Research

Multiphase Flow

Figure 1
Liquid Evaporation

Our Multiphase Flows group is interested in the modelling and simulation of complex multiphase multicomponent flows. Multiphase flow is important in many industrial processes such like:

Oil and Gas extraction
Nuclear reactor technology
Combustion
Aerospace and automotive industries
Food production
Chemical processes…

Our aim is to understand the physical mechanisms from micro to macro scales and to develop robust numerical methods to integrate the governing equations. In Figure 1, a typical example of liquid-gas two phase flow is presented, where evaporation occurs in a vertical pipe, showing the high complexity of flow regimes.

Our simulation methodology is based on the numerical integration of the Baer-Nunziato equations, which drives the motion of a two-phase flow mixture. The model allows for two pressures/velocities/densities and equilibrium conditions at the interface between two states is ensured through relaxation procedures. This yields to a hyperbolic system solved using our in-house Discontinuous Galerkin Spectral Element Method.

In Figures 2 and 3 are displayed some classic examples of Computational Multiphase Fluids Dynamics, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (volume fraction )and the interaction of a shock wave with a helium bubble (numerical Schlieren of density mixture).

Figure 2
Rayleigh-Taylor instability from a heavy
fluid flowing in a lighter one

Figure 1
Shock bubble interaction, formation of Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities