The Research Group «Aerodynamics, Wakes, and Interactions» focuses on aero- and hydrodynamics of generic shear flows (wakes, jets, boundary layers, separated flows, vortices, …) and their possible interactions with bodies. It covers, in particular, the following research areas

• fluid-structure interactions,
• stability, transition and turbulence,
• optimization, sensitivity and flow control,
• vortex dynamics and wakes,
• heat and mass transfer,
• interactions in multiphase flows,

including couplings with

 –    the physical properties of the fluid (such as compressibility, variable density, or complex rheology),
–    perturbations at different scales (arising from turbulence, from the presence of solid/liquid/gas inclusions, or due to interface fragmentation or coalescence), and the development of theoretical and numerical tools for flow transition analysis.

Model for a bio-inspired A320 wing. The emission lines obtained from time-resolved PIV show the « turbulent – non turbulent » interfaces and the « turbulent – turbulent »  interfaces manipulated by the morphing. The blue and red fields depict the evolution of both shear zones featuring Kelvin-Helmholtz vortices, evolving downstream into a Bénard-von Kármán vortex street. The command laws are designed in collaboration with ONERA Toulouse, partner of the SMS project.

The main goal of our research is twofold: to reach a better understanding of the physical mechanisms governing the phenomena investigated, and to improve their modeling (in particular, to achieve refined predictions or efficient flow control). For that purpose, we use advanced methodological tools, either experimental, theoretical or numerical, and when relevant, a combination of these approaches.

Besides their fundamental interest, our investigations are very often associated with specific applicative issues, covering a large range of situations and fields:

• transportation, aeronautics and space: improvement of aerodynamical performances, reduction of acoustic emissions, water management in air cooling systems,…
•  energy and industrial processes: energy harvesting, enhancement of wall heat transfer, fluidic mixer in chemical processes or for nuclear safety, oil transportation,…
• environment, resource and risk management: vortex transport and mixing (of pollutants, sediments,…)
• life engineering: control of cerebral flows, flowmeters in oxygen supply, modeling of pulmonary clearance, flow cytometry,…