Areas

Research Line: Pipeline Engineering

With an applied focus, and aiming to anticipate the future industry needs, this multidisciplinary research line addresses relevant  to issues in the pipeline transportation segment of the oil and natural gas production and distribution chain. The main topics include structural integrity, risk analysis, risk-based inspection, structural analysis of subsea pipelines, sensing and instrumentation, instrumented pigs, thermo-hydraulic flow simulation and flow assurance. Professors:

• Angela Ourivio Nieckele
• Arthur Martins Barbosa Braga
• Luís Fernando Alzuguir Azevedo
• Mônica Feijó Naccache
• Paulo Roberto de Souza Mendes
• Roberta de Queiroz Lima

Research Line: Petroleum Engineering

This research line focuses on issues relevant to the Exploration and Production (E&P) segment of the oil and natural gas chain. Research work includes reservoir engineering, drilling, well engineering, and production engineering. Research topics in this line include fiber optic sensing for permanent downhole monitoring, intelligent completion, smart fields, rheology of unconventional fluids of interest in the E&P segment, multiphase flow, fluid flow in the drilling process, flow in porous media, emulsion flow, and reservoir modeling. Professors:

• Angela Ourivio Nieckele
• Arthur Martins Barbosa Braga
• Luís Fernando Alzuguir Azevedo
• Marco Antonio Meggiolaro
• Marcos Sebastião de Paula Gomes
• Márcio da Silveira Carvalho
• Mônica Feijó Naccache
• Paulo Roberto de Souza Mendes
• Rafael Menezes de Oliveira
• Roberta de Queiroz Lima
• Sergio Leal Braga

Research Line: Energy Systems

This research line focuses on the rational use of energy sources, considering thermodynamic, economic and environmental aspects. Topic under development include conversion of diesel engines to natural gas consumption, cogeneration and alternative generation, fuel cells for electricity generation and cogeneration, as well as regulation of the natural gas sector in the country's market. Professors:

• Florian Alain Yannick Pradelle
• Marcos Sebastião de Paula Gomes
• Sergio Leal Braga

Associated Laboratories

Advanced Computing Laboratory Robotics Laboratory Rheology Laboratory Computational Transport Phenomena Laboratory Fluid Engineering Laboratory Micro Hydrodynamics and Porous Media Laboratory Dynamics and Vibrations Laboratory Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics Laboratory Photomechanics Laboratory Fiber Optic Sensors Laboratory

Associated Courses

Research Line: Fluid Engineering

This research line encompasses experimental and computational simulation activities aimed at studying fundamental and applied problems involving fluid flow. Numerical simulations cover a wide range of flows using finite volume and finite element techniques, including applications from low Reynolds number flows with free surfaces to turbulent flows at high Reynolds numbers and multiphase flows. The development of turbulence models and efficient and robust computational methods is also one of the main focuses of this research line. Another area of research is the study of the rheological behavior of materials, considering their theoretical, numerical, and experimental aspects and analyzing unconventional materials, such as viscoplastic and viscoelastic fluids. Additionally, experimental and numerical research is conducted in atmospheric pollution, involving the dispersion of particulate (aerosol) and gaseous pollutants. Advanced techniques for fluid flow measurement, such as hot-wire velocimetry, laser-Doppler, and optical techniques using digital image processing of flows, are also developed and applied.

Professors:

• Angela Ourivio Nieckele
• Igor Braga de Paula
• Luís Fernando Alzuguir Azevedo
• Marcos Sebastião de Paula Gomes
• Márcio da Silveira Carvalho
• Mônica Feijó Naccache
• Paulo Roberto de Souza Mendes
• Rafael Menezes de Oliveira

Research Line: Thermal Machines

This research line focuses on developing simulation models and conducting experimental tests of heating, cooling, air conditioning systems and components. Emphasis is placed on studying of new refrigerants, non-azeotropic mixtures, hydrocarbons and air, as well as developing high-performance heat exchangers. Applied thermal accumulation in refrigeration or heating systems is also an investigated focusing on phase change systems, such as encapsulated materials or ice slurry. The Vehicle Engineering Laboratory – LEV, conducts studies related to fuel evaluation and engine performance.

Professors:

• Florian Alain Yannick Pradelle
• José Alberto dos Reis Parise
• Marcos Sebastião de Paula Gomes
• Sergio Leal Braga

Research Line: Heat and Mass Transfer

This research line involves theoretical, numerical and experimental studies addressing fundamental and applied aspects of heat and mass transfer problems. Numerical studies on combustion models and their industrial applications are also addressed. These studies are complemented by advanced laser combustion diagnostic techniques. Professors:

• Angela Ourivio Nieckele
• Florian Alain Yannick Pradelle
• José Alberto dos Reis Parise
• Marcos Sebastião de Paula Gomes
• Mônica Feijó Naccache
• Rafael Menezes de Oliveira
• Sergio Leal Braga

Associated Laboratories

Rheology Laboratory Laboratory of Transport Phenomena Computation Fluid Engineering Laboratory Micro Hydrodynamics and Porous Media Laboratory

Associated Courses

MEC2124 – Continuum Thermomechanics I
MEC2303 - Thermodynamics
MEC2310 - Experimental Methods in Thermociences
MEC2320 - Transport Phenomena
MEC2322 - Heat and Mass Transfer
MEC2335 - Computational Fluid Dynamics
MEC2338 - Advanced Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
MEC2339 - Advanced Refrigeration System Simulation
MEC2341 - Advanced Computing in Transport Phenomena
MEC2343 - Solar Energy
MEC2344 - Fluid Mechanics I
MEC2345 - Fluid Mechanics II
MEC2346 - Multiphase Flow
MEC2347 - Heat Transfer I
MEC2348 - Heat Transfer II
MEC2349 - Atmospheric Pollution Control
MEC2350 - Finite Elements in Fluids
MEC2351 - Fundamentals of Atmospheric Pollution
MEC2352 - Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
MEC2353 - Simulation of Refrigeration Systems
MEC2354 - Thermal Accumulation
MEC2355 - Turbulence
MEC2356 - Heat Transfer with Phase Change
MEC2357 - Internal Combustion Engines
MEC2373 - Flow in Pipelines
MEC2376 - Non-Newtonian Fluids in the oil Industry
MEC2377 - Flow in Porous Media
MEC2378 - Thermodynamic Analysis of Processes
MEC2382 - Natural Gas Engineering
MEC2388 - Fundamentals of Combustion

Research and development projects in this area can be accessed on the professors' web pages.