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National Science FoundationCombined Research and Curriculum DevelopmentMultiphase Transport Phenomena
Charles Petty (PI), Mei Zhuang (co-PI), George Chase (co-PI), Ram Mohan (co-PI), Marilyn Amey (project evaluator) |
Logo by Michael Skeggs |
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Oil Droplets Coalesced onto Glass Fibers and Polymer NanofibersD.H. Reneker and G.G. Chase, Coalescence Research Consortium, MPEC, The University of Akron, 6 March 2000. |
Multiphase transport phenomena (MTP) problems encountered in engineering may involve the simultaneous transport of heat, mass, and momentum in two or more immiscible phases. An improved understanding of MTP problems has evolved recently due to the availability of laser-based flow measurement technologies, inexpensive computing systems, and improved computational protocols. As a consequence, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis has emerged as an innovative diagnostic tool for a wide range of multidisciplinary problems in engineering and science
This Internet course is designed as a bridge between fundamentals of single-phase transport phenomena and fundamentals of multiphase transport phenomena that support the interpretation of new science and technology as exemplified by the coalescence of oil droplets onto glass fibers and polymer nanofibers (shown above). The use of industrial and academic CFD case studies serves an important pedagogical role in the learning process. The goal is to help students achieve a level of understanding that will support an ongoing learning experience in the application of multiphase transport phenomena principles in design and research.
The course uses a topical lecture series approach to provide training in multiphase transport phenomena in support of the CFD summer workshop design projects. The selected topics are integrated and designed to promote group discussion related to 1) multiphase model formulation, interpretation, and experimental validation; 2) numerical methods that support current state-of-the-art commercial CFD codes; and, 3) the integration of MTP/CFD tools into the design process. A web based bulletin board and targeted chat room sessions provide a means for class discussions.
The target audience is diverse and includes advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and postgraduates engaged in computational analysis of single-phase and multiphase transport phenomena. Students enrolled in the topical lecture series should have the following academic experiences:
