Current research challenges include thermal loading of process equipment, transient conditions especially in connection with heat exchangers, bolted flange connection tightness and equipment damage in hydrogen environment. Solutions include use of numerical simulations, especially finite element analysis (FEA), but also computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Strength calculations of pressure vessels and heat exchangers

• Thermal loads and transients: Cyclic loads due to thermal field changes can lead to fatigue. Fast change of operating conditions also can damage the equipment, and this is getting more and more relevant lately due to increasing need for power generation balancing.

• Tightness of bolted flange connections: Leaks from bolted flange connections may have negative safety, economic and environmental impacts. Leak rate modelling in various load regimes is crucial for mitigating or preventing the leaks.

Precision dosing of alternative fuels

• The team develops technologies for effective processing of and energy utilisation from biomass and waste. Currently, a device for continuous dosing of solid alternative waste is being developed.

Complex evaluation of process conditions changes influence on equipment lifetime

• Complex evaluation of equipment operation history is important for assessment of further operation admissibility. This leads to maximal utilization of existing equipment without compromising safety or operation reliability.

• Alternative fuels, e.g. hydrogen, gain recently on importance, however, their wider use requires utilization of existing infrastructure. Evaluation of influences of these new conditions in equipment originally designed for something else is therefore key to this transition.

Contact
Ing. Pavel Lošák, Ph.D.