Particle dynamics in wall-bounded systems

The Place – Edinburgh Research Partnership in Engineering (ERPE) 

ERPE is a strategic alliance between Heriot-Watt University (HWU) and the University of Edinburgh, UoE, as two of the UK’s leading research universities in STEM. ERPE works with academics, industry and public sector partners to deliver world-leading engineering solutions and create commercial, social, environmental and economic impact. This PhD project involves a collaboration between the Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids (IMT) at the School of Engineering of UoE, and the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) at HWU. IMT is recognised in theoretical and experimental characterization of interfacial and reactive multiphase flows, while EPS combines a longstanding reputation in the energy sector and a pioneering role in the UK industrial decarbonisation with the new Global Research Institute GRI iNetZ+. The successful candidate will be co-supervised by Dr Khushboo Pandey from UoE and Dr Victor Francia from HWU. They will join Experimental MultiPhysics and MultiPhase flow group, E(MP)² Group at UoE, and xFlow (Complex Flow Technologies) at HWU. The E(MP)² Group at UoE focuses on experimental investigation and theoretical modelling of complex muliphase systems, specifically, particle dynamics and spray characteristics in extreme and turbulent conditions for developing sustainable energy technologies for power and propulsion. xFlow focuses on technology development, looking at new platforms with potential to disrupt the energy and manufacturing sectors. They intensify gas-solid operations and integrate them in the design of new circular processes to allow traditional chemical and biochemical industries to adopt sustainable practices quickly and efficiently.  

The Project 

In this project, we will work towards a fundamental understanding of complex particle dynamics in near-wall flow structures, such as deposition, resuspension and agglomeration. Deposition and resuspension are critical phenomena across a broad range of disciplines. Transport, deposition and resuspension of particulate matter and solid aerosols is ubiquitous in nature, and it has a direct impact in sectors spanning heath care (transmission of disease vectors) to renewable energy and space exploration (efficiency of solar panels), and a very broad range of manufacturing and environmental technology, from deposition on traditional multiphase reactors to water remediation technology, and the manufacturing of advanced materials via spray drying, granulation, coating, electrospraying. This project will advance the fundamental understanding of particle-particle interactions in wall-bounded flows, how particle flow, interact, deposit, agglomerate and resuspend in shear and swirling turbulent boundary small-scale wind tunnel and vortex flow chambers at the Small Research Facility for Multi-phase Flows at High Pressure and Temperature (UoE) and within REVOC (EPSRC-funded project k768£ FE) at xFlow laboratories (HWU). The PhD candidate will employ state-of-the-art flow visualization diagnostics (high-speed shadowgraphy, Particle Image Velocimetry, among others) to understand the particle dynamics in wall-near regions and quantify transport properties, flow structures and rate of deposition, resuspension and agglomeration ideal particulate systems. The fundamental dynamics studied here will find application in the validation of high-fidelity models of particle flow and the development of digital twins for a broad range of processes, from healthcare to energy and sustainable manufacturing. 

Interested candidates are advised to contact Dr Khushboo Pandey [email protected] from UoE and Dr Victor Francia, [email protected] from HWU.