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Research interests and affiliations

Research interests
  • Multiphysics and multiscale modeling of transport phenomena in multiphase systems
  • Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
  • Fluid and granular dynamics
  • Numerical methods:
    • Lattice Boltzmann (LBM)
    • Finite elements/volumes/differences
    • Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH)
    • Discrete element (DEM)
    • Artificial Intelligence-accelerated CFD
  • High-performance computing (HPC) and quantum computing
  • Computational porous and multilayered materials engineering
    • Materials for aerosol filtration (catalytic particulate filters, face masks, HVAC filters)
    • Thermal and acoustic insulation materials (foams)
    • Paper coating and printing

 

 

 

 

Expertise type(s) (NSERC subjects)
  • 2107 Modelling, simulation and finite element methods
  • 2200 FLUID MECHANICS
  • 2203 Modelling, simulation
  • 2202 Multi-phase systems
  • 2000 MATERIALS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • 2008 Other materials
  • 3151 Kinetic and transport theory of fluids, physical properties of gases
  • 1804 Heat transfer
  • 1805 Transport processes

Publications

Recent publications

Biography

David Vidal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering since March 2020 and Head of the NSERC-CREATE Simulation-Based Engineering Science (SBES) program. Previously, from 2013 to 2020, he was research associate at the Research Center in Industrial Flow Processes (URPEI) in Chemical Engineering, as well as a lecturer and coordinator of the SBES program. Among other things, he participated in the development of a new orientation for the undergraduate program, Génie Par la Simulation, common to aerospace, mechanical and chemical engineering, aimed at perfecting the training of undergraduate and graduate students in numerical modeling at Polytechnique Montréal.


Previously, David worked in numerical modeling as a scientific cooperant at the University of Amsterdam from 1996-1997, then as a senior researcher in the Product Performance program from 1998 to 2013 at the Pulp and Paper, Wood Products and Forestry Research Institute of Canada (Paprican/FPInnovations).


His university education (undergraduate and master degrees in chemical engineering at Université Laval and Polytechnique Montréal, and Ph.D. in computer engineering obtained in 2008 at Polytechnique Montréal) and his professional experience have led him to specialize in numerical modeling of complex systems and various transport phenomena applied to the performance of porous materials and its corollaries: high-performance computing and emerging numerical methods. He is author or co-author of more than 100 scientific papers.


David's main research interests focus on computational porous materials engineering, and on computational fluid and granular material dynamics applied to the development of innovative porous materials, devices and processes. His approach combines together experience, theory and numerical simulation to better understand, predict, control or optimize their behavior in order to improve their performance and reduce their impact on the environment. His current research themes are aerosol filtration (face masks, HVAC filters, catalytic particle filters, pressure swing absorption units...) and thermal and acoustic insulation materials (foams).

 

Education

  • Ph.D. in computer engineering, Polytechnique Montréal (2008)
  • M.A.Sc. in chemical engineering, Polytechnique Montréal (1996)
  • B.A.Sc. in chemical engineering, Université Laval (1994)

Supervision at Polytechnique

COMPLETED

Press review about David Vidal

June 22, 2023, Québec Science, L’étrange « effet noix du Brésil » David Vidal, professeur au département de génie mécanique, répond aux interrogations de l'«effet noix du Brésil».