Jan-Hendrik Kruger- Doctor of Philosophy
- Senior Lecturer at North-West University
Jan-Hendrik Kruger
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Senior Lecturer at North-West University
About
27
Publications
1,264
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33
Citations
Introduction
Dr Jan-Hendrik Kruger has a keen interest in the practical use of engineering simulation. Topics include packed pebble bed thermal-hydraulics, centrifugal pump flow analysis, two-phase flow simulation, and aerodynamic analysis in the sailplane and solar car racing environments. Simulation in mechanical design also features through his work in a research team focussed on the development of upper and lower limb prosthetic devices, where biotech meets mechatronics and composite materials.
Skills and Expertise
Current institution
Publications
Publications (27)
![Figure 2: Conservation of momentum over a hydraulic jump. Adapted from [2].](profile/Jan-Hendrik-Kruger/publication/386284283/figure/fig2/AS:11431281294118009@1733028820854/Conservation-of-momentum-over-a-hydraulic-jump-Adapted-from-2_Q320.jpg)
Hydraulic control structures form vital components in modern infrastructure and engineering , from hydroelectric power generation to water storage and canal locks, and they need to be designed appropriately. Mechanical engineering students will benefit from practical exposure to hydraulic control structures supplementing their studies of fluid mech...
Optimising the efficiency of solar vehicles is highly dependent on the performance of their photovoltaic (PV) cells used to harvest solar energy. The operating temperature, which increases to 60-80 degC, significantly impacts efficiency, dropping with each degree above 25 degC, which is the standard operating temperature. The early designs of NWU s...
Propeller design for various aviation type applications has always been a challenging task where airframe, engine and propeller properties must match in order to obtain adequate thrust at the required flight speeds. This challenge becomes particularly intricate in applications like electric sailplanes, where propeller geometries face restrictions d...
This project aimed to create a cost-effective upper limb prosthesis that restores key aspects of function-ality. The resulting prosthetic hand features a fully articulated thumb and wrist along with abduction and adduction of the fingers, rare in commercial p rosthetics. Powered by an Arduino microcontroller, the prosthetic uses 14 clutch servos fo...
Coal-fired power plants depend on the milling and conveying of Pulverised Coal (PC), where the coal is milled down and then distributed through a network of pipes, using pneumatic transport, to individual burners that feed the boilers. These systems can be plagued by various operational problems due to varying flow conditions, which can even lead t...
As seen in the NWU Naleid2.0 solar car, a tiltable photovoltaic wing that dynamically aligns with the sun is an effective method of optimising solar radiation collection. However, this introduces a subsequent uncertainty regarding the lateral stability of the car, especially in crosswinds. The tilted wing increases the area exposed to crosswinds an...
The influence of different packing structures of packed bed particles on the fluid flow through packed beds was investigated. The flow through cylindrical packed beds consisting of mono-sized spherical particles was simulated using an explicit approach. These beds had cylinder to particle diameter ratios between 1.6 and 6.33. The results for the fr...
Part-load operation conditions of a centrifugal pump will impose potentially strenuous effects on the operation and reliability of the turbomachine in question due to the risk of suction recirculation. Suction recirculation in centrifugal pumps can be described as the flow reversal of the outer streamline in the impeller suction eye during operatio...
Given the current possibility of a nuclear power new build endeavour in South Africa, attention also needs to be focussed on the extent to which localization of the nuclear build will be implemented. This localization can extend into many different areas of expertise. One such area is the numerical simulation of the reactor core. This in turn can a...
Self-launching sailplanes are sailplanes equipped with a retractable propeller that can be used to launch the sailplane, as well as to extend flights. The engine-driven propeller is mounted on a pylon and is deployed out of the fuselage when needed. When the system is deployed, it breaks the streamlined shape of the sailplane and as a result, incre...
The physical phenomena associated with the modes of heat transfer within a packed pebble bed can be modelled by explicitly solving the associated partial differential equations using a finite volume method approach. Convection from the spheres to coolant, conduction between spheres as well as radiation between various components are the main modes...
Purpose
The flow characteristics in packed beds with small cylinder diameter to particle diameter ratios were investigated numerically using the commercial CFD package Star-CCM+®. Local rises in total pressure on the surfaces of the particles were observed. This paper reviews the relationship between the rise in total pressure on the surfaces of th...
![Figure 2. Single plate showing channels machined in the surface [1].](profile/Jan-Hendrik-Kruger/publication/369033922/figure/fig1/AS:11431281157854584@1683920321771/Single-plate-showing-channels-machined-in-the-surface-1_Q320.jpg)
Micro-channel heat exchangers consist of a number of plates, each containing fluid channels etched in the surface and diffusion bonded together to create a porous core of metal. The primary and secondary sides of the exchanger are formed by connecting the channels on alternating plates to the respective leader pipes. To analyze the thermal response...
Complex thermal-fluid systems may consist of many interacting components such as pipes, heat exchangers, turbines and boilers. The first of two major design challenges is to predict the performance of all the thermal-fluid components on the system level and the second is to predict the performance of the integrated plant consisting of all its sub-s...
Thesis (Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005. The accuracy of two-phase flow simulations is mainly determined by the mathematical formulations and resolution of the computational mesh used in the numerical model. Selective mesh refinement improves the accuracy of results while maintaining low resource r...
The accuracy of two-phase flow simulations is mainly determined by the mathematical formulations and resolution of the computational mesh used in the numerical model. Selective mesh refinement improves the accuracy of results while maintaining low resource requirements. Object-oriented simulation software was developed that allows the mathematical...
For the efficient operation of electrostatic precipitators gas flow patterns should be optimised and particle collection must be effective. A numerical model is presented to investigate the electrohydrodynamic conditions inside a wire-plate precipitator. The finite-volume approach to the electrostatic and fluid dynamic models and Lagrangian approac...
