Overview
The project included a package of measures aimed at familiarizing with and implementing the state-of-the-art technologies and the latest European achievements in the field of operation of the Bulgarian Ship Hydrodynamics Centre (BSHC) into its research activity: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD).
These are the areas of most intensive progress and wide implementation in the practice of European hydrodynamic centres. The fulfilment of the proposed measures was expected to enable the Bulgarian Ship Hydrodynamics Centre to make up for the lagging behind in applying high technologies experienced to a certain extent in the last decade. That would allow the Centre to maintain its well-deserved position in the European research community and to participate on even terms in the advancement of the European science and technology.
- Reinforcement of the research capabilities of the Bulgarian Ship Hydrodynamics Centre (BSHC) both in terms of tools and human expertise.
- Closer integration of the Centre with the international professional community in its field of operation.
Both computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental fluid dynamics (EFD) have been the subject of the implemented measures including:
- Study visits to fellow centres in Europe for surveying the up-to-date developments in CFD and EFD.
- Purchase and implementation of state-of-the-art software and experimental devices.
- Training courses and workshops to produce qualified teams of experts in CFD and EFD, and qualified trainers in the field.
- Activities for information survey, exchange and dissemination by organization and/or participation in scientific conferences, and development of Internet resources.
Funding
Results
The major results and deliverables of the Project are:
- Policy and action plan for upgrade and development of Centre's CFD and EFD resources.
- Acquisition and implementation of the state-of-the-art CFD solver FLUENT and relevant pre- and post-processing software.
- Training of the staff (14 trainees) and young researchers from other related organizations in CFD simulations with Fluent.
- CFD-dedicated web site (cfd.bshc.bg) providing a forum for exchange of information and ideas thus consolidating the CFD community in Bulgaria and enhancing its relations with the international CFD society.
- Participation in 20 scientific events on CFD and EFD with 19 presentations.
- Organization and hosting of the 8th Numerical Towing Tank Symposium, a popular annual symposium on CFD applications in ship hydrodynamics. 50 researchers from 15 countries participated with 37 presentation.
- Acquisition and installation of the state-of-the-art data acquisition and processing system LabView with training of the staff (19 trainees).
- Acquisition and implementation of advanced measuring devices.
Policy implications
The implementation of the Project created a sound basis for achieving the long-term goal of BSHC to maintain the European level of its research activity, thus assisting the overall economic and social integration of the country in the European Community, in the following directions:
- Expansion of the scope of research and development services, i.e. meeting the demand of research in new and wider areas of country's economy.
- Improvement of the quality of research results by
(1) enhanced capabilities for more thorough investigation of complex hydrodynamic phenomena, and - (2) assisting the generation of better design solutions.
- Increasing the economic efficiency of research by shortening the time for investigations and reducing the number and volume of expensive physical experiments.
- Assistance in improving the University education in the fields of computational and experimental fluid dynamics and opening new attractive jobs or improving the mobility of young researchers.
EU accession issues
KEY RESULTS
The main objectives of the project were: reinforcement of the research capabilities of the Bulgarian Ship Hydrodynamics Centre (BSHC) both in terms of tools and human expertise and a closer integration of the Centre with the international professional community in its field of operation.
Among the key results relevant to the theme, the following can be mentioned:
- Policy and action plan for upgrade and development of Centre's CFD and EFD resources;
- Training of the staff (14 trainees) and young researchers from other related organizations in CFD simulations with Fluent;
- CFD-dedicated web site (cfd.bshc.bg) providing a forum for exchange of information and ideas thus consolidating the CFD community in Bulgaria and enhancing its relations with the international CFD society;
- Participation in 20 scientific events on CFD and EFD with 19 presentations;
- Organization and hosting of the 8th Numerical Towing Tank Symposium, a popular annual symposium on CFD applications in ship hydrodynamics. 50 researchers from 15 countries participated with 37 presentation.