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. Analysis of the Fluid Flow in Pipes Circular and Not Circular Cross-Section With Methods Using Distribution of the Vorticity Density.

   It is possible to solve fluid flow by using distribution of vorticity in the fluid domain. New analytical formulas for velocity profiles in pipes of circular cross-section and between two parallel plates was derived at the department of Fluid Engineering V. Kaplana. These analytical formulas can be used for both laminar and turbulent flow. The power coefficient appears in these formulas. It depends on the Reynolds number, pressure drop and flow rate. The tasks of this work are: -the experimental verification new the analytical formula of velocity profile for the pipe of the circular cross-section. -the extension of this formula for the pipe with the no circular cross-section -the determining of the influence of the wall roughness and the wettability on the velocity profile formula.

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

2. Assessment of dynamic forces acting on impeller/runner of hydraulic machine.

   Dynamic forces act on the impeller/runner during the operation of the hydraulic machine. The aim is to measure those forces (both axial and radial) experimentally for different regimes of operation.

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

3. Axial force and pressure pulsations in double-suction pump.

   Significant pulsations arise for pumps with double-suction input when operated below the best efficiency point. The aim of the work will be modeling of these pulsations.

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

4. Cavitating flow in inducer

   The topic is aimed on study of cavitation and conditions leading to cavitation in centrufugal pump inducer. Conclusion for optimized design of inducer will be drawn from numerical modeling and experiments of cavitating inducer flow for different operating regimes.

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

5. Cavitation induced by rotation of liquid

   Dissertation thesis will deal with study of cavitating vortical structures that are induced by instability of rotating liquid. Objective is to find mathematical model for motion and pulsations of these structures, determine conditions of their origin and refine numerical model for their simulation. Working methodology consists of theoretical analysis using continuum mechanics approach, computational modeling with own and commercial softwares and experimental research based on laser measurements of velocity fields and flow visualisations. The practical implication is the cavitating vortex rope in hydraulic turbine draft tube.

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

6. Destratification of reservoirs

   Water tanks in the summer contain little oxygen. Its shortage has a major impact on the reproduction of microorganisms, especially cyanobacteria. This phenomenon can be successfully faced by mixing water with high oxygen content at the surface of the water with water near the bottom. The aim of the study is to optimize the hydraulic mixing, using special pumps and nozzles developed for this purpose. Computational and experimental modeling will be extensively used. Study will be supported by upcoming MPO project.

   Supervisor: Pochylý František, prof. Ing., CSc.

7. Digital image processing used for measurement of fluid phenomena.

   Thesis will focus on digital image processing of video sequences captured during hydraulic phenomena.

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

8. Disc friction loss of the centrifugal pumps and hydraulic turbines

   Disc friction losses present substantial part of the overall hydraulic loss in low specific speed hydraulic machines. The aim of the PhD thesis will be analysis of the disc friction loss origin and study of the influence of the shape in between the rotor and stator discs on magnitude of the disc friction loss. Experimental and computational modeling will be applied.

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

9. Hybrid pump

   Pump is based on two principles: centrifugal pump + side channel pump. Aim of the study is optimization of both principles, especially for low specific speed pumps.

   Supervisor: Pochylý František, prof. Ing., CSc.

10. Inducer in front of the runner.

    The inducer in front of the runner is used for improvement of cavitation properties of the impeller. The thesis will be aimed on improvement of hydraulic design of inducer in front of the runner.

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

11. 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.

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

12. Rotating stall in centrifugal pump

    Rotating stall appears for off-design operation of centrifugal pump. It considerably influences dynamics of the pump. Conditions for appearance of rotating stall and dynamics of the separated flow will be studied using especially numerical modeling (CFD).

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

13. Spiral case of impeller pump optimalization.

    Spiral case of an impeller pump is a part of the pump which participate on overall characteristic of the pump. There is an origin of hydraulic losses, radilal force and phenomenons connected with flow in the inner part of the pump. The aim of this theme is minimalization of hydrulic losses and radial force by alternative methods than since used.

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

14. The design of a jet on principle of ejector for cooling

    The aim doctoral study is a design of special jet with possibility of air leech onto. The solution will be based on computational modelling two-phase flow in the jet. The jet will be designed with respect to using the cooling (cylinders in rolling of sheet metal, instruments). This study will be supported by MPO project.

    Supervisor: Pochylý František, prof. Ing., CSc.

15. The minimization of energy dissipation in swirl turbine

    The swirl turbine is based on the principle of counter – rotating swirl behind the runner. The draft tube has to reduce the velocity and transfer kinetic energy into pressure energy. The combination of different hubs (in diameter) and in build vanes, or counter – rotating runner (to improve the properties of outgoing flow for the draft tube) is the aim of this work. The decreasing of dissipation energy can improve the efficiency of swirl turbine.

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

16. The pump with a diffuser with stochastic blades (runner and diffuser)

    The runner and diffuser of the pump is designed for one working point (Q, Y, n). In different discharges is the fall of efficiency. This aim of this work is design of runner and diffuser with different blades and vanes and to probe the behaviour of this machine with multiple – blades systems designed for different working points.

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

17. The relationship between the effective output and dissipation function in bladeless pumps and water turbines

    The medical equipment uses disk pump. The force transmitted to the liquid depends on the shear stresses. Their value is significant for the degradation of blood cells. It is therefore necessary to optimize the value of shear stress due to dissipation of mechanical energy. A similar problem is the water turbines where the blades are replaced by the shear forces. The aim of the study is therefore to optimize power imparted to the fluid by shear, given the value of the dissipation function. The project will be supported by specific research of the FME. Experiments will be carried our in the laboratory of the Department of Fluid Engineering V. Kaplan.

    Supervisor: Pochylý František, prof. Ing., CSc.

18. The Unsteady Fluid Flow Through the Pipe Junction.

    The new mathematical model of the fluid flow trhough pipe junction was developed at the Departmnet of Fluid Engineering. This mathematical model was prooved for the steady fluid flow in pipe junction. It is necessary to prove it also for unsteady fluid flow and if it is necessary, modify it in agreement with expreiments.

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

19. Thermodynamic method of determining the effeciency of hydraulic machines.

    Dissertation thesis will focus on the use of thermodynamic methods for determining the efficiency of hydraulic machines, and determination of possible corrections to improve accuracy of this method.

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

20. Valve exploiting principle of the side-channel turbine

    All current valves are source of hydraulic loss. Aim of the PhD study is design of a new hydraulic valve, which will be based on low specific speed turbine. Design of the turbine will reflect the loss characteristic curve of the valve. This will ensure 50% recuperation of the supplied energy. Solution will be based on computational modeling of the turbulent flow and experimental research. PhD study will be supported by Strojirny Brno inc.

    Supervisor: Pochylý František, prof. Ing., CSc.

21. Verifying of Boundary Vorticity Elements Method with Continuous Distribution of Vorticity on Solution of 2D Fluid Flow Round Single Hydrofoil.

    The Boundary Vorticity Elements Method with Continuous Distribution Vorticity has a promising future in area of vortex fluid flow modeling. This method brings a new aspects and possibilities in this area. Basic theoretical principles of this method have been developed. It is important to verify and the possibilities of this method on the practical examples. It is important to choose proper boundary conditions for vorticity distribution or choose proper method to fulfilling the Kuta-Zukovskij condition of smooth profile outflow.

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

22. Vortex rope in hydraulic turbine draft tube as a dynamical system

    The aim is study of the dynamical properties and stability of the vortex rope in hydraulic turbine draft tube using the methods applied for non-linear systems and chaos theory.

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