Partners
Cetim : Technological institute specialised in mechanics
At the crossroads of research and industry, the technological institute Cetim is the French centre of expertise in mechanics. As an R&D platform for nearly 7000 mechanical organisations, it employs 650 people, more than half of which are engineers and technicians, generating a turnover of 100 M euros. Its reach is further strengthened by a network of scientific and technical partners.
While offering strong support to its national clients, Cetim’s industrial capacities also have a global reach, including Francophone regions.
As a pioneer in numerous innovative projects, Cetim is the leader of large-scale, multi-partner industrial and R&D projects covering 5 key areas: design, simulation, testing – material and manufacturing procedures - mechatronics, control and measurements – sustainable development - management and support to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Through R&D partnerships with large, specialised entities, Cetim offers a global and multi-disciplinary approach to transform and deploy scientific knowledge of applications in its service to industry.
Cetim : Fluid and flow engineering
Collective studies
- R&D pumps, valves, turbines, pressure valves, motor-compressors, food and agriculture applications, industry, energy and water cycle
- Expertise in standardisation in the fields of turbines, pumps and industrial valves- including safety valves
- Independent Cofrac laboratory for testing of pumps, faucets and valves
Experience
- Qualification testing: qualification of hydraulic components according to international standards
- R&D assessment and material testing: diagnostic testing of hydraulic systems, on-site testing, network design, waterhammer calculations (AFT) ; design and implementation of experimental R&D loops, tests; verification of acceptance trials for hydraulic components not tested at Cetim ; mechanical design of test benches
- Training
VKI: von Karman Institute
VKI is a non-profit international educational and scientific organisation, hosting three departments (aeronautics and aerospace, environmental and applied fluid dynamics, and turbomachinery & propulsion). It provides post-graduate education in fluid dynamics (research master in fluid dynamics, former "VKI Diploma Course", doctoral program, short training program and lecture series) and encourages "training in research through research". The von Karman Institute undertakes and promotes research in the field of fluid dynamics. Extensive research on experimental, computational and theoretical aspects of gas and liquid flows is carried out at the VKI under the direction of the faculty and research engineers, sponsored mainly by governmental and international agencies as well as industries.
The von Karman Institute organizes each year 8 to 12 one-week Lecture Series on specialized topics in the field of aerodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer with application to aeronautics, space, turbomachinery, the environment and industrial fluid dynamics. These courses have gained over the years world wide recognition for their high quality which is the result of a careful choice of subjects of current interest and lecturers known for their excellency in that field and willing to co-operate in building up well-structured courses.
VKI has a permanent staff of approximately 100 persons, among them 21 research engineers and 16 professors. Besides the permanent staff about 190 students and temporary researchers are involved in the different academic programmes. Students involved in these programmes have been recently awarded numerous prestigious grants such as those provided by the Belgian agencies FNRS, FRIA, FWO, IWT and the European Union ERC and Marie-Curie.
Furthermore, this Center of Excellence operates about fifty different wind tunnels, turbomachinery and other specialized test facilities; some of them being unique. The facilities of the Institute are renowned and VKI is recognized as a world-class research center of excellence by its peers. As an example, VKI and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November 2011 under which VKI acts as a reference laboratory for ESA. This agreement involves 10 research staff and more than 20 PhD students in a continuous effort devoted to the present space transportation missions and the challenges of the future space explorations.
VKI Fluid Dynamics
The research and teaching activites at the von Karman Institute are grouped in different research areas like ground testing for spatial vehicles, aerothermodynamic, aeroacoustic, multiphase flows, nanoparticles, optimization, process safety, wind engineering, development of turbomachinery design tools, studies about low pressure compressor aerothermal effects, low or high pressure turbines and cooling systems, and high speed propulsion, but also development of advanced instrumentation or high resolution numerical schemes.