RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF MODELING OF HYDROTHERMAL PROCESSES

     The department was established in 1991 in order to expand the fundamental researches on the physicochemical hydrodynamics and their application in practical problems of environmental protection. It is staffed by highly qualified scientists, including one Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, four Doctors and four Candidates of Sciences (PhD). Since its creation, the department is headed by the Corresponding Member of NASU Professor E. I. Nikiforovich.

     Research efforts of leading scientists of the Department are focused on studying of transport processes in the nonequilibrium thermodynamic continuous media. These include, in particular:

• models of multi-stratified media, their asymptotic properties, dynamics of vorticity and stratified boundary layers in the presence of body forces;
• models of turbulence and fluid dynamics of turbulent buoyant jets in cross-flow, transfer and diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere;
• experimental studies on flow control using the microwave radiation and plasma generation;
• experimental and theoretical studies of hydrothermodynamic processes in the elements of heat pumps and hydrogen fuel cells in order to optimize their performance and energy efficiency;
• modeling and optimization of the joint operation of heat pumps with renewable energy sources; development of methods for calculation and assessment of thermal heat capacity of the batteries of various nature; modeling of the energy characteristics of vertical heat exchangers for geothermal heat.

     A high level and relevance of the fundamental researches allow the solving of important practical problems. So, at designing and operation of energy facilities, a developed in the Department method for thermal analysis and assessment of the impact of cooling systems of thermal and nuclear power plants on the environment is widely used along with a jet-diffusion model for the calculation of chemical and radioactive pollution emissions from industrial enterprises.

     The Department staff actively participate in realization and practical implementation of a number of international research and educational innovation projects. In particular, the Corresponding Member of NASU E. I. Nikiforovich is the Coordinator of the project ERAIHM of the Seventh Framework Programme of EU, numerous educational TEMPUS projects, projects funded by the Swedish Institute. As a result of this activity, in 2007 an agreement for establishing of a joint Swedish-Ukrainian laboratory "Sustainable Energy Technologies" was signed. The purpose of its creation is the intensification of cooperation between the leading scientific and educational institutions in Sweden and Ukraine in the field of education, research and innovation.

     With the support of the European Office of Aerospace Research & Development, USA (EOARD) and the US Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF) in 2011, the laboratory for Modern Aerodynamics and Interdisciplinary Studies (SAMI) was created. Joint efforts of the Department, the National Aviation University of Ukraine and the Moscow Radio Engineering Institute provided an opportunity for carrying out of the innovative research in the field of flow control and development of instrumentation.

     Nowadays, the Department is actively cooperating with the Heat and Power Faculty and Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the National Technical University of Ukraine "Kiev Polytechnic Institute". On the basis of the Department, a branch of the Department of Applied Fluid Mechanics and Mechatronics at the NTTU "KPI" is organized, where the students complete their bachelor's and master's works with advanced experimental facilities.