Laboratorio di Macchine

Personnel

Prof. Vinicio Magi (Principal Investigator)

Research activity

The overall focus of the research activity is on understanding the physical processes related to fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, energy conversion and combustion in thermal system design and optimizing such processes to improve performance in terms of higher efficiency, reduced emissions and lower costs. Several software packages for research and industrial applications were developed:

· REC (Reciprocating/Rotary Engine Combustion) code, which solves multidimensional, compressible, turbulent, multiphase reacting flows;

· FLEDS (Flow Large Eddy and Direct Simulations) code, which is an HPC-3D parallel code written in Fortran 90, fully portable and can run on large distributed and shared memory platforms. The code solves either LES or DNS equations for multidimensional, compressible, turbulent, multiphase reacting flows;

· UnDiFi-2D: An unstructured discontinuity fitting code for 2D grids. The aim of UnDiFi-2D is to model gas-dynamic discontinuities in two-dimensional (2D) flows as if they were true discontinuities of null thickness that bound regions of the flow-field where a smooth solution to the governing PDEs exists. CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/5hwssmc2mx.1 Also available on Github;

· WISE code, which simulates the working cycle of two/four stroke reciprocating and rotary engines with different combustion strategies, i.e. spark ignition, diesel combustion, HCCI, etc.

The current research interests can be summarized as follows:

· Development of innovative combustion strategies for engines (low-temperature combustion, ozone-assisted combustion, injection of superheated steam or supercritical water);

· Waste heat recovering from exhaust gases produced by combustion;

· Use of hydrogen and renewable fuels, such as biodiesel, ethanol, syngas, in propulsion and energy systems;

· Fluid dynamic characterization of turbulent jets;

· Design and analysis of endothermic engines for aviation;

· Development of models for the evaluation of wind turbine energy loss associated with blade damage;

· Development of methodologies for coupling meteorological models (mesoscale analysis) and fluid dynamic models (local-scale analysis) in order to simulate, at high spatial resolution, the wind field at ground heights of interest for modern wind turbines;

· Development of “shock-fitting” algorithms for the simulation of compressible flows with discontinuities.

Research projects

· Progetto di Ricerca Industriale e Sviluppo Sperimentale “SIMPA - Sistemi Innovativi per Motori a Pistoni Aeronautici”;

· Progetto di Ricerca Industriale e non preponderante Sviluppo Sperimentale “EXTREME - Tecnologie innovative per motori ad accensione comandata estremamente efficienti”;

· Progetto (AIM1859451) finanziato su Bando "AIM" (Attraction and International Mobility).

Publications

Prof. Vinicio Magi (Principal Investigator)

Prof. Aldo Bonfiglioli

Prof. Annarita Viggiano

Dr. Marco D’Amato

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