László Daróczy

An automatic CFD-based flow diverter optimization principle for patient-specific intracranial aneurysms

The optimal treatment of intracranial aneurysms using flow diverting devices is a fundamental issue for neuroradiologists as well as neurosurgeons. Due to highly irregular manifold aneurysm shapes and locations, the choice of the stent and the patient-specific deployment strategy can be a very difficult decision. To support the therapy planning, a new method is introduced that combines a three-dimensional CFD-based optimization with a realistic deployment of a virtual flow diverting stent for a given aneurysm. To demonstrate the feasibility of this method, it was applied to a patient-specific intracranial giant aneurysm that was successfully treated using a commercial flow diverter. Eight treatment scenarios with different local compressions were considered in a fully automated simulation loop. The impact on the corresponding blood flow behavior was evaluated qualitatively as well as quantitatively, and the optimal configuration for this specific case was identified. The virtual deployment of an uncompressed flow diverter reduced the inflow into the aneurysm by 24.4% compared to the untreated case. Depending on the positioning of the local stent compression below the ostium, blood flow reduction could vary between 27.3% and 33.4%. Therefore, a broad range of potential treatment outcomes was identified, illustrating the variability of a given flow diverter deployment in general. This method represents a proof of concept to automatically identify the optimal treatment for a patient in a virtual study under certain assumptions. Hence, it contributes to the improvement of virtual stenting for intracranial aneurysms and can support physicians during therapy planning in the future.

From a quasi-static fluid-based evolutionary topology optimization to a generalization of BESO

A new algorithm is proposed for topology optimization based on a fluid dynamics analogy. It possesses characteristics similar to most well-known methods, such as the Evolutionary Structural Optimization (ESO)/Bidirectional Evolutionary Structural Optimization (BESO) method due to Xie and Steven (1993, “A Simple Evolutionary Procedure for Structural Optimisation.” Computers and Structures 49 (5): 885–896.), which works with discrete values, and the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method due to Bendsøe (1989, “Optimal Shape Design as aMaterial Distribution Problem.” Structural Optimization 1 (4): 193–202.) and Zhou and Rozvany (1991, “The COCAlgorithm–Part II: Topological, Geometry and Generalized Shape Optimization.” Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 89 (1–3): 309–336.) (using Optimality Criterion (OC) or Method of Moving Asymptotes (MMA)), which works with intermediate values, as it is able to work both with discrete and intermediate densities, but always yields a solution with discrete densities. It can be proven mathematically that the new method is a generalization of the BESO method and using appropriate parameters it will operate exactly as the BESO method. The new method is less sensitive to rounding errors of the matrix solver as compared to the BESO method and is able to give alternative topologies to well-known problems. The article presents the basic idea and the optimization algorithm, and compares the results of three cantilever optimizations to the results of the SIMP and BESO methods.

Application of Entropy Generation to Improve Heat Transfer of Heat Sinks in Electric Machines

To intensify heat transfer within the complex three-dimensional flow field found in technical devices, all relevant transport phenomena have to be taken into account. In this work, a generic procedure based on a detailed analysis of entropy generation is developed to improve heat sinks found in electric machines. It enables a simultaneous consideration of temperature and velocity distributions, lumped into a single, scalar value, which can be used to directly identify regions with a high potential for heat transfer improvement. By analyzing the resulting entropy fields, it is demonstrated that the improved design obtained by this procedure is noticeably better, compared to those obtained with a classical analysis considering separately temperature and velocity distributions. This opens the door for an efficient, computer-based optimization of heat transfer in real applications.

Analysis of the Effect of a Slotted Flap Mechanism on the Performance of an H-Darrieus Turbine Using CFD

Wind energy represents nowadays a very important source of energy for many countries. It provides an efficient and effective solution to reduce fuel consumption as well as pollutant emissions. VAWTs (vertical axis wind turbines) were originally considered as very promising, before being superseded by the present, horizontal axis turbines. There is now a resurgence of interests for VAWTs, in particular Darrieus turbines. VAWTs like the H-rotor Darrieus turbine appear to be particularly promising for low wind speed conditions, but suffer from a low efficiency compared to horizontal axis turbines. Additionally, Darrieus turbines are not self-starting, which is a major drawback. The present paper introduces a new idea to improve the global performance of Darrieus rotors, relying on a slotted flap. Due to its low manufacturing costs and size, a two-bladed H-rotor with a radius of 2 meters was retained as a first application example. The blade airfoil relies on the S1046 profile, which was shown in previous studies to be superior under relevant operating conditions [1]. The solidity (Nc/R) of the rotor is kept at 0.25 for all the computations. In the first step a parametric geometry is created, where the end of the blade is converted into a slotted flap (with appropriate rounding). The main parameters are the distance between the main part of the blade and the flap (width of gap), the angle of the slot and the angle of the flap. In the second step a systematic analysis of the effect of those variables on the force and power coefficient is carried out using three-dimensional full factorial Design-of-Experiment with an in-house parameterization and optimization software. For each configuration, force and power coefficients are calculated for four different tip-speed ratios (including the value, where the S1046 profile without flap shows its maximal power coefficient). The evaluation of each configuration is performed using a commercial CFD software. The flow is assumed in this first study to be two-dimensional and unsteady. Turbulence intensities follow the relevant norms (DIN EN 61400). Finally the results are compared to each other and to the reference design (S1046 without flap) and conclusions are given regarding power coefficient and flap load.Copyright

New Design Approach for Pitot-Tube Jet Pump

In this report the diffusor geometry for a Pitot-Tube Jet pump (PTJ pump) is optimized, using 3D, steady CFD methods (software: ANSYS Fluent) as well as mesh morphing (software: Sculptor). The design point is Q = 16 m3/h. A complex optimization loop is set up, which takes geometric constraints, as well as manufacturing limits into account. The optimization is multi-objective and best practice guidelines are derived for future diffusor designs with respect to the reduction of total pressure losses and the diffusor displacement in the fluid of the rotor cavity. Both, advantages and disadvantages, are listed and evaluated.Copyright