NUMECA’s experience with Industry-Academia Partnerships and Patways (IAPP) programs Presentation given at the Journée Marie Curie Ecole Royale Militaire, Brussels November 6 th, 2009 J. E. Anker, Prof. Ch. Hirsch, NUMECA Int., Av. Franklin D. Rooseveltlaan 5, B-1050 Bruxelles/Brussel, Belgium

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, Outline  Brief presentation of NUMECA Int.  Importance of innovation and support for R&D  Experience from previous EU projects  Marie Curie AdComb-CFD ToK-IAP project (FP6)  Marie Curie COMBINA IAPP project (FP7)  IAPP projects – Challenges and benefits  Conclusions

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, NUMECA – Activities and locations  NUMECA International s. a. was created in 1992 as a spin-off of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)  Main activities:  Development of software systems for the simulation of fluid flows  Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software for analysis and optimization of fluid machinery and aero-nautical systems  NUMECA Int. is a globally acting high-tech company:  Employs globally 70 CFD experts and highly qualified engineers  NUMECA Int. has its headquarters in Brussels and subsidiaries in Mons (B) and San Francisco (USA). Distributors located worldwide: Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, India, China, …

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Preprocessing tools / Grid generation software:  Task: Definition of geometry, boundary conditions, subdivision of computational domain in finite volumes (grid)  Hexpress™: Generates unstructured, hexahedral grids  Autogrid/IGG: Automated generation of structured grids  Flow solvers:  Task: Numerical solution of the flow equations  FINE™/Turbo Flow Solver: Leading flow solver for turbomachinery applications using structured grids  FINE™/Hexa Flow Solver: General, multi-purpose flow solver using unstructured hexahedral meshes  Post-processors / Visualisation:  CFView™ for visualization and evaluation of the simulated flow fields  Unique features:  Flow Integrated Environments: Complete software packages with flow solver and pre- and postprocessor (FINE™/Turbo, FINE™/Marine, FINE™/Hexa)  Turbomachinery modeling capabilities (Non-linear harmonics method)  FINE™/Design3D: Software for design and automatic optimization of turbomachinery components NUMECA - Products

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Aerospace:  ARIANE propulsion; cryogenic engines  Objectives: Predict and improve performances; engine stabilization  Aeronautics:  Aero engines; civil and military aircrafts  Objectives: Wing-fuselage interactions, optimize guide vanes and blades, understand aerodynamics  Power generation:  Gas and steam turbines; axial and centrifugal compressors  Objectives: Blade design; minimization of exergy losses  Environment:  Flow around buildings, ventilation (HVAC), pollution  Objectives: Architectural impact on the wind flow, emission prediction NUMECA’s products – Some areas of application

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, NUMECA – Some of our customers

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, Importance of innovation and support for R&D  Importance of innovation:  CFD software systems need to employ state-of-the-art methods in  Numerical and applied mathematics  Computational physics  Computer and engineering science to be as efficient and accurate as possible  Being innovative and up-to-date in the aforementioned disciplines is a key element for the successful development of CFD software systems  Importance of technological and financial support for R&D:  Strong efforts in R&D are important for NUMECA to keep its technological leadership, remain competitive and to develop next-generation products  Since efforts in R&D are cost-intensive, it is essential for an SME to obtain technological and financial support

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, Experience from previous EU projects  NUMECA has been involved in several EU projects either as a partner or as a coordinator  NUMECA has initiated and coordinated several projects:  TROPHY (FP5) on hydroplaning simulation  AdComb-CFD (ToK-IAP FP6) project ( )  NODESIM (FP6) on non-deterministic simulations  COMBINA (IAPP FP7) on combustion models for industrial applications  Participation in EU funded research projects can be a difficult task:  Certain level of recognition of the in-house technology is essential for the ability to establish a network  Research projects are generally led by large enterprises (although the EU has specific programs to support the participation of SMEs)  IAPP-program (FP6: ToK-IAP) is an excellent opportunity to establish contact and exchange personnel between academia and industry

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Goal of the Marie Curie AdComb-CFD ToK-IAP project (FP6) was:  AdComb-CFD: “Advanced Combustion Models for CFD Applications”  University partners provide industry state-of-the-art combustion models for non-premixed combustion  Industry provides university partners with professional software and expertise  Partners in the project:  TU Delft, TU Delft, Univ. of Heidelberg, NUMECA (Coordinator)  Knowledge transfer:  RANS- and LES based combustion models  Radiation modelling  Software-engineering, professional validation procedures AdComb-CFD project – Goal and Partners

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, AdComb-CFD project – Motivation  Development of the FINE™/Hexa unstructured software package towards a multiphysics-multipurpose CFD solver  Turbomachinery applications, conjugate heat transfer, fluid-structure interaction, acoustics  Combustion (heat release, pollution)  Radiation modeling  Long term goal:  Software package for the simulation of a complete aero engine including combustion chamber  Situation before NUMECA obtained the AdComb-CFD IAPP project:  NUMECA had profound expertise in CFD for fluid machinery and aerodynamic devices  No in-house expertise on combustion modeling  Acquisition of knowledge in combustion and radiation modeling was therefore necessary

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, AdComb-CFD project – Results (examples)  Turbulent flame  GUI  Glass-furnace  Gas turbine combustor:

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th, COMBINA project  COMBINA - Combustion Models for Industrial Applications (IAPP FP7)  Development of combustion models for the simulation of aero-engine and stationary gas turbine combustors  Transfer of knowledge program with leading European universities (The Netherlands, Germany, France, Turkey)  Turkish SME will support the project by providing experimental data from industry-like test cases  NUMECA is coordinating the project  The project is guided by an Industrial Observer Group (IOG)  Representatives from companies in the energy sector (gas turbine) and in the aero-nautical field (aero-engines)

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Planning phase  Definition of a project with partners that contributes to the global objectives of the European program  Proposals require attention to both technical and non-technical issues  Socio-economic impact  Demand for novelties and innovative research in a ToK/IAPP project  Start-up phase (after the proposal has been approved)  Not all university partners are immediately able to find suitable post-docs which they can assign to the project  Change in planning necessary to accommodate for problems with recruitment  Reporting:  Financial reporting can be difficult since the guidelines are open to interpretation  Technical reports are easy to write IAPP projects – Challenges

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Industry’s point of view – experience from the AdComb-CFD project  NUMECA has obtained state-of-the-art technology in modeling of non- premixed combustion  Creation of a network of relations and potential partners within the European research community in combustion  Source of creativity – regular discussion with leading academic institutions has provided NUMECA with new innovative ideas  Academic partners:  Establishment of additional contacts with industry  Development of combustion models from a software engineering and industrial point of view  Platform for testing of new combustion models for complex applications IAPP projects – Benefits

Journée Marie Curie, Brussels, November 6 th,  Strong efforts in R&D are important to remain competitive and to develop next generation products  Since efforts in R&D are cost-intensive, it is essential for an SME to obtain technological and financial support  EU programs offer unique possibilities to establish Inter-European co- operations, pathways and networks  IAPP-program is an excellent basis for  establishing contact and exchanging personnel between academia and industry  increasing the technological expertise and know-how of all partners involved  supporting applied research  providing industry with most recent results from the research community Conclusions