Predicting the sea surface from high resolution multi-beam FMCW radar data

In this thesis a deterministic wave model is used to reconstruct and predict the sea surface motion from FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radar data, produced by Radac. The deterministic model that is used to do this is based on the linear wave theory. The radar is looking horizontally straight towards the waves in 5 separate beam...

Predicting the air quality by combining model simulations with machine learning

Combating air pollution has proven to be a difficult task for countries with rapidly developing economies. Poor air quality can be hazardous to people doing any outdoor activities. So being able to make accurate, short term air quality predictions can be very useful. However, making these predictions has proven to be quite difficult, since there...

On the relation between cloud top temperature and precipitation

This thesis provides insights into the relation betwen two vital elements within the physical precipitation system: cloud top temperature (CTT) and precipitation. It investigates gauge data from ground stations in Germany and satellite data on CTT, targeted at the same stations in Germany. Cloud and rainfall characteristics<br/>are considered...

Time Optimization for Laser Sailing Races

Sailing against the wind follows a zig-zag trajectory. To find the optimal time and path-trajectory to move from one target to another during a race, this study analyzes how the wind determines the optimal time-path of Lasers, one of the smallest sailboats that compete during the summer Olympic Games.<br/>To answer this question, this study uses...

Trace metal pollution in the Scheldt estuary - a statistical approach to estimate the metal partitioning coefficient for a suite of metals

Trace metals appear in estuarine systems in two forms: dissolved and particulate. <br/>Describing the partitioning between these two forms is done by a coefficient, K_d, which relies on a number of environmental parameters, such as the salinity of the water and the seasonally dependent biological activity. Although this coefficient is known to...

Derivative Computation using an Adjoint-Based Goal-Oriented Iterative Multiscale Lagrangian Framework: Application to Reservoir Simulation

Even though negative effects on the use of crude oil have surfaced over the past years, our energy matrix still largely relies on this energy source. The production of oil, therefore, plays an important role in our society. Unfortunately, the process of oil production is highly uncertain. There are uncertainties associated on the production...

The shadow position mixing model tested for two turbulent flows

Predicting the behavior of turbulent flows and how thermochemical properties develop such as temperature, enthalpy or concentrations is an import aspect in various fields. However, numerical calculations have a high time complexity. Therefore, models were constructed to approximate these flows. This thesis focuses on using probability density...

Evaluation of Micromixing Models for Turbulent Mixing in Supercritical Water

Hydrothermal flames have become a very important field of study, especially for supercritical water oxidation. In supercritical water oxidation hazardous, toxic or non-biodegradable aqueous organic waste water streams can be efficiently destructed. Supercritical water oxidation takes place in a aqueous environment above the supercritical point....

Particle models for sand transport in water: analysis and simulations

This thesis describes how the simple random walk particle model can be extended to account for sand deposition and suspension, and for particle interaction: clumping together and falling apart. The extended models are analyzed, and the corresponding partial differential equations are derived. These equations are compared to the currently used...

Grey-box models for prediction and control of solar district heat plants

It has become clear that the global energy system needs to shift away from fossil fuels towards clean, renewable energy sources. Experience in the past decades has shown that at-plate solar heat panels can play a role in the energy system of the future, in particular in solar collector fields for district heat generation. This thesis concerns...

Operating Sittaung's Reservoirs: A two-stage model predictive control method for managing a multi-reservoir system for hydropower, irrigation and flood mitigation.

There is an increasing amount of attention for the application of model predictive control (MPC) for the optimal control of multi-purpose multi-reservoir systems (Tian et al. (2015), Raso (2013)). A major advantage of MPC is that multi-variate system dynamics and constraints of the control problem can be explicitly incorporated in the method....

Ensemble based Multiscale Reservoir Management under Geological Uncertainty

Polishing robot: vibrations due to impact: To simulate and correct unwanted behavior

The specific issue researched in this thesis is correcting some inaccuracies that occur when the robot is polishing<br/>certain shapes. The biggest challenge is to mathematically describe this phenomenon in order to find<br/>an appropriate correction. Since there are a lot of influences in the process (friction, movement, impact, degrees<br/>of...