MSCA-ITN-EID COMETE
Next-Generation Computational Methods for Enhanced Multiphase Flow Processes

COMETE is a European Industrial Doctorat funded by the European Community’s H2020 Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions framework. The duration of the project is 48 months, starting from November 1, 2018.

COMETE will provide training to 3 early-stage researchers in the development of next-generation scientific methodologies for complex industrial applications of multiphase flow technology. The joint training programme, based on training-through-research and training-on-the-job activities, is provided by renowned experts in the multiphase flow area at the University of Udine (IT), at TU Wien (AT) and at IMP-PAN Gdansk (PL), as well as highly-qualified industrial partners at EHP (BE) and ESTECO (IT). The complementary expertise of the industrial and academic partners is one of the key factors to ensure successful combination of technology-driven objectives and original research developments.

COMETE aims at building a computational framework and a network of competence to extend the applicability of state-of-the-art formulations to industrially-relevant multiphase turbulent flows. We focus on applications characterized by the transport of particles/droplets in two-phase flows with gas-liquid or liquid-liquid deformable interfaces, which are ubiquitous in process, chemical, and power engineering. The targeted applications are at the crossroads between academic research and practical concerns (e.g. particle deposition in boiling flows, droplet coalescence/breakup in emulsions, freezing/defreezing in heat pipes or changes in two-phase flow patterns) and their modeling in an industrial context represents a major challenge. This is due to the complexity arising from the co-existence of different phases, but also to a lack of cross-fertilization between academia and industry: Several methods and ideas exist but their application is often limited to flows of academic interest, with scarce transfer of skills, poor experimental validation and, most importantly, no unified framework into which existing methods could be cast. This represents a serious obstacle to industrial developments since engineers and practitioners can be unaware of which method to use and in need of support. To build the new framework, we consider emerging complementary methods, including Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Phase Field.