Ascolta

Description:

The Fluid Machinery group at the Department of Engineering of the University of Palermo promotes research and teaching activities in the field of the academic recruitment field 09/C1 “Fluid Machinery, Energy Systems and Power Generation”. More in detail, the sector carries out studies on the thermodynamic, fluid dynamic, energetic, technological and environmental performance and issues of fluid machines and of the related systems and plants. The expertise range from the design aspects, to the control technique and issues, from the diagnosis to the management, form the experimental test to the environmental impact of prime movers (turbines, internal combustion engines, etc..) and driven machines (compressors, pumps, etc..), as well as of combustors and heat exchangers. The sector also carries out studies in the field of stationary power plants, of motive power plants for ground, naval and aeronautic application, and of industrial or residential energy systems. More in general, the sector is involved in the study of energy conversion systems from conventional sources (thermal power, hydraulic power, cogeneration, etc..) and from renewable sources (solar, wind, waves and geothermal power, biomass and waste energy), of thermal and refrigeration plants, as well as of the energy transfer and accumulation systems, with a focus on the environmental aspect and issues.

Research activities:

• Theoretic and experimental study of internal combustion engines (ICE) for ground vehicles, for naval applications and for stationary power plants
• Hybrid vehicle powertrain
• Engine knock diagnosis and measurement
• Fluid dynamics of intake and exhaust systems of internal combustion engines
• Feedback control of the combustion phase in ICE
• Modelling of spark ignition engines
• Simultaneous combustion of gasoline and gaseous fuel (Double Fuel)
• HCCI combustion of gasoline-natural gas mixtures
• Performance and issues related to the use of biofuels in stationary engines

Keywords: Internal combustion engines, combustion and knock modelling, alternative fuels, hybrid powertrain