Contrôle d'écoulement autour d'un corps non profilé bidimensionnel en interaction avec le sol

L'objectif de cette contribution reposant sur une étude expérimentale est d'illustrer l’implémentation du contrôle d'écoulement sur un corps non profilé bidimensionnel et son effet sur la force de traînée associée. La stratégie de contrôle consiste à associer sur cette maquette à culot droit un volet d’angle 20° et un dispositif de soufflage par jets pulsés pour une injection périodique d’air à proximité de l’arête du volet. Une attention particulière est portée à l’effet de la distance entre cette maquette et la paroi inférieure de la veine d’essais sur le gain apporté par le contrôle, tout comme à celui de la vitesse de soubassement. Le nombre de Reynolds associé à cette étude est 175000 en prenant comme dimension de référence la hauteur de la maquette. L’évaluation de l’effet du contrôle sur la traînée est effectuée de manière indirecte par la mesure de la distribution de pression pariétale au culot de la maquette. On montre que la fréquence d’actionnement est un paramètre déterminant pour l’augmentation de pression au culot. Des mesures de vitesse par vélocimétrie par images de particules à haute fréquence d’acquisition ont été complétées de mesures par anémométrie à fil chaud. En plus de l’approche statistique s’appuyant sur la décomposition de Reynolds, une analyse de l’écoulement de sillage par une description sous forme de moyennes de phase, la référence de phase étant donnée par le signal de commande de l’actionneur, est menée. La fréquence d’acquisition élevée des champs de vitesse permet enfin la détermination de corrélations spatio-temporelles dans le sillage indiquant les échelles des structures cohérentes s’y développant sous l’effet du contrôle

Effects of Clinically Relevant MPL Mutations in the Transmembrane Domain Revealed at the Atomic Level through Computational Modeling

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the thrombopoietin receptor (MPL) may activate relevant pathways and lead to chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The mechanisms of MPL activation remain elusive because of a lack of experimental structures. Modern computational biology techniques were utilized to explore the mechanisms of MPL protein activation due to various mutations. RESULTS: Transmembrane (TM) domain predictions, homology modeling, ab initio protein structure prediction, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to build structural dynamic models of wild-type and four clinically observed mutants of MPL. The simulation results suggest that S505 and W515 are important in keeping the TM domain in its correct position within the membrane. Mutations at either of these two positions cause movement of the TM domain, altering the conformation of the nearby intracellular domain in unexpected ways, and may cause the unwanted constitutive activation of MPL's kinase partner, JAK2. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings represent the first full-scale molecular dynamics simulations of the wild-type and clinically observed mutants of the MPL protein, a critical element of the MPL-JAK2-STAT signaling pathway. In contrast to usual explanations for the activation mechanism that are based on the relative translational movement between rigid domains of MPL, our results suggest that mutations within the TM region could result in conformational changes including tilt and rotation (azimuthal) angles along the membrane axis. Such changes may significantly alter the conformation of the adjacent and intrinsically flexible intracellular domain. Hence, caution should be exercised when interpreting experimental evidence based on rigid models of cytokine receptors or similar systems

A Senescence-Like Cell-Cycle Arrest Occurs During Megakaryocytic Maturation: Implications for Physiological and Pathological Megakaryocytic Proliferation

During normal megakaryocyte development, in response to thrombopoetin, mature cells enter a senescence-like state in which they shed platelets; this state, characterized by cell cycle arrest, is defective in malignant megakaryocytes

Efficient and versatile CRISPR engineering of human neurons in culture to model neurological disorders

The recent identification of multiple new genetic causes of neurological disorders highlights the need for model systems that give experimental access to the underlying biology. In particular, the ability to couple disease-causing mutations with human neuronal differentiation systems would be beneficial. Gene targeting is a well-known approach for dissecting gene function, but low rates of homologous recombination in somatic cells (including neuronal cells) have traditionally impeded the development of robust cellular models of neurological disorders. Recently, however, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies have expanded the number of systems within which gene targeting is possible. Here we adopt as a model system LUHMES cells, a commercially available diploid human female mesencephalic cell line that differentiates into homogeneous mature neurons in 1-2 weeks. We describe optimised methods for transfection and selection of neuronal progenitor cells carrying targeted genomic alterations using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. By targeting the endogenous X-linked MECP2 locus, we introduced four independent missense mutations that cause the autism spectrum disorder Rett syndrome and observed the desired genetic structure in 3-26% of selected clones, including gene targeting of the inactive X chromosome. Similar efficiencies were achieved by introducing neurodevelopmental disorder-causing mutations at the autosomal EEF1A2 locus on chromosome 20. Our results indicate that efficiency of genetic “knock-in” is determined by the location of the mutation within the donor DNA molecule. Furthermore, we successfully introduced an mCherry tag at the MECP2 locus to yield a fusion protein, demonstrating that larger insertions are also straightforward in this system. We suggest that our optimised methods for altering the genome of LUHMES cells make them an attractive model for the study of neurogenetic disorders

Contrôle du sillage d'un corps non profilé : application expérimentale à une maquette simplifiée de véhicule industriel

This document presents the research work realized in the scope of a PhD thesis with Renault Trucks and the LMFA. A flow control strategy, combining an inclined flap with pulsed or synthetic jets, is experimentally studied to reduce the aerodynamic drag of square-back bluff bodies. A first approach consists in studying the effect of this strategy on the flow behind a twodimensional model. The near-wake flow is characterized by the use of velocity measurements obtained by Time-Resolved Particles Image Velocimetry and hot-wire Anemometry. These measurements show that the increase in rear base pressure, obtained in a specific range of actuation frequencies, is associated with the reattachment of the flow on the flap and with a decrease in velocity fluctuations within the recirculation area. A phase average analysis and the determination of space-time correlations allow identifying the aerodynamic disturbances induced by the control system and leading to these modifications of the wake flow. A synthetic jet system is integrated to a 1 :8 scale simplified truck model, with a wake flow similar to this of real trailers. Significant drag reductions are obtained using active control and are associated with the same flow phenomena as these observed in the two-dimensional model study. Eventually, a parametric study is performed and shows the robustness of the flow control strategy to the characteristics of the boundary layer developing on the model roof and to the flap length.Ce manuscrit présente les travaux de thèse réalisés dans le cadre d’une convention CIFRE entre Renault Trucks et le LMFA. Une stratégie de contrôle d’écoulement, associant un volet déflecteur et des actionneurs de type jets pulsés et synthétiques, est étudiée expérimentalement en vue de réduire la traînée aérodynamique de corps non profilés à culot droit. Une première approche consiste à étudier l’influence de cette stratégie sur une maquette bidimensionnelle. Des mesures de vitesse dans le sillage proche par TR-PIV et par anémométrie à fil chaud démontrent qu’une certaine gamme de fréquence d’actionnement permet à l’écoulement de recoller sur le volet et de diminuer les fluctuations de vitesse dans la zone de recirculation, ce qui engendre une augmentation de la pression au culot. Une analyse par moyenne de phase et la détermination de corrélations spatio-temporelles permettent d’identifier les perturbations induites par le contrôle conduisant à ces modifications de l’écoulement. Un système de jets synthétiques est ensuite intégré à une maquette simplifiée de véhicule poids lourd à l’échelle 1/8e, dont le sillage est représentatif des remorques réelles. Des gains en traînée significatifs sont obtenus et sont associés aux mêmes phénomènes aérodynamiques que pour la maquette bidimensionnelle. Enfin, une étude paramétrique montre la robustesse du contrôle aux caractéristiques de la couche limite incidente aux jets et à la longueur du volet déflecteur

Flow control of bluff body wakes : experimental application to a simplified truck model

Ce manuscrit présente les travaux de thèse réalisés dans le cadre d’une convention CIFRE entre Renault Trucks et le LMFA. Une stratégie de contrôle d’écoulement, associant un volet déflecteur et des actionneurs de type jets pulsés et synthétiques, est étudiée expérimentalement en vue de réduire la traînée aérodynamique de corps non profilés à culot droit. Une première approche consiste à étudier l’influence de cette stratégie sur une maquette bidimensionnelle. Des mesures de vitesse dans le sillage proche par TR-PIV et par anémométrie à fil chaud démontrent qu’une certaine gamme de fréquence d’actionnement permet à l’écoulement de recoller sur le volet et de diminuer les fluctuations de vitesse dans la zone de recirculation, ce qui engendre une augmentation de la pression au culot. Une analyse par moyenne de phase et la détermination de corrélations spatio-temporelles permettent d’identifier les perturbations induites par le contrôle conduisant à ces modifications de l’écoulement. Un système de jets synthétiques est ensuite intégré à une maquette simplifiée de véhicule poids lourd à l’échelle 1/8e, dont le sillage est représentatif des remorques réelles. Des gains en traînée significatifs sont obtenus et sont associés aux mêmes phénomènes aérodynamiques que pour la maquette bidimensionnelle. Enfin, une étude paramétrique montre la robustesse du contrôle aux caractéristiques de la couche limite incidente aux jets et à la longueur du volet déflecteur.This document presents the research work realized in the scope of a PhD thesis with Renault Trucks and the LMFA. A flow control strategy, combining an inclined flap with pulsed or synthetic jets, is experimentally studied to reduce the aerodynamic drag of square-back bluff bodies. A first approach consists in studying the effect of this strategy on the flow behind a twodimensional model. The near-wake flow is characterized by the use of velocity measurements obtained by Time-Resolved Particles Image Velocimetry and hot-wire Anemometry. These measurements show that the increase in rear base pressure, obtained in a specific range of actuation frequencies, is associated with the reattachment of the flow on the flap and with a decrease in velocity fluctuations within the recirculation area. A phase average analysis and the determination of space-time correlations allow identifying the aerodynamic disturbances induced by the control system and leading to these modifications of the wake flow. A synthetic jet system is integrated to a 1 :8 scale simplified truck model, with a wake flow similar to this of real trailers. Significant drag reductions are obtained using active control and are associated with the same flow phenomena as these observed in the two-dimensional model study. Eventually, a parametric study is performed and shows the robustness of the flow control strategy to the characteristics of the boundary layer developing on the model roof and to the flap length

Tire thermal analysis and modeling

Tires are of paramount importance in vehicle dynamics. They are the only vehicle’s components in contact with the road and hence transmitting necessary forces and moments for the vehicle to accelerate, brake and turn. So far, temperature influence on tire behavior has not hold car manufacturers’ interest so much. Tire models were usually limited to be mathematical models taking into account tire and axle geometry mechanical properties, normal load and inflation pressure. However, some differences appeared when comparing forces and moments estimated by tire models and measured test data. Part of these differences is now believed to be due to variation in tire thermal properties when the tire is subject to different stress types (slip and camber angles, normal load, inflation pressure, vehicle speed…). The aim of this study is to perform a thermal analysis of the tire. How its surface temperature varies depending on various conditions and how these variations influence the tire behavior will be of prior concern. Hence, some indoor tests will be performed by positioning the tire on the MTS Flat-Trac® III tire test system and using infrared sensors to measure the tire surface temperature. Experiments will be based on an experimental design where all the parameters believed to have an influence on the tire temperature will vary. Results will allow understanding which parameters are of primary importance for the temperature and will also be used to build up an empirical tire thermal effects model. This latter will be used in parallel with the currently used Pacejka model and take into account the variation of tire performance in terms of lateral forces. Eventually, the validation of the model will be done performing full vehicle tests

Active control of the flow behind a two-dimensional bluff body in ground proximity

International audienc

Experimental application of active flow control on a 1:8 scale, simplified truck model

International audienceThe effect of active flow control combining synthetic jets and inclined flaps on the flow behind a 1:8 scale simplified truck model is experimentally studied. Aerodynamic drag and base pressure measurements show that forcing the flow within a given range of actuation frequencies allows reducing the drag. However, results also show that such drag reductions greatly depend on the underside flow velocity