Marie-Océane, tell us about the subject of your thesis...
Marie-Océane: I’m performing studies on the condenser, a component of the propulsion system. One of the objectives is to develop a computational model making it possible to simulate behaviour scenarios of the component when exposed to specific circumstances. Another is to qualify this model on a test bench that we have designed to compare numerical and experimental results.
What business need does it meet at Naval Group?
Vincent: The condenser is driven by complex physical phenomena that no computational code can correctly describe. No representative test currently exists either for these phenomena, particularly when the condenser is subjected to extreme conditions or to damage. While this issue is a matter of interest to different departments in Naval Group, Marie-Océane is the first to have come up with such a thorough model. It will help to optimise sizing of components around the condenser and secure the equipment.
We’ve never had the time to carry out such an in-depth study. This is one of the reasons why it’s a good idea to entrust such work to a PhD student.
What are the advantages of preparing a thesis at Naval Group?
Vincent: Preparing a thesis applied to a practical subject, in an industrial setting, as allowed by the CIFRE* thesis, is an incredible challenge! Compared to a university thesis where PhD students are often left to their own devices, I make it a point to remain available for students under my supervision.
Marie-Océane: I’m really lucky to have the opportunity to experience the two very different aspects of an engineer’s role, within a company and in a laboratory**. Evolving in a company also enables you to acquire experience. You are involved in its operation and interact constantly with other departments, particularly in order to understand the initial need. I am paid as a junior engineer so there are financial advantages as well.
What results have you obtained? And what are your perspectives?
Marie-Océane: We’ve met our objectives, on the whole. We noticed a good level of coherence between the results of the numerical model and experimental results. The ambition in 2024 is to industrialise this method, pursuing the validation of tests to ultimately propagate the computational code at the Naval Group site of Nantes-Indret.
Marie-Océane who has now been recruited, will be able to pursue work on this subject, among others.
*CIFRE: Industrial research-based training agreement
**L’Institut Pprime is CNRS’ very own research unit, in collaboration with ISAE-ENSMA and the Université de Poitiers.