Phenomena of mass, momentum and energy transport characterise a number of processes which are object of the research of chemical engineers. Many of these processes exploit turbulent-flow transport properties to increase the diffusion of reagents or they involve particle laden flows where chemical reactions take place on the particle surface.
The course provides the students with the fluid mechanics knowledge which is necessary to interpret and model the transport phenomena characterising industrial applications such as spray dryers, fluidised bed reactors, waste and drinking water plants.
A brief video-presenation of the course (4 min) is available at this link.
The objective of the teaching is to provide the basic knowledge of fluid mechanics with a particular attention to mass transport processes. Examples of practical problems are formulated and solved during the lessons.
During the course, the fundamental knowledge which is required to interpret, analyse and critically discuss a scientific article or a technical report or a chemical engineering project where mass, momentum and energy transport processes occur in a fluid, will be provided.
At the end of the course the student will be able to correctly formulate the problem of the fluid motion and the related transport phenomena both in the laminar and turbulent flow regimes. In addition, simple models will be illustrated that allow to solve the problem of the "closure of turbulence" even in the case of particle-laden flows. The student will be finally able to choose the models, among those shown during the course, which are suitable to approach fluid dynamics problems that are relevant for chemical engineering applications.
Basic knowledge of Physics, Calculus and Hydrodynamics.
Frontal lectures and Problem Based Learning (PBL).
Students with specific learning disorders (SLD, namely in Italian "disturbi specifici di apprendimento", DSA) will be allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities.
Introduction to mass, momentum and energy transport phenomena
Mass, momentum and energy balance equations
Dynamics of a single particle in a fluid at rest or in motion
Dynamics of a couple or multiple submerged particles
Diffusive processes in non-turbulent flow
Hints of particle Brownian motion
Fick’s laws
Gas absorption in a liquid film
Oscillatory flow (second Stokes problem)
Boundary layer theory (non-turbulent flow)
Mass transport around solid spheres and gas bubbles
Thermal conduction in fluids
Theory of developed turbulence
Turbulence phenomenology
Vorticity dynamics and energy cascade
Statistical tools for turbulence characterisation
Homogeneous and isotropic turbulence
Reynolds equations
Kinetic energy budget in a turbulent flow
Turbulent free shear and wall-bounded flows
Steady flow over smooth and rough walls
Oscillatory flow
Turbulence models
Boussinesq’s model of the deviatoric components of Reynolds stress tensor
Eddy viscosity and closure models: use of transport equations
Numerical simulation of turbulent flow (RANS, LES, DNS, other methods)
Dispersion of solid particles in a turbulent flow
Fluid phase equations (averaging procedures)
Effects of particle-fluid interactions on the turbulence properties
Numerical models
Eulerian-Eulerian models
Eulerian-Lagrangian models (point-particle and particle-resolved approaches)
Elements of dynamics of dense granular suspensions and flow in porous media
Darcy-Ritter law, Richards equation
Examples of applications
Spray dryer
Fluidised bed reactors
Molten-carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs)
Notes of the course.
Suggested supplementary books: - Fluid mechanics and Turbulence
- Transport phenomena and Multi-phase flows:
Ricevimento: The student reception is encouraged and will take place: in the office of the Professor (in Villa Cambiaso, Via Montallegro 1, Genova) upon appointment; by arranging an online meeting (using Teams, Skype or Hangouts).
MARCO MAZZUOLI (President)
RODOLFO REPETTO
PAOLO BLONDEAUX (President Substitute)
https://corsi.unige.it/10376/p/studenti-orario
Oral examination.
The exams take place in the summer session (June, July and September) and in the winter session (January and February).
The exam is aimed at verifying the capability of the student to formulate simple problems of fluid mechanics when the flow regime is turbulent.
The oral exam consists of two phases: in the preliminary phase a scientific article (selected in agreement with the professor) based on the themes of the course is analysed. This phase contributes to the 40% of the final evaluation. The remaining 60% is associated with the answers to two questions concenring the contents of the course.
