combining the experiments and modeling tools provides us a very strong tool to get insight of many industrial processes and be able to solve problems and optimize them. The team does not only rely on the already existing models and measurement technologies but also introduces new simulation tools and novel measurement concepts. 

Following our belief "Science for everybody", we try to follow open-source and open-access strategies in our developments and dissemination to make our innovations available to  others. As a very proud example, we can point at:

  • Freely available codes: contribution and development of open-source codes from scratch such as phasicFlowCoupling or based on the already existing platforms such as OpenFOAM®, e.g. membraneFoam and adsorpFoam 
  • Open access "OpenFOAM Basic Training" series: step-by-step examples provided to the users to learn the key utilities and features within OpenFOAM®, including mesh generation, multiphase modeling, turbulence modeling, parallel processing and reaction modeling 
  • Innovation and patents: introduction and proof of the concept development of couple of laser measurement techniques, such as LaserEyer and 3-Beam LDV 
  • International corporations: student exchange and being a part of international programs such as IAESTE 

To get more information about our activities and the possibilities for cooperation please contact Bahram Haddadi (contact), opens an external URL in a new window.