DTU Mechanical engineerings research activities are centred on efficient exploitation of renewable energy resources such as biomass, wind and waves, efficient energy transformation in combustion engines, energy transport, and energy consumption including refrigeration and indoor environment optimization.
Feature Articles is available true the menu at your left and some basic overviews on each section's research activities are presented below.
Research activities at the Thermal Energy Systems Section (TES)
The main research topics are design, analysis and optimization of thermal systems, including power plants, refrigeration, district heating networks, engines (internal combustion and Stirling engines), emissions (engines, combustion and vehicles), fuels (alternative and conventional); biomass gasification plants, energy storage and industrial process networks. Laboratory experiments, design and manufacture of pilot plants, and field tests of existing systems are an important part of the research activities.
A general field of research is the development of mathematical models and analytical methods by means of numerical simulation for the analysis of thermal systems and processes, emphasis being placed on process optimization, energy efficiency, and automatic control.
Research activities at the Solid Mechanics Section (FAM)
Main research topics concern the mechanics of materials and the strength and dynamics of structural components and systems. In materials mechanics the work includes basic development of material models for inelasticity and damage, as well as applications in the areas of fracture mechanics, delamination of thin surface layers and metal forming. The structural mechanics area includes vibration analyses and advanced design using optimization methods. The design of MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems), based on the Finite Element Method and topology optimization, has also become a major activity.
Research activities at the Fluid Mechanics Section (FM)
Applied research topics focus on two main areas: aerodynamics of wind turbines and flow-related industrial process equipment. More fundamental research in fluid mechanics includes laminarturbulent transition, aero-acoustics, rotating flows, room convection, and biological flows. In computational fluid mechanics (CFD) we use both in-house-developed and commercial codes, and in experimental fluid mechanics (EFD) we use mostly optical methods, such as LDA, PIV, stereo-PIV, LIF, and LSV.
Research activities at the Coastal, Maritime and Structural Engineering Section (SKK)
Teaching and research on hydrodynamics comprise the interplay between nature and man’s intervention, for example river regulation, coastal structures, the influence of large construction works on the environment, dispersion of effluent wastewater, and hydrodynamic forces on structures and their response. The research is often aimed at gaining a better understanding of the physical processes (e.g. turbulence, suspension of sediment or wave breaking); it involves development and application of numerical models and experimental work in the basin and flumes of the 2500 m3 hydraulic laboratory. The research has been focused on subjects related to sediment transport and morphology and to structures.
The three main research areas are:
- Hydrodynamics. Various aspects of the behaviour of waves and currents are modelled, for example the interaction of waves and currents at restricted water depth. Moreover, wave loads on ships and propeller hydrodynamics are dealt with.
- Solids and structures. Dynamic elastic behaviour is modelled as well as non-linear behaviour due to crack propagation, buckling and material plasticity.
- Risk and reliability. The aim is to determine risk profiles and failure probabilities for various systems in operation.
Manufacturing Engineering (MPP)
Materials Scinces and Engineering (MTU)