Design and Process Engineering
· Designing, construction, calculation, technology of manufacturing, technical preparation of manufacturing including assembly and testing,
· Thermal and nuclear power plant devices such as steam and combustion turbines, steam generators, steam power plants and heating plants including nuclear power stations, industrial power engineering and their environmental aspects,
· Water turbines, hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pumps, piping systems, hydroelectric power plants, and pumping stations,
· Machinary and devices for chemical industry, food-stuff industry, and biotechnological treatment lines,
· Construction, modelling and theoretical studies of machines and devices for cutting, forming machines, industrial robots, and manipulators,
· Machine parts and mechanisms, methodology of designing machine elements and working mechanisms of general application with consideration of stochastic qualities of inputs, including the application of special types of machines and devices,
· Cars, vans and lorries, buses, trailers, semi-trailers, and motorcycles,
· Combustion engines for all types of vehicle drives, simulation of combustion engine thermomechanical systems, dynamics of driving gear, engine accessories, ecology,
· Machines and devices for in-plant handling of material and handling between operations, for the mining and transport of building materials, for passenger conveyance in buildings,
· Aerodynamic calculation and designing, flight mechanics, fatigue and durability of aircraft constructions, aeroelasticity of aircraft,
· Quality of machine industry production.

prof. Ing. Ivan Křupka, Ph.D.

1. Application of fractal geometry in fluid mechanics

   Fractal geometry is based on self-similar shapes and is very frequent in nature (e.g. plant leaves). Therefore it is suggested to use the fractal geometry for design of fluid devices and elements, where it might lead to decrease of pressure losses and pulsations, extension of the operating range or to enhancement of mixing. Research within the PhD thesis will be extension of previous successful application of fractal geometry at our department (design of fractal orifices) and will exploit both computational simulations and experimental modelling.

   Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

2. Cavitation erosion model

   Cavitation, i.e. local inception of vapor bubbles due to low presure, can occur during operation of hydraulic machines. Consequent condensation (collapse) of the bubbles generates strong pressure pulses, which cause erosion of the machine surface. Goal of the PhD study is to create description of the vapor bubble behavior and then predict locations of the erosion and its intensity, i.e. to set up a cavitation erosion model. Model will be mainly based on numerical solution of Rayleigh-Plesset equation and CFD simulations, which describes change of the bubble radius in variable pressure field. Model will be experimentally validated in hydraulic lab of our department and in cooperation with material engineers.

   Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

3. Control of the fluid stream in the open channels

   It is necessary to solve a problem of a balanced inflow to water turbines in case of hydropower plants. A velocity profile before water turbine inlets can be unsuitable for turbine operation. It can be caused by wrong shape of an intake channel. Some water turbine can be fed better than the other one. It influences a power and efficiency of the turbines. This problem is possible to solve by changing shape of intake channel or by inserting of a rib. The change of channel shape is more often restricted by a zoning plan. An inserting of the rib into the channel leads to the cross-section area decreasing and losses increasing. The aim of this thesis will be to find different solutions how to adjust the velocity profile in accordance with the turbine intake requirements. Some of these new solutions are the utilizing of the vortex structures to modifying the velocity profile or inserting of some shaped parts to modify the velocity profile. Problem will be solved with help of the CFD calculations. If it is possible it will be verified by experiment. Student will solve this problem under project of specific research in scope of Victor Kaplan’s Department of Fluid Engineering.

   Tutor: Štigler Jaroslav, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Design of hydrokinetic turbine

   Hydrokinetic turbines utilize kinetic energy of marine or river currents and their basic concept is very similar to wind turbines, but at the same time many aspets are different (e.g. treating the stream just behind the turbine runner). Goal of the PhD thesis will be hydraulic design of hydrokinetic turbine for rivers or for energy recuperation in different technology processes (e.g. return channels of paper mills, open channels of waste watr treatment plants, etc.)-

   Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

5. Digital image processing used for measurement of fluid phenomena

   Thesis will focus on a digital image processing of video sequences captured during hydraulic phenomena. Watching the cavitation of inlet vortices and similar phenomena, which could be caught with a high-speed camera, will be the main part of the work.

   Tutor: Habán Vladimír, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

6. Elimination of microorganisms using cavitation

   Cavitation is not only negative phenomenon in operation of hydraulic machines, but can be also positively exploited for water desinfection. PhD student will focus especially on mechanical effects leading to desintegration of cyanobacteria and bacteria during cavitation proces. Investigation will be based on experimental testing on cavitation circuit in V. Kaplan Dept. of Fluid Engineering and computational simulations (CFD) . Goal of the thesis will be to describe effect of cavitation bubble implosion on cyanobacteria and bacteria cells for different operating conditions and different types of cavitation devices. Close cooperation with foreigh research teams is assumed.

   Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

7. Hydraulic losses for unsteady flow of liquids.

   Same model for computation of hydraulic losses is used for steady and unsteady flows in numerical modeling. However this approach is very inaccurate when damping is evaluated. Losses can be modeled using the second viscosity, but for high steady velocities its influence should be included into the model.

   Tutor: Habán Vladimír, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

8. Interference of the oscillating body and the pulsating fluid.

   In the interior of hydraulic machines there is vibration of mechanical parts and pressure pulsations in the flowing fluid. These two phenomena can not be separated from one another and must be solved together. At present, there is a frequent approach to determining additional fluid spills in mechanical parts. Methodology for determining these properties will be developed.

   Tutor: Habán Vladimír, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

9. Investigation of inlet recirculation in centrifugal pumps

   Inlet recirculation occurs if centrifugal pumps are operated with low discharge. Recirculation has significant impact on pumo operation (blockage, cavitation, etc.). PhD study will be focused on analysis and description of this phenomenon and search of possible remedies. PhD thesis will combine computational simulations with experimental investigations in hydraulic laboratory.

   Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

10. Radial – axial pump with counter rotating runners

    This theme will be aimed to multistage pumps (radial-axial), without stator vanes. The stator vanes will be replaced by next counter-rotating impeller. This solution will be applied to runners for low specific speed (radial-axial runners).

    Tutor: Haluza Miloslav, doc. Ing., CSc.

11. Removing chemical substances from waste waters using hydrodynamic cavitation and advanced oxidation technologies

    Current methods for waste water treatment do not enable removal of some chemical substances (e.g. organic volatile compounds), residuals of drugs (antidepressants, analgetics, contraception). PhD study will be focused on utilization of hydrodynamic cavitation in combination with some other methods (ozone, hydrogen peroxide) to eliminate these substances. Close collaboration within international multidisciplinary team is assumed.

    Tutor: Rudolf Pavel, doc. Ing., Ph.D.