Mechanics of Fluids and Energy – MFE

This scientific domain encompasses research into the aerodynamics and propulsion of aeronautical and space vehicles. This research is carried out by the Aerodynamics, aeroelasticity & acoustics department (DAAA) and the Multi-physics for energetics department (DMPE), respectively. The research is aimed at increasing the performance and safety of current vehicles and developing new configurations that are more economical and environmentally-friendly.

 

 

 

 

In aerodynamics, we study the fundamental phenomena (turbulence, separations, vortices, shockwaves, etc.) that limit the performance of aircraft, and how these are coupled with structural behavior (aeroelasticity). The contribution of these phenomena to noise (aeroacoustics) is also an important research topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the field of energy, the development of more efficient and less polluting propulsion systems is based on the mastery of different types of combustion (liquid, solid, hybrid) and on the design and characterization of new fuels. This field also covers research into the coupling of different physical phenomena, such as the behavior of materials subjected to intense heat flux (in atmospheric re-entry, for example) or the formation of ice on the sensitive surfaces of aircraft.

 

This research draws on the use of an extensive fleet of test resources (wind tunnels, test benches), on software tools managed by the Advanced Numerical Simulation scientific domain, and on the capacities of the supercomputers of ONERA and its partners.

 

Scientific topics of the Mechanics of Fluids and Energy – MFE domain

The MFE domain covers 13 scientific topics spread across 2 departments of ONERA.

Topics	Scientific Department	References (CNU - CoNRS)
Acoustics: sources, propagation and impact	DAAA-DMPE	60 - 9
Flow control	DAAA	60 - 10
Thermal degradation of materials	DMPE	60 - 9
Development of experimental setups and measurement techniques	DAAA-DMPE	60 - 10
Free flow dynamics	DAAA	60 - 10
Near-wall turbulent flow dynamics	DAAA-DMPE	60 - 10
Hypersonic flows	DAAA-DMPE	60, 62 - 10
Multiphase flows	DMPE	62 - 10
Reactive flows	DMPE	62 - 10
Exploitation of experimental and digital data	DAAA-DMPE	60, 61 - 10
Energetic materials, emissions and atmospheric dispersion	DMPE	62 - 10
Physics of icing	DMPE	60, 62 - 10
Heat transfer	DMPE	60, 62 - 9, 10