4 ECTS credits
110 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4020264ENR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
The valid fiche can be found at the following link : MECA-H418. Change the language to English in the dropdown menu on top of the page.
Combustion science will play a major role in the future quest for sustainable, secure and environmentally friendly energy souces. Two thirds of the world energy supply relies on combustion of fossil and alternative fuels today, and all scenarios forecast an increasing absolute energy supply through combustion, with an increasing share of renewable sources. This implies that combustion will remain the major actor in transportation, power generation as well as in food,cloth, sports and entertainment industries, and in important manufacturing processes like steel and glass making.
Given the role of combustion in our society, the present course aims at extending the combustion basics presented in the thermodynamic bachelor courses and extend them to cover topics in chemical kinetics, premixed and diffusion flames, laminar and turbulent reacting systems, ignition and stabilization criteria and, importantly, pollutant formation and control. The latter aspect is covered in detail, by presenting the most up-to-date technologies for the reduction of pollutants, e.g. NOx, such as flameless combustion. Finally, the heat transfer modes are analysed in the framework of combustion processes with special emphasis on radiation (the less covered aspect in the bachelor thermodynamics courses), pointing out the complexity of turbulence-radiation interactions and introducing the approaches for treating combustion in the simulation of practical combustion systems.
Detailed course content:
Combustion : Rehearsal on combustion thermodynamics (adiabatic flame temperature and equilibrium. Combustion kinetics (detailed and reduced mechanisms). Coupling thermal and chemical analyses of reacting systems (Reactor models). Premixed and diffusion flames (laminar and turbulent). Ignition and flame stability. Formation and control of pollutants in combustion processes. Introduction to the numerical modelling of turbulent combustion systems using state-of-the-art simulation software.
Heat transfer : Conductive heat transfer in combustion systems. Convective heat transfer in combustion systems. Radiative heat transfer in combustion systems : radiative transfer and radiation/turbulence interactions, radiative properties and solution methods for numerical simulation.
The valid fiche can be found at the following link : MECA-H418. Change the language to English in the dropdown menu on top of the page.
The objective of the present course is to i) gain insight in combustion physics; ii) become familiar with industrial combustion parameters; iii) understand the main assumptions associated to the numerical modeling of combustion systems (choice of the combustion model and kinetic mechanism).
The assessment of the course is based on a group project based on the numerical simulation of a given combustion system using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software (Ansys FLUENT 16). The project objective is to understand the main physics behind the combustion process under investigation, identify strength and limitations of simulation tools and to propose potential improvements/perspectives for future work.
The final outcome of the course is the preparation of a short scientific article and of a presentation outlining the main results of the project. The article shall i) be limited to a 6000 words, excluding the title, abstract and separate list of figure captions; ii) discuss the assumptions, the results and the conclusions of the study; iii) Benchmark different approaches for combustion modeling. The presentation format is free. Nevertheless the presentation shall not exceed 20 minutes and all group members must be visible.
Can develop, plan, execute and manage engineering projects at the level of a starting professional.
Having a creative, problem-solving, result-driven and evidence-based attitude, aiming at innovation and applicability in industry and society.
Having a critical attitude towards one's own results and those of others.
Having consciousness of the ethical, social, environmental and economic context of his/her work and strives for sustainable solutions to engineering problems including safety and quality assurance aspects.
Having the flexibility and adaptability to work in an international and/or intercultural context.
Having an attitude of life-long learning as needed for the future development of his/her career.
Having in-depth knowledge and understanding of exact sciences with the specificity of their application to engineering.
Having in-depth knowledge and understanding of the advanced methods and theories to schematize and model complex problems or processes.
Having an in-depth understanding of safety standards and rules with respect to mechanical, electrical and energy systems.
Can reformulate complex engineering problems in order to solve them (simplifying assumptions, reducing complexity).
Can conceive, plan and execute a research project, based on an analysis of its objectives, existing knowledge and the relevant literature, with attention to innovation and valorization in industry and society.
Can correctly report on research or design results in the form of a technical report or in the form of a scientific paper.
Can present and defend results in a scientifically sound way, using contemporary communication tools, for a national as well as for an international professional or lay audience.
Can collaborate in a (multidisciplinary) team.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
Grading
The final grade is composed based on the following categories :
The oral examination will focus on the presentation of the project. Moreover, a selected jury will be present to ask questions related to the project, aiming at assessing, for each member of the group, the level of understanding of physical and theoretical matters behind the numerical modeling.
Criteria for evaluation :
- Clarity of presentation (written and oral), 40%. The written paper must be provided 3 days before the presentations. A presentation of 20 minutes shall be prepared, showing the main steps of the work and how each member of the group contributed to the project.
- Understanding of the theoretical concepts, 30%. You wil have questions concerning the work performed and you will be also evaluated for the ability of making connections between the practical work and the theory.
- Critical assessment, 30%. You will need to justify your results taking into account the experimental observations and the theoretical limitations of the models used.
Other Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed :
Exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Electromechanical Engineering: Energy (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Electromechanical Engineering: Energy