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. Václav Píštěk, DrSc.

1. Experimental determination of dynamic properties of hydraulic machines and measuring device

   The determination of dynamic sensor characteristics (particularly pressure sensors) is important when dynamic characteristics of hydraulic machines are measured. Student is going to deal with transfer characteristics of sensors and correction of measured data of chosen hydraulic machines.

   Tutor: Habán Vladimír, 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, which describes change of the bubble radius in variable pressure field. This topic is very suitable for graduates of the specialized branch Mathematical engineering.

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

3. Control of the fluid stream in the open channels

   It is necessary to solve problem of balanced inflow to water turbines in case of hydropower plants. The velocity profile before water turbine inlets can be unequal due to the wrong shape of an intake channel. Therefore some water turbine can be better fed than the other ones. It can influences a power and efficiency of 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 restricted by a zoning plan. The putting of the rib into the channel causes decreasing of cross-section area and losses increasing. The aim of this thesis is to find different solutions how to adjust the velocity profile in accordance with the turbine intake requirements. One of these new solutions is utilizing of the vortexes to modifying the velocity profile. Problem will be solved with help of the CFD calculations. If it is possible it will be verified by experiment.

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

4. Development of aeration elements for fine bubble aeration system

   Development of a new aeration elements for fine bubble aeration system Waste water treatment is very actual problem for the whole Earth. Aeration is very important process in waste water treatment plants. Efficiency of oxygen transfer into the fluid is inversely proportional to the size of the air bubbles. The aeration elements are therefore designed in a way to produce bubbles as small as possible. Student will solve mathematically and numerically bubble movement in a liquid and he will carry out experiments focused on the effect of wetting on a bubble formation. The bubble formation will be recorded by high speed camera.

   Tutor: Štigler Jaroslav, 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. Disc friction loss in centrifugal pumps and hydraulic turbines

   Disc friction loss presents significant part of the total hydraulic loss, especially in low-specific speed hydraulic machines. Goal of the PhD study will be analytical investigation of the disc friction loss and analysis of the shape of the rotor-stator clearance on the magnitude of the loss. The latter task will be carried out with help of experimental and computational modeling (CFD).

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

7. 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, computational simulations (CFD) and analysis of Rayleigh-Plesset equation. 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.

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

8. Optimization of AWSJ (abrasive water suspension jet) for cutting of composite materials

   The objective of the work is to optimize parameters of abrasive water suspension jet for cutting of composite materials with respect to cutting performance and risk of formation of cracks and delamination. The dependence of abrasive particle velocity at the exit of the nozzle on pressure and abrasive concentration and influence of operating parameters of the jet and type of abrasive material on the cutting performance will be determined. Possibility of the use of suitable polymer additives to enhance the cutting ability of AWSJ will also be studied.

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

9. Pressure pulsations induced by rotating stall in fluid machine

   Rotating stall influences dynamics of pumps, turbocirculators and hydraulic and gas turbines operated in off-design conditions. The goal is to determine stability of operation with regard to the delivery system.

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

10. Rotating stall in centrifugal pump

    Rotating stall appears during operation of centrifugal pumps outside of the best effciency point. This phenomenon significantly influences their dynamical properties. Rotating stall in case of reversible pump turbines has adverse effect on stability of the characteristic curve and limits the zone of operation. Conditions leading to rotating stall will be investigated using especially CFD tools.

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

11. The flow of Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids in thin cracks

    The aim of the work will be research of thin sealing cracks based on computations. The behaviour of Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids will be explored. Cracks will be smooth and will be different shape in sense of screw surfaces for pumping liquid in counter-pressure for decreasing of flow through of crack and increasing of volume efficiency. Results could by apply to magnetic liquids which have greater meaning in construction of friction bearings. The study will be supported by the project no. TE02000232 „Rotational Machines“.

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

12. The interaction of non-newtonian fluids with a flexible wall

    The study will be focused on the creation of a mathematical model of interaction of non-Newtonian fluids with a flexible wall. For non-Newtonian fluid is considered blood or magnetorheological fluid. Based on the mathematical model will be solved velocity and pressure fields in single and multiple contiguous areas. The obtained results can be used in both medicine and technology, for example in the construction of special bearings and seals with magnetorheological liquid. The solution will include also an experimental verification of the mathematical model. The solution will be supported by the Grant Agency Project no. GA15-06621S "Modelling of smart damping elements of rotating systems utilizing the physical properties of magnetorheological fluids”.

    Tutor: Fialová Simona, doc. Ing., Ph.D.