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Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI)
Identification
Hosting Legal Entity
Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
Location
Chaussée de Waterloo, 72, Rhode-St-Genèse, PO: 1640 (Belgium)
Structure
Type Of RI
Single-sited
Coordinating Country
Belgium
Status
Status
Current Status:
Operational since 1956
Scientific Description
VKI is a non-profit international educational and scientific organisation, hosting three departments (aeronautics and aerospace, environmental and applied fluid dynamics, and turbomachinery and propulsion). It provides post-graduate education in fluid dynamics (research master in fluid dynamics, former "VKI Diploma Course", doctoral program, traineeship 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. It possesses about fifty different wind tunnels, turbomachinery and other specialized test facilities, some of which are unique or the largest in the world. 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 8-12 one-week Lecture Series each year 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 world-wide recognition over the years for their high quality, which is the result of a careful choice of subjects of current interest and lecturers known for their excellence in the field and willingness to co-operate in developing well-structured courses.

RI Keywords
Space applications, Satellites, Fluid dynamics, Applied fluid dynamics, Education, Safety valves, Turbomachinery, Aeroacoustics, Lecture series, Combustor, Aviation, VKI, Motor, Test facilities, Cubesats, Wind tunnels, Aerospace, Aeronautics, Aircraft, Compressor, Propulsion, Postgraduate education, Reentry, Research master, Environment
Classifications
RI Category
Aerospace and aerodynamics research facilities
Safety Handling facilities
Earthquake Simulation Laboratories
Mechanical Engineering Facilities
Environmental Management Infrastructures
Scientific Domain
Engineering and Energy
Services
Research Activities

The von Karman Institute undertakes and instigates research in the field of theoretical and experimental fluid dynamics including numerical methods. Extensive research on experimental, numerical and theoretical aspects of fluid dynamics, sponsored mainly by outside agency and industries, is carried out at the VKI under the direction of the Faculty and Research Engineers. Highlighted research: - Aero-thermal performance investigation of fixed and rotating rib-roughened cooling passages; - Aerothermodynamics; - Experimental characterization and modelling of hazards: BLEVE and Boilover; - Solid propulsion for European launcher; - Flight experiments development; - Aero-thermal performance of HP turbines; - Aero-acoustics in air and ground transportation; - Turbulent flow simulation; - QB50: the first network of CubeSats; - Computer aided design optimization of turbomachinery components; - Nanoparticles production; - Multiphase flows; - Aerodynamics of low pressure turbines.

Education

The von Karman Institute offers a wide variety of educational programs, from short training internships and final year projects for undergraduate students, to a full year of Research Master specialization, and a complete PhD Research program. The RESEARCH MASTER IN FLUID DYNAMICS (master-after-master): An accredited Master-after-Master specialization program of one academic year, with courses and master thesis project (60 credits). Teaching and supervision by the VKI faculty. The DOCTORAL PROGRAM: A multi-year program of basic research in fluid dynamics carried out in collaboration with a Belgian university or with the home university of the candidate. The SHORT TRAINING PROGRAM: A program to acquaint highly qualified undergraduate students with the practises of modern fluid dynamics. The BELGIAN UNIVERSITY MASTER THESIS PROGRAMME in fulfilment of the requirements of a Belgian University or Industrial Engineering school: Students enrolled in an engineering, industrial engineering or physics Master program at a Belgian University of Engineering School can carry out their Master Thesis project at the VKI under the supervision of a VKI faculty member, in agreement with their home university. The FOREIGN UNIVERSITY MASTER THESIS PROGRAMME in fulfilment of the requirements of a European or American University: Students enrolled in an engineering or physics Master program at a foreign (non-Belgian) University or Engineering School can carry out their Master Thesis project at the VKI under the supervision of a VKI faculty member, in agreement with their home university. The APPLIED RESEARCH ORIENTATION PROGRAM: graduates of the research master may be further instructed in the methodology of applied fluid dynamics and the practice of independent research.

Lecture Series

The von Karman Institute organizes 8-12 one-week Lecture Series each year 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 world-wide recognition over the years for their high quality, which is the result of a careful choice of subjects of current interest and lecturers known for their excellence in the field and willingness to co-operate in developing well-structured courses.

Access to Test facilities and Laboratories

The von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics has some of the most important and largest wind tunnel testing facilities in the world. Those facilities include low-speed and high speed wind tunnels, plasma facilities such as the well-known "plasmatron", water tunnel, turbomachinery facilities such as the biggest compression tube in the world "CT-3", ground vehicle facility, wind gallery, water spray, aero-acoustics and solid propulsion facilities and industrial test rigs. The VKI Longshot free piston tunnel is a short duration facility that can be operated with either nitrogen or carbon dioxide and is designed to provide the attainment of very high Reynolds number hypersonic flows. The Plasmatron is a high enthalpy facility in which a jet of plasma is generated in a test chamber kept at sub-atmospheric pressure (between 5 and 200 mbar). The plasma is generated by heating a gas (argon, N2 ,CO2 ,air or any other gas mixture) to temperatures up to about 10000 K, using electrical current loops induced inside a plasma torch. Electrodeless inductively-coupled plasma generators of this type offer much better plasma purity compared to classical arcjets, as there is no pollution from any vaporized electrode material. The CT-3 turbine facility is able to reproduce the operating conditions encountered in the high-pressure stages of modern aero-engines and/or stationary gas turbines. The Reynolds and Mach numbers can be adjusted independently. Heat transfer between the hot gas and the cold blades is also reproduced. The VKI low speed wind tunnel L-1A has a free jet test section of 3m diameter and 4.5m length. The 4.2m diameter contra-rotating fans of this facility are driven by a variable speed DC motor of 580 kW, allowing a continuous variation of velocity from 2 to 60m/s. The contraction ratio is 4 with a typical turbulence level of 0.3%.

Equipment
Low speed Wind Tunnel

3-Metre Diameter Wind Tunnel L-1A 2x3 Metre Wind Engineering Facility L-1B Low Speed Wind Tunnel L-2A Low Speed Wind Tunnel L-2B Twin-Jet Low Speed Wind Tunnel L-6 Low Speed Mini Wind Tunnel L-7 to L-13 Cold Wind Tunnel CWT-1 Adaptive Wall Wind Tunnel T´-3.

Plasma Facilities

15 KW Induction-Coupled Plasma Minitorch 1200 KW Induction Plasmatron.

Aeroacoustics Facilities

Aeroacoustics Facility ACOUS Solid Propulsion Facility BOOSTER.

Two-Phase Flow Facilities

Water Spray Facility WS-1 Wind Gallery WG-1.

Ground Vehicle Facility

High Speed Train Simulation Facility.

Turbomachinery Facilities

Low Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel C-1 High Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel C-3 Calibration Facility C-4 Isentropic Compression Tube Cascade Facility CT-2 Isentropic Compression Tube Annular Cascade Facility CT-3 Internal Cooling Facilities LC1-LC3 Rotating Channel Facility RC-1 Low Speed Single-Stage Compressor Facility R-1 High Speed Compressor Facility R-2 High Speed Compressor Facility R-4.

Water Facilities

Water Tunnel WT-1 Free-Surface Water Table.

High Speed Wind Tunnels

Mach 2 Supersonic Transonic Wind Tunnel S-1 Continuous High Speed Cascade Wind Tunnel S-1 Mach 3.5 Supersonic Wind Tunnel S-4 Mach 6 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel H-3 Mach14 Free Piston Hypersonic Wind Tunnel Longshot.

Industrial Test Rigs

Paint Roll Coating Facilities RO-CO Plate Galvanization Simulation Facility Essor Jet-Wiping Facility Ondule Multijet Facility for Metal Strip Cooling Drever Continuous Steel Casting Simulation Facility Vulcain Continuous Steel Casting Simulation Facility Pluton.

Collaborations
Networks
QB50
IFAR - International Forum for Research Aviation
Ledith
HAIDA Network
Date of last update: 17/03/2014
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