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Dissertation
La mise en sustentation hydrostatique de tourillons de paliers lisses chargés en permanence ; le fonctionnement hydrodynamique ultérieur de ces paliers spéciaux
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Year: 1973 Publisher: [S.l.]: [chez l'auteur],

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Dissertation
Etude de la diffusion des réactions d'appui dans les poutres à âme pleine
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Year: 1979 Publisher: [S.l. : chez l'auteur],

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Dissertation
Multi-scale aquifer characterization : from outcrop analogue, direct-push and borehole investigations towards improved groundwater flow models
Authors: ---
ISSN: 02507803 ISBN: 9789086496723 Year: 2013 Volume: 42 Publisher: Leuven Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

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Groundwater flow and solute transport modelling are affected by different kinds of uncertainty including spatial variability in aquifer properties such as hydraulic conductivity (K). This spatial variability is often present at different scales, and consequently, effective K values are very much scale-dependent. While regional-scale models often use effective K values obtained by inverse modelling, the small-scale variability has to be accounted for as well, as it has been shown that even submeter-scale heterogeneity can have important consequences on solute transport in aquifers. To support decision making related to environmental impact assessment for waste disposal sites or sites contaminated by point sources, appropriate subsurface characterization and modelling tools are thus required for accounting for subsurface heterogeneity, possibly observed at multiple spatial scales. These tools can further be used to quantify the uncertainty associated with groundwater flow and solute transport, to underpin strategies for long-term groundwater quality monitoring at disposal or contaminated sites, or for developing groundwater remediation schemes.In this work, a methodology is developed for efficient multi-scale subsurface characterization and integration of the gathered data in a stochastic regional groundwater flow and solute transport modelling approach. Different kinds of aquifer characterization technologies have to be combined to cover the centimetre- to the kilometre-scale, and to make optimal use of common or easily gathered secondary data. Additionally, for accounting for secondary data, the development of a set of tools for data calibration and interpretation is required. This is achieved by using different kinds of measurements from outcrop analogues, borehole and direct-push investigations, and by using innovative methods and techniques to obtain a sound framework for integrating all data.The case study that we use throughout the thesis is an area of ~60 km² in Mol/Dessel, Belgium, of which the subsurface consists of a succession of dipping lithostratigraphical units with varying degrees of heterogeneity, all part of the Neogene aquifer. We make use of different previous hydrogeological studies that were performed in the framework of the ONDRAF/NIRAS radioactive waste disposal programmes, and perform additional site characterization.The assessment of outcrops as analogues for the subsurface sediments shows that very useful quantitative and qualitative information can be retrieved from outcrops, but a systematic bias seems to exist between surface and subsurface data (lower K for the latter). The relative differences however seem to be valid, as is the amount of spatial heterogeneity. For including small-scale heterogeneity in the developed large-scale transport model, we make use of dispersivities estimated from the outcrop characterization.The three types of secondary K data used in this work are air permeability, grain size and cone penetration test data. For each of these we use a data-driven modelling approach to obtain estimates of K. The complexity of these approaches ranges from a simple linear model to the combination of artificial neural networks with general likelihood estimation. Each time, the site-specific estimates prove to be superior to existing models from literature.The conditioning of a regional groundwater flow model on borehole and geotechnical and hydraulic direct push data improves the model performance considerably. We use a data-driven approach for the hydrostratigraphy, by invoking a non-stationary multivariate geostatistical framework for conditioning the model. A combination of different McMC algorithms is used to estimate the uncertainty of the flow field, for the quantification of uncertainty on the corresponding solute transport. The combined algorithm is tested both in McMC sampling and optimization mode. The latter is clearly more efficient for CPU-intensive models, but only provides an approximation of the posterior.Solute transport simulations in the framework of surface disposal of radioactive waste, based on the obtained flow solutions, suggest that the reference model that considers homogeneous lithostratigraphical units produces conservative results in terms of maximum concentrations within the solute plume. For more detailed results, transport simulations using another advection solution scheme and finer numerical discretization are however recommended


Dissertation
Role of chemical characteristics of an aquifer on the biotic reductive dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE)
Authors: ---
ISBN: 9789088263439 Year: 2014 Volume: 1162 Publisher: Leuven Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

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Chlorinated solvents, such as trichloroethene (TCE), are major groundwater contaminants that often persist as dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in subsurface environments. Microbial reductive dechlorination as a ‘polishing’ step after physical-chemical treatments is a promising approach for the remediation of TCE-DNAPL source zones and dechlorination activity at or near the source zones can enhance DNAPL dissolution. The physicochemical properties of the aquifer can affect the microbial dechlorination activity and, hence, the TCE DNAPL dissolution. This dissertation explores the influence of geochemical factors on TCE dechlorination, more in particular the competition between microbial reduction of iron (III) minerals and dechlorination processes. Thermodynamic considerations as well as observed threshold hydrogen concentration show that iron (Fe) reducers can compete with anaerobic TCE dechlorinators. This competition can impede the enrichment of dechlorinating populations and inhibit anaerobic reductive dechlorination. All studies were performed by inoculating matrices with a mixed dechlorinating culture (KB-1) that also contain Fe (III) reducers in order to limit the influence of the composition of the microbial communities on the microbial processes; all studies used formate as electron donor. In a first part, the influence of the quantity and mineralogy of Fe (III) minerals on TCE dechlorination was investigated. A matrix extraction procedure for testing bioavailable Fe (III) in sediments was also calibrated. Experiments were performed in batches with either 1) variable amounts of ferrihydrite or 2) with 14 different Fe (III) minerals coated onto or mixed in with quartz sand at constant total Fe and at a stoichiometric excess Fe (III) over electron donor. At constant total Fe in the sand, TCE dechlorination time varied with Fe mineralogy between 8 days (no Fe added) to > 120 days (Fe-containing bentonite). Poorly crystalline Fe (III) minerals increased the dechlorination time whereas crystalline Fe (III) minerals such as goethite or hematite had no effect. The TCE dechlorination time increased with increasing total reduced Fe and with increasing surface area of the Fe (III) minerals. Extractable Fe determined based on Fe (III) reduction using NH2OH.HCl predicted the competitive inhibition of TCE degradation in these model systems. This study shows that Fe mineralogy rather that total Fe content determines the competitive inhibition of TCE dechlorination.In a second part, the H2 pressure was measured during dechlorination in presence and absence of Fe (III) to determine critical H2 for the different terminal electron accepting reactions (TEAP) in the system. Different natural and synthetic Fe containing matrices were used and compared. Iron (III) and Mn (IV) reduction limited microbial dechlorination by decreasing the level of H2 in the system and subsequently resulted in a H2 limited condition. The H2 measurements indicated that a wide concentration range of H2 is possiblefor different TEAPs in these systems and that these TEAPs can therefore occur concurrently rather than exclusively. Differences in Fe (III) bioavailability and, hence, Fe (III) reduction partially explain this wide range. The distinction between dechlorination and other microbial reduction processes based on H2 concentrations threshold values is not feasible under such conditions. Dechlorination leads to acidification and slows down dechlorination. In addition, acidification facilitates Fe (III) reduction because of increased Fe (III) solubility. In a third part, it was investigated if acidification and Fe (III) reduction have a synergistic inhibition on reductive dechlorination. Two common aquifer Fe (III) minerals, goethite and ferrihydrite and sand only as control were studied in batch bottles at different solution pH values (6.2 - 7.2). In the absence of Fe, lowering matrix pH between 7.2 to 6.2 increased the time for TCE degradation. At pH 7.2, goethite did not affect TCE degradation time while ferrihydrite increased it. Iron reduction in ferrihydrite increased between pH 7.2 and 6.5 but decreased by further lowering pH to 6.2, likely due to reduced microbial activity. This study confirms that TCE reduction is increasingly inhibited by the combined effect of acidification and bioavailable Fe (III), however no evidence was found for synergistic inhibition since Fe reduction did not increase as pH decreased. A fourth part of this work examined to what extent Fe (III) minerals affect dechlorination in environmental samples. Seventeen environmental matrices with contrasting properties (pH 3.5-11; total Fe 0.1-87 g kg-1, total Fe (II) 0.05 - 2 % of total Fe) were inoculated in unbuffered media with 1 mM TCE and 9 mM formate, sufficient for complete TCE dechlorination. The time for 90% conversion of TCE to cis-DCE ranged 5 - >100 days with only partial or no dechlorination past cis-DCE due to the lack of electron equivalents. Reduction of Fe (III), SO42-and NO3- was detected in almost all treatments. The TCE and cis-DCE dechlorination was completely inhibited below pH 4.3, above pH 10.5 and in matrices where Fe reduction was highest. No cis-DCE degradation was observed below pH 5.9. The TCE dechlorination time and the inhibition of cis-DCE dechlorination increased with increasing concentrations of available Fe (III), determined with citrate bicarbonate extraction for matrices between pH 4.3 - 10, however statistical effects were small (R2<0.30). Weak Fe extraction methods such as the citrate bicarbonate ascorbate extraction determines bioavailable Fe (III) in the matrix and predict the stoichiometric requirements of electron donor to overcome inhibition of dechlorination.The fifth part of this study assessed the role of Fe (III) minerals on the bio-enhanced dissolution of a TCE DNAPL. Columns were set up as 1-D diffusion-cells consisting of a lower DNAPL layer, a layer with an aquifer matrix and an upper water layer that is regularly refreshed with formate containing medium. The matrices were either inert sand, inert sand coated with 2-line ferrihydrite (HFO) and two environmental Fe containing matrices. In none of the diffusion cells, vinyl chloride or ethene was detected while dissolved and extractable Fe (II) increased strongly during 60 days incubation. The cis-DCE concentration peaked at 4.0 cm from the DNAPL (inert sand) while it was at 3.4 cm (sand + HFO), 1.7 cm and 2.5 cm (environmental samples). The TCE concentration gradients near the DNAPL indicate that the DNAPL dissolution rate was larger than that in an abiotic cell by factors 1.3 (inert sand), 1.0 (sand + HFO) and 2.2 (both environmental samples). This results show that high bioavailable Fe (III) in the HFO reduces the TCE degradation by competitive Fe (III) reduction, yielding lower bioenhanced dissolution. However, Fe (III) reduction in the environmental samples was not affecting bioenhanced dissolution which was even larger than in inert sand. It is speculated that physical factors, e.g., micro-niches in the environmental samples, protect microorganisms from toxic concentrations of TCE. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that Fe (III) reduction can limit the overall dechlorination rate and bioenhanced dissolution. Amorphous Fe (III) oxyhydroxides are readily reduced and largely inhibit dechlorination whereas crystalline Fe (III) oxyhydroxides have weak or no effects. Effects of Fe on dechlorination past cis-DCE are larger than on TCE and this deserves further study. The occurrence of multiple terminal electron acceptors increase the electron donor consumption and result in a ‘cis-DCE’ or ‘VC’ stall due to the electron donor limitation. Addition of surplus electron donor without calculations can overstimulate methanogens and also can increase the bioremediation costs. Thus, a stoichiometric calculation of electrons equivalents is necessary to match the Fe (III) reduction. Citrate bicarbonate ascorbate extraction is recommended as a simple matrix Fe extraction assay in order to approximate the electron equivalents necessary for depleting the bioavailable Fe fraction. Acid pH conditions can severely limit the dechlorination and iron reduction can acts as an additive stress factor in the acid systems limiting the microbial dechlorination capacity.


Dissertation
Master thesis and internship[BR]- Master's thesis : Modelling of Gas Foil Bearing with a high order Discontinuous Galerkin Method[BR]- Integration Internship
Authors: --- --- --- ---
Year: 2022 Publisher: Liège Université de Liège (ULiège)

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In recent years, foil bearings, a special class of gas bearings, began to receive widespread converge in many scientific publications because of their advantages of environmental durability, higher reliability in operation (oil-free), and higher load capacity at high speed. Air Foil Bearing (AFB) supporting direct drive compressors or/and turbines have been gaining popularity in recent years. Mitis SA is developing a new generation of clean energy converters for decentralized Combined Heat and Power (CHP) based on flameless combustion chamber microturbines. Mitis SA is using AFB in their systems to guarantee an oil-free system and increase reliability. &#13;The overall objective of this work is to contribute to a better understanding of the AFB technology. The work focuses particularly on the behaviour of the lubrication gas film. Numerical simulations of the isothermal, steady state Reynolds equation using the Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method (DG-FEM) are performed. Compared to classical FD and FV methods, such a method provides high accuracy in terms of interpolation and spectral properties on unstructured meshes without opting for large stencils. The work comprises the development and implementation of a numerical prediction code with the use of DG-FEM. The numerical aspect of the hyperbolic-elliptic problem has been addressed with the implementation of specific approaches. First, upwind flux has been proposed for the convective formulation, and then an incomplete internal penalty method (IIPM) has been considered to evaluate the diffusive interface flux. Newton-Raphson method has been used to solve the nonlinear equation. The residual and the inverse of the Jacobian have been computed using direct solver, which is based upon the LU factorization technique. All these strategies were implemented in ForDGe, an immersed boundary, and in turn, Adaptive Mech Refinement (AMR) on multiple order Cartesian grids, still under development at the University of Liège.&#13;The modelling of the foil structure is built based upon existing models. The coupling between structural and fluid parts has been done at the level of the film thickness using the Simple Elastic Foundation Model (SEFM). The validity of the analysis and numerical code has been assessed by comparing predictions to experimental and/or numerical published data.&#13;This work would be recognized as the reference, providing numerical results for GFBs used by Mitis SA and/or any kind of GFBs with variable geometries and different working gases and operating conditions.


Dissertation
Analysis of Journal Bearing and Validation of Experimental Test Rig
Authors: --- --- --- ---
Year: 2018 Publisher: Liège Université de Liège (ULiège)

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Hydrodynamic bearings are presenting a large and deep research domain with an overall lack of investigation in the case of vertically mounted ones which complicates their applicability. These bearings are characterised by a complex behaviour as a self-excited instability known as oil whip which is a major concern of Sulzer Ensival Moret Belgium, a well-known pump manufacturer. This topic introduced the design of a tribological test rig for the experimental analysis of hydrodynamic bearings. The work objectives are the experimental analysis of hydrodynamic bearings based on their respective dynamic behaviour and the related validation of the test rig in terms of its validity for the dynamic analysis. To achieve both objectives, the work is divided in a theoretical and experimental part. The theoretical part treats the general bearing theory including so-called experimental identification techniques. The second part treats the experimental dynamic analysis of different bearings based on their respective whirl motion and the extraction of the stiffness coefficients from conducted measurements. At the other side, this part treats the validation of the test rig.


Dissertation
Master thesis and internship[BR]- Master's thesis : Updating and standardization of design tools for the test facilities operated by BEBLUE Cryotech[BR]- Internship
Authors: --- --- ---
Year: 2024 Publisher: Liège Université de Liège (ULiège)

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The accurate prediction and analysis of critical speeds are paramount for ensuring the&#13;safe and efficient operation of rotating machinery. This study focuses on the rotordynamic&#13;analysis of the Prometheus test rig, a system designed for cryogenic testing in aerospace&#13;applications. Using the Finite Element Method (FEM) in conjunction with the Rotordynamic&#13;Open Source Software(ROSS), this research aims to identify critical speeds and&#13;optimize the rotor-bearing configuration to mitigate resonance risks.&#13;Key aspects of the analysis include the development of a Campbell Diagram, which&#13;visually represents the relationship between rotor speed and system frequencies, highlighting&#13;potential resonance zones. The study further investigates the influence of various bearing&#13;configurations on critical speeds, providing insights into how changes in stiffness, damping,&#13;and positioning affect the dynamic behavior of the rotor system. Experimental data were&#13;used to validate the FEM model, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the predictions.&#13;The findings from this study offer practical guidelines for optimizing rotor design in&#13;high-speed applications, particularly where cryogenic conditions are present. By enhancing&#13;the understanding of critical speeds and rotordynamic behavior, this work contributes to&#13;the development of more robust and reliable rotating machinery.


Multi
Complex confining layers : a stochastic analysis of hydraulic properties at various scales = Complexe deklagen : een stochastische analyse van hydraulische eigenschappen op verschillende schaalniveaus
Author:
ISBN: 9068092006 9062661173 Year: 1994 Publisher: Utrecht : Faculteit Ruimtelijke Wetenschappen Universiteit Utrecht,

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Dissertation
Load-bearing processes in agricultural wheel-soil systems
Author:
ISBN: 9090019685 Year: 1988 Publisher: Wageningen : Agricultural University,

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