Curriculum Vitae
Professor François Avellan, Ph.D.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Principal Scientist
Structural Dynamics & Hydraulic Machines
POWER ENGINEERING - Irvine, California
1998-Present

Expert in testing and analysis of hydraulic machinery and hydropower applications. Extensive experimental and theoretical research in flow analysis, cavitation and transient fluid effects, provides superior insight into diagnosis and performance improvement of turbines, pumps and other hydraulic machinery.

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Head of Hydraulic Laboratory 
 LMH -  Hydraulic Machines Laboratory    
 EPFL - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology  
 STI - School of Engineering

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Lausanne, Switzerland
1994-Present

Supervise staff of 35 technicians, graduate students and researchers. Teach courses in the areas of Hydraulic Machines and Hydropower. Perform experimental and theoretical research on flow analysis, cavitation, transient, stability conditions and model testing of hydraulic machines. Grants from NEFF, PSEL, CERS-CTI, Alsthom, Brite Euram-OFES, DRET, EDF, Hydro-Qu�ec, Sulzer Hydro, Hydro-Vevey, GE-Canada, Voith, Voest-Alpine.

Supervise model acceptance tests of hydraulic machines for major hydropower plants worldwide, including Itaip, Ataturk, LG 2, LG 3, LG 4, Guangzhou, Isle Maligne, Wells Dam, Robert Moses, Kootenay Canal, etc.

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Senior Researcher
EPFL-IMHEF
Lausanne, Switzerland
1988-1994

Head of Cavitation and Flow Analysis Research Groups.

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Researcher
EPFL-IMHEF
Lausanne, Switzerland
1988-1994

Head of Cavitation Research Group.

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Engineer
EPFL-IMHEF
Lausanne, Switzerland
1988-1994

Hydrodynamic Tunnel and High Speed Cavitation Tunnel Design.

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Professor
FRENCH NAVAL ACADEMY
1991-Present

Special lectures on cavitation.

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Visiting Scientist
RESEARCH CENTER of HYDRO-QUEBEC
July - August 1989

Experimental study of cavitation erosion.

 

• July 1980: Engineering Doctorate
  IMST Air-Sea Interaction Simulation Facility
  University II of Aix-Marseille, CNRS Assoc. Lab. n 130 -- Marseille-France
  Dissertation title: "Two phase characteristics of particle exchange at the air-sea interface: instrumentation study."
  Thesis supervisor: Prof. A. Favre, member of the French Academy of Science.
• July 1977: Hydraulic Engineer Diploma
  ENSH-INPG, French Institute of Technology, Hydraulic Engineering Dept., Grenoble - France, 1977
• June 1974: Masters of Mathematics
  Lycée Pottier, Orleans - France.
• July 1972: French high school diploma in science (Baccalauréat C).
  Lycée Denis Poisson, Pithiviers-France

• 1984-Present: IAHR, International Association of Hydraulic Research Member of the Executive Committee of the Section on Hydraulic Machinery and Cavitation.
• 1994 to present: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), Convenor of Working Group 23 of Technical Group n4 on Hydraulic Machines. Member of working group on the revision of the model acceptance test standard n1993.
• 1996 to present: International Hydropower Association (IHA), Member of Executive Committee.

National

• 1977-Present: La Houille Blanche, Society of the engineers graduated from INPG Member of the foreign section.
• 1978-Present: SHF, Society Hydrotechnique de France Active Member of the Cavitation Group.
• 1995-Present: SIA, Society of Swiss engineers and architects Member of the Section from the Canton of Vaud.
• 1995-Present: Schweizerischer Wasserwirtschaftsverband, Member of the Swiss association for the development of waters.

Local

• 1994-Present: MhyLab Foundation, Lab. for testing mini hydro Member of the Foundation Council.

Link to IMHEF
The Institute of Hydraulic Machines and Fluid Mechanics
Research and teaching institute within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland.