
Horizon Europe funding success for Engineering researchers
April 13, 2023Researchers in the School of Science and Technology have been awarded a grant of €616k for the ‘SCALE’ research project....
The TFRC is an internationally leading centre in fundamental and applied research in fluid flow, heat and mass transfer and fluid-structure interactions
The TFRC is committed to interdisciplinary research methods needed for understanding the intrinsic physical phenomena in thermo- and fluid flow processes, as realised from molecular/nano- to macro-scales and their wide range of engineering applications addressing global challenges such as energy efficiency, emissions reduction and bio-engineering applications aiming towards improving well-being.
The centre computational and analytical tools and experimental facilities are devoted to conducting research in a range of applications from micro-scale devices to waste heat recovery, renewable energy systems, compressors, turbines, fuels and additives technology for a wide range of combustion engines, electrification technologies and various hydraulic/lubrication fluids and systems. Application areas include power generation, transport, oil and gas, marine, food and health.
Advanced optical, laser and X-ray diagnostic techniques are assisting in the development of computational mechanics software for turbulent compressible and incompressible flows incorporating real-fluid thermodynamics. Heat and mass transfer, phase-change, fluid-structure interactions and complex chemical processes are addressed. Research is conducted in collaboration with global centres of excellence and relevant industry.
Research in the ThermoFluids Research Centre is organised in three areas:
The TFRC research areas are conducted experimentally and numerically and can be categorised under the following themes:
Experiments for for quantifying physical phenomena from nano- to meso- & macro-scales and their wide range of application:
Development of in-house computational mechanics multi-phase & multi-physics and design and analysis codes:
A number of well-equipped test cells operate in the centre. Expertise exists in flow optical and laser diagnostics, instrumentation and design. Equipment/techniques available include: RIM, LDV, PDA, SPIV, PLIF, LIEF, LE and LSD, Yag and Excimer lasers, numerous high speed cameras for shadowgraphy/Schlieren imaging, LIF-based lubricant film diagnostic system, fourier transform infrared analyser, fast-response FID Hydrocarbon, CO, CO2, and NOx analysers, transparent fuel nozzles, dynamic balancing machine for high speed shafts, high speed air motor drive (100,000 rpm), high speed motor drives (20 kW, 50,000 rpm), instrumented marine propellers and ultrasound system for erosion studies. Moreover, the Centre has exclusive use to PC clusters with more 1000cores, utilised for parallel CFD simulations.
The screw compressor laboratory has three test rigs:
The expander test facility is a modified vapour-compression system with partial cooling/condensation using modern refrigerants. This test facility can replicate typical operating conditions within an ORC system, and will be used to conduct experiments on two-phase expansion using twin-screw expanders.
City has developed a state-of-the-art test facility for micro gas turbines and compressor and turbine characterisation. The test facility includes a high-pressure air supply, shop air, cooling water, combustion system, programmable electrical loading and an array of instrumentation with data acquisition and processing tools.
A new high speed linear cascade test rig is available and can be utilised in the City Transonic Wind Tunnel. The rig is instrumented with PIV system, Infrared Camera and multi-hole probes. With modular design of the test section, various aerofoil profiles could be tested over a wide range of Mach and Reynolds numbers.
Call: H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
Fellow: Dr I. Karathanassis, PI: Prof M. Gavaises, Co-I: Dr Lyle Pickett, Sandia National Labs, US
Budget: €252,000
Current international policies dictate the gradual disengagement of industry from fossil fuels within the next three decades. In order such a transition to become a reality, novel fuel delivery and combustion concepts capable of efficiently utilising biomass-derived fuels must be designed and developed. The main objective of ‘AHEAD’ is the simultaneous experimental characterisation of the phase-change processes within fuel injectors (cavitation and flash boiling) and at the nozzle exit (evaporation and trans/supercritical phase-change) under realistic injector configurations and air thermodynamic conditions for liquid biofuels, as well as their blends with fossil fuels. The obtained measurements will guide the formulation of novel numerical models quantifying the relevant mass/heat transfer processes. The project innovative nature spans across diverse research aspects with emphasis on renewable alternatives for Diesel and gasoline; it is expected to assist major energy and automotive industries to meet the goals imposed regarding the utilisation of renewable fuels.
Call: H2020-MSCA-EID-2018
PI: Prof M. Gavaises, Co-I: Dr I. Karathanassis
Budget: ⁓ €4,150,000 in total - €1,170,000 awarded to City
Economical, geopolitical and social trends, apart from the well-posed environmental concerns, have precipitated legislative actions for the partial substitution of Diesel by cleaner fuels and have boosted industrial interest on the development of IC engines capable of handling both liquid/gaseous fuel mixtures. The combustion process in these, so-called, dual-fuel engines comprises the compression ignition of Diesel fuel injected in a homogenized gaseous (or liquid) fuel/air mixture. At dual-fuel combustion, most Diesel fuel is burned in premixed combustion and, thus, soot formation is less. Furthermore, depending on the carbon content of the primary fuel, dual fuel operation mode can lead to significant decrease in CO2 emissions. The aim of ‘EDEM’ is to develop and validate DNS/LES methodologies for fuel injection, mixing and combustion processes relevant to conditions and fuels combustion strategies realised in dual-fuel engines. Furthermore, to apply the newly derived models to the design of more efficient engines and to estimate the environmental impact of the proposed concept.
Call: H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01
PI: Dr I. Karathanassis, Co-I: Prof M. Gavaises
Budget: ⁓ €2,950,000 in total - €838,000 awarded to City
The penetration of plug-in EVs in the world market faces considerable technological challenges. The performance of battery electric drives is influenced, among others, by the power density and efficiency of the EV Battery Thermal System (BTMS). Lithium-ion batteries require a temperature of 15-60 °C for optimal operation, with high demands on temperature uniformity between the cells. The power density of the battery cooling systems has to be doubled compared to current state-of-the-art to enable powerful and compact drives. This challenge is met by innovative coolants, which have shown considerable potential for increasing the cooling effect and reducing pump losses in basic investigations. The subject of work is the synthesis and characterisation of oil-based coolants with optimal rheological and thermal properties suitable for EV BTMSs. The novel fluids to improve heat transfer consist of a viscoelastic liquid carrier matrix with suspended nanoparticles. The newly developed nano-coolants will be tested in a BTMS prototype to prove that these improvements have the potential to revolutionise the relevant transport sector.
PI: Dr Martin White
Funder: RAEng
Project title: Next generation waste-heat recovery systems based on two-phase expansion
Start: Sep 2020
End: Aug 2024
The generation of power from waste heat using organic Rankine cycles (ORC) could be enhanced by up to 30% through two-phase expansion. However, this has not been successfully realised due to a lack of two-phase expanders. Dr White’s RAEng Research Fellowship seeks to explore the design of two-phase turbomachinery for this application through a combination of numerical and experimental investigations of two-phase expansion processes, and system optimisation of thermodynamic systems involving two-phase expansion. The ultimate aim of this research is to develop fundamental understanding, alongside advanced modelling and simulated methods, of the two-phase expansion of unconventional working fluids, and to investigate the concept at a laboratory scale.
PI: Prof Naser Sayma
Co-I: Dr Jafar Al Zaili
Funder: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019
Project title: NextMGT- Next Generation of Micros Gas Turbines for High Efficiency, Low Emissions and Fuel Flexibility
Start: January 2020
End: December 2023
Website here
The overarching aim of this multidisciplinary, inter-sectoral project aims to train fifteen outstanding early stage researchers to be ready to meet the challenges in the field of micro gas turbine technology, economics, policy and regulations in addition to industrial and interdisciplinary training to contribute to realising the impact on the society and their career prospects. The primary objective of this four-year work programme is to undertake cutting edge multidisciplinary research and development to make a step change in understanding of MGT systems’ technology and commercialisation aspects to enable large increase in their share in the energy market and contribution to the low carbon economy while providing specialised training for 15 researchers to help establish the backbone of an important industry. Examine cycle innovations required to achieve high overall MGT efficiency to match other prime movers of similar power range and develop advanced methods to optimise micro gas turbine systems for several applications based on a standard core technology as well as smart integration with energy systems (WP1).
PI: Prof Naser Sayma
Co-I: Prof Ahmed Kovacevic, Dr Matthew Read
Funder: EPSRC
Project title: NextORC – Fundamental studies on organic Rankine cycle expanders
Start: May 2017
End: April 2020 (extended until April 2021)
Website here
The over-arching aim of this project is to improve the understanding of ORC expander design and off-design performance through developing, and validating, suitable tools to accurately predict design point and off-design performance of ORC systems. This will be achieved by targeting research towards five objectives:
PI: Prof Naser Sayma
Co-I: Prof Manolis Gavaises, Dr Mathew Read, Dr Martin White
Funder: EPSRC
Project title: SCOTWOHR – Industrial waste heat recovery using supercritical carbon dioxide cycles
Start: Jan 2021
End: Dec 2023
Increased pressure on reducing the carbon footprint from energy intensive industry with substantial waste heat streams is leading to the need to develop efficient and cost-effective waste heat recovery technologies. Supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) systems have significant potential for these applications, but there remain significant technical challenges that need to be overcome in relation to the key system components. The focus of this project is to improve the fundamental understanding of the performance sCO2 cycles and the design aspects of the key components, through targeting the following objectives:
Find more information about SCOTWOHR: Industrial waste heat recovery using supercritical carbon dioxide cycles here.
PI: Prof Naser Sayma
Co-I: Dr Martin White
Funder: H2020
Project title: SCARABEUS -Supercritical carbon dioxide/alternative fluid blends for efficiency upgrade of solar power plant
Start: Apr 2019
End: Mar 2023
Website here
City is leading the turbomachinery work package of the SCARABEUS project. The project aims to demonstrate that the application of supercritical CO2 blends to concentrated-solar power plants has the potential to reduce CAPEX by 30% and OPEX by 35% with respect to state-of-the-art steam cycles, thus exceeding the reduction achievable with standard supercritical CO2 technology. This translated into a levelized cost of electricity lower than 96 €/MWh, which is 30% lower than currently possible.
As the leader of work package 3, the team at City is focussing on the design of the turbomachinery components for the SCARABEUS project. The objectives are:
Call: H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
Fellow: Dr Foivos Koukouvinis, PI: Prof M. Gavaises, Co-I: Dr Lyle Pickett, Sandia National Labs, US
Budget: €344,000
Fossil fuel consumption is expected to almost double over the next 3 decades in order to meet the increasing demand for infrastructure, trade and transportation. Development of engines complying with the forthcoming 2020 emission legislations, relies on the effective design of advanced high pressure fuel injection systems and represents a key industrial priority. Emissions can be reduced when fuel is injected against air at P-T conditions well above the fuel’s critical point; the prevailing supercritical fluid conditions result to disappearance of the liquid-gas interface, which in turn, reduces vaporisation time and enhances significantly air-fuel mixing. Combination of experiments (outgoing phase) with CFD simulations (return phase) of the in-nozzle flow, fuel atomisation and mixing processes under such conditions form the core subject of the proposed research. The experimental work includes currently unknown physical properties measurements near the fuel’s critical point; these will be modelled with complex equations of state for a wide range of P-T conditions. Moreover, the state-of-the-art experimental techniques and equipment of the US host, will be employed for quantifying the near-nozzle fuel atomisation and mixing at those conditions. These experimental data will guide the development and validation of a new state-of-the-art CFD model able to couple the aforementioned multi-phase flow processes through a combination of physical models and numerical methods. These include interface capturing of immiscible and diffused interfaces, scale-resolved turbulence, mass transfer rate (cavitation and vaporisation) and real-fluid thermodynamics addressing the compressibility effects for the liquid-vapour-air mixture. The project brings together research, academic and industrial experts from the US and Europe. It will advance scientific knowledge and will facilitate the design of less polluting engines for the benefit of the European area and society as a whole
Call: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018
PI: Prof M. Gavaises, Co-I: Dr F.Koukouvinis
Budget: €4,211,733 (€1,1170,000 awarded to City)
The pressures and temperatures developing during the interactions of shockwaves with cavitation bubbles and soft matter induce complex phenomena, both at physical and biochemical levels. These have a non- exhaustive range of relevant applications including ultrasound-based therapies, surface cleaning and food processing. Our aim is to explore these processes both in micro and macroscales using experiments and to develop new computational capabilities for their simulations. Measurements will include temperature/ species forming in collapsing bubbles, identifying chemical reactions and possible tissue interaction, such as protein denaturation and agglomeration; tissue cavitation threshold and its control using nanoparticles, allowing development of new cavitation-mimicking-tissue materials extrapolating to actual tissue properties that will be used for in-vitro testing of equipment with minimum collateral damages. Computations will be based on advanced multi-resolution methods coupling fluid flow, chemical reactions and deforming material mechanics solvers, with physically consistent thermodynamic closure models for the involved materials; pressure wave propagation, bubble nucleation and material damage effects will link microscale phenomena to macroscale. Uncertainty quantification techniques will link computations with experimental data. UCOM builds upon the strong foundations of the PIs and their teams in training researchers in computational and experimental methods on cavitation and their strong record to successfully integrate research and technical applications. The final goal of the research and training program is to explore the enormous potential of the new and experimentally validated computational tools to guide breakthrough innovations and high-impact, high-tech technologies ranging across different sectors that all eventually enhance their careers and will be serving the well-being.
PI | Co-I | Funder | Project Title | Start/End |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prof Manolis Gavaises | Prof John Carlton | The LRF | International Institute for Cavitation Research |
01/01/12 31/09/17 |
Prof Abdulnaser Sayma | Prof Keith Pullen | FP7 – Energy | OMSoP - Optimised Microturbine Solar Power |
01/01/13 31/07/17 |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | FP7- MSCA - IOF | Cavitation bubble cloud dynamics and surface erosion in high pressure fuel systems for medium/heavy duty Diesel engines, Grant ID: 329286 |
16/02/14 14/02/17 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | EPSRC | Investigation of non-spherical droplets in high-pressure fuel sprays |
05/02/14 04/02/17 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | FP7- MSCA - IAPP | Simulation of cavitation and erosion in FUEL injection SYSTEMs of medium/heavy duty Diesel engines at injection pressures reaching 3000bar, Grant ID: 324313 |
01/01/13 31/12/16 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | Prof Jamshid Nouri | TSB | Low cost laminated electric flywheel |
01/04/14 31/03/16 |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | FP7 – MSCA - IOF | Characterisation of Fuel Additives Effect on Fuel Injector Design’, Grant ID: 300410 |
01/04/13 31/03/16 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | FP7 – MSCA - IEF | Understanding non-spherical droplet vaporisation of single-component hydrocarbon fuels and multi-component biofuel blends’, Grant ID: 329116 |
02/02/14 01/02/16 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | Prof Abdulnaser Sayma | TSB | SLaME (Selective Laser Melting for Engines) |
01/09/13 31/09/15 |
Prof Keith Pullen | EPSRC | Vehicle Electrical System Integration (VESI) Phase 2 |
01/10/13 30/09/15 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | FP7 -MSCA - IEF | Droplet Impingement on Non-flat Surfaces’, Grant ID: 329500 |
01/07/13 30/06/15 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | Developing Technologies | Appropriate technology development |
01/01/09 30/06/15 | |
Prof Abdulnaser Sayma | FP7 Clean Coal Tech. | H2-IGCC – Low emissions gas turbine technology for hydrogen rich syngas |
01/01/13 31/10/13 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | TSB | Fuel cell air management system |
01/02/10 30/03/12 |
PI | Co-I | Funder | Project Title | Start/End |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Howden Chair in Engineering Design and Compressor Technology |
01/06/16 31/06/17 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/16 31/12/16 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | INCDT COMOTI Bucharest | Design of high pressure compressor |
05/09/16 31/12/16 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | AVL Powertrain UK Ltd | Electric supercharging |
01/09/15 31/08/16 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | Delphi Diesel System and Luxemburg NRC | Support for MC Fellowship of Dr Yan Meslem |
01/09/14 31/08/16 | |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Howden Chair in Engineering Design and Compressor Technology |
01/06/15 31/05/16 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/15 31/12/15 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Design 2 compressors for Frick India |
01/01/15 31/12/15 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Knorr-Bremse, France | Performance calculation of a small screw compresor |
01/01/15 31/12/15 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | DV Systems, Ontario, Canada | Licence Disco/Scorpath |
01/01/13 31/12/15 | |
Dr Russel Lockett | SHELL INTL LTD | Fundamentals of Cavitation Inception in Immersed Fuel Jets |
01/09/09 31/12/15 | |
Dr Russel Lockett | SHELL GLOBAL SOLUTIONS | The Effect of of Hydrodynamic Cavitation on Diesel |
01/11/13 30/09/15 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | AVL Powertrain UK Ltd | eSC electric Supercharging |
01/09/14 31/08/15 | |
Prof Kovacevic | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Howden Chair in Engineering Design and Compressor Technology |
01/06/14 31/05/15 | |
Prof John Carlton | WARTSILA NETHERLANDS BV | Singing propellers: Understanding the Mechanisms and the Development of Design Guidance |
01/01/12 31/01/15 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Design 2 compressors for CMP USA |
01/01/14 31/12/14 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Holland Knopps, The Netherlands | Study of ammonia-water compressor and expander |
01/01/14 31/12/14 | |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | Prof Nikola Stosic | Dunham-Bush, UK | Design of the family of refrigeration compressors |
01/01/14 31/12/14 |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Bryton Energy | Study in subatmospheric Brayton cycle plant |
01/01/14 31/12/14 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Design 2 compressors for Frick India |
01/01/14 31/12/14 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/14 31/12/14 | |
Prof Jamhsid Nouri | BP International Ltd | EPSRC CASE Studentship - Ioannis Vasilakos |
01/10/10 30/04/14 | |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | Dr Ashvin Dhunput | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Measurements of Howden M127 Prototype compressor |
01/05/12 31/03/14 |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | Dr Ashvin Dhunput | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Measurements of Howden M127 prototype compressor variants 5.2-.4 |
03/02/14 31/03/14 |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | DENSO CORPORATION | Consultancy - Analysis of fuel screw pump |
15/10/13 31/03/14 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | BP International Ltd | Modelling Diesel Fuel and Cavitation in Injectors |
01/04/13 31/01/14 | |
Prof Keith Pullen | Dynamic Boosting Systems | Investigation of Turboclaw operation at higher Reynolds number |
01/02/11 31/01/14 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/13 31/12/13 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Holroyd Precision | Design of 5 screw compressors for Wuxi China |
01/01/13 31/12/13 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Mainstream, Rockledge, USA | Software licence, Compressor Course |
01/01/13 31/12/13 | |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Integration of Maketing and R&D in New Product Development |
01/01/09 31/05/13 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | AFTON CHEMICAL | Characterisation of Fuel injection Phenomena using standard diesel fuel and diesel enriched with additives |
01/09/12 30/06/13 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | Lubrizol Ltd UK | Engine power gaining investigation |
01/10/12 30/05/13 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | T.M.C. S.p.a Termomeccanica Compressori | Software Licence - Disoc Scorpath |
01/04/11 28/02/13 | |
Prof Ahmed Kovacevic | Dr Nusa Fain | HOWDEN COMPRESSORS LTD | Integration of Maketing and R&D in New Product Development |
01/03/11 28/02/13 |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/12 31/12/12 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | MAhle, UK | Study for use screw machines as methyl alcohol expanders |
01/01/12 31/12/12 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Airplus, Korea | Consultation in water screw compressors |
01/01/12 31/12/12 | |
Prof Manolis Gavaises | Delphi Diesel Systems UK | The Delphi Chair |
01/06/09 31/12/12 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Full Mechanical Design of 7 Compressors |
20/09/10 31/01/12 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/11 31/12/11 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Design 2 compressors for Frick India |
01/01/11 31/12/11 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/10 31/12/10 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Elthom, Cyprus |
01/01/10 31/12/10 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Airplus, Korea | Consultation in dry screw compressors |
01/01/10 31/12/10 | |
Dr Russel Lockett | SHELL INTL LTD | The Characterisation of Diesel Cavitation using Time Resolved Imaging - top up |
01/10/09 31/12/10 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | HOLROYD PRECISION LTD | Support Chair in Positive Displacement Compressor Technology |
01/01/09 31/12/09 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | INCDT COMOTI Bucharest | Design of the first high pressure compressor |
05/09/09 31/12/09 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Bitzer, Germany | Scorpath/Disco licence |
01/01/09 31/12/09 | |
Prof Nikola Stosic | Ansto, Australia | Compressor failure study |
01/01/09 31/12/09 |
The first workshop for the NextMGT project was hosted by City via Zoom for the 15 Early Stage Researchers on 16 and 17 September 2020. The two-day event included several talks, social activities, and sessions by experts in the field. The ESRs got an overview of the project, were introduced to nicro gas turbines, and received valuable information on integral transferable skills through sessions delivered by internal City staff and external speakers from other institutions.
Given that many PhD students within the Thermo-Fluids Research Centre have missed opportunities to attend conferences and events this year due to the current Coronavirus situation, an online poster competition for all was held during the week 7-11th September 2020 in the aim of discussig their research with other members of the centre.During the event, the posters were made available online where a voting system was set up. 12 posters were presented, with the winner getting a prize of £150 and the two highly commended posters receiving a prize of £75 each. An online social event followed the prize-giving ceremony.
The first European Micro Gas Turbine Forum (EMGTF) was held at City, University of London on the 14th and 15th of December 2017. The meeting was co-organised by City, University of London and University of Seville.
The European Micro Gas Turbine Forum is an initiative launched to foster the commercial deployment of micro gas turbines by setting the scenario where all stakeholders have a platform to share knowledge and experience, collaborate and discuss a roadmap to move the technology forward. The main objective is thus to make fast progress that would otherwise not be possible under business as usual scenario.
Short course on CFD in rotary positive displacement machines
Short course on cavitation in fuel systems and medical ultrasound