Almost
all heat exchangers are currently made of metal. A few attempts have
been made to make heat exchangers from (fibre-reinforced) polymers.
Switching from metal to polymer/composite can have several advantages:
- The copper price has increased a lot over the last years, and economical alternatives in polymer might be feasible
- In corrosive environments (chemical sector, toxic gases, contaminated fluids), metals do not survive
- For domestic applications, the weight of HVAC systems could be strongly reduced, making it possible for a single man to carry the heat exchanger to the desired location in the house
- design of a fatigue test set-up for elevated temperatures/pressures
- fatigue experiments on short fibre-reinforced composites under realistic loading conditions for heat exchangers
- static simulations of hot-spot areas in the heat exchangers under thermomechanical loading
- development of a predictive model for fatigue performance of the short fibre-reinforced composite
Desired skills and experience
Only
candidates with a Master degree should apply. The candidate should have
a strong background in experimental mechanics of materials, preferably
combined with knowledge in simulation of composite materials and
fatigue.
About the employer
The
"Mechanics of Materials and Structures" research group at Ghent
University (UGent-MMS) has 30 years of experience in mechanics of
materials (in particular composite materials), and almost 20 years in
finite element modelling and computational mechanics. The mechanical
behaviour is studied under static and dynamic loading conditions, where
dynamic loading ranges from (high) dynamic impact over vibrations till
fatigue. For investigating these loading regimes, the group has a wide
range of experimental facilities. Additionally, the experimental tests
are equipped with a variety of non-destructive techniques. Research is
running on the use of optical fibre sensors, ultrasound, digital moiré
techniques and digital image correlation. Further, the group has a
strong tradition in numerical modelling, in particular in finite element
codes. The emphasis lies on the correct modelling of mechanics and
damage phenomena observed in composite materials during testing.
Therefore dedicated material models or constitutive laws are developed
and integrated into finite element simulations. Validation is done
through comparison with instrumented experimental tests.
For the moment, about 30 researchers are active in the group. For more information CLICK
For the moment, about 30 researchers are active in the group. For more information CLICK
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