Current Research Projects
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Computational Mechanics: The graduate focus emphasizes basic research on CFD weak statement methods, using finite element semi-discretization and their efficient implementation in parallel processing environments. Topical publications include:
Ventilation/ Chem-Bio Transport: Develop and/or apply CFD algorithms / codes for prediction of mass transport in enclosed spaces, with emphasis on indoor air quality (IAQ) and contaminant (chem/bio) issues. Apply developments to diverse environments, hence interact with FAA and ISO standards in commercial, industrial and aircraft environments. Topical publications include:
On-going projects include:
Diffuse Plasma-Flow Interaction: An RF plasma device has been developed capable of covering large surface areas with a glow discharge at atmospheric air conditions. Potential applications include sterilization, surface cleaning and aerodynamic boundary layer interactions (Prof. Rothde Lab). Recent publications:
Laser Material Processing: The UTSI Center for Laser Applications has pioneered utilization of high power lasers in materials processing applications. This surface treatment configuration generates a tightly coupled analysis problem statement in the fluid-thermal-metallurgical sciences. The intense radiation environment promotes melting, hence free-surface fluid flow and constituent migration, followed by solidification. This CFD Lab research project seeks to identify, in mathematical/physics completeness, the corresponding conservation law systems with constitutive closure model candidates applicable to simulation of the process. The resultant conservation/constitutive partial differential equation (PDE) system will be converted to computational syntax via weak form approximation theory, leading to a time-accurate implicit finite element discrete implementation. The JICS- CFDLab prototype parallel computational simulation code (PICMSS) is planned implemented with the developed algorithm. On-going projects include:
Automotive Inflator Simulation: Develop and apply CFD modeling techniques to prediction of the rapid transient, compressible flow fields associated with automotive airbag inflator operation. Develop pertinent dynamic visualization procedures for CFD simulation review, hence technical data assimilation. Ongoing projects include:
Inverse Uncertainty Analyses for Heavy Metal Casting: seeks to develop inverse uncertainly analyses of algorithms used to model heavy metal casting operations. The Metal Preparation Modeling (MPM) Project is directed toward atomistic modeling of the casting process, the effectiveness of which may be hindered by the lack of accurate thermal, physical and structural data for materials of interest. Inverse uncertainly analysis of MPM-type algorithms shows the potential for estimation of the tolerances to be imposed upon casting input parameters in order to ensure a specified output tolerance. This project is designed to provide guidance on the quality of material parameters required to establish meaningful computational simulations of the casting process. Thereby, the goal is to assess, given a critical output tolerance, the potential for success of computational simulations in predicting which material properties must be known accurately, may be roughly estimated or uncertainty essentially ignored. This project, conducted in collaboration with JICS, utilizes the LANL “Truchas” code as the computational platform. Its parallel execution is enabled on the CFD Laboratory Linux PC parallel cluster. Ongoing projects include:
The Internet CES Collaboratory: Current thinking in the Computational Engineering Sciences (CES) technical community leads to the idea of accessing computational resources, both software and hardware, brought together "just in time" on the Internet to perform large scale computational simulations. The current NFS-NSDL project funds prototype design for practical creation of this environment for CFD modeling (see PICMSS). Internet Education Outreach: The CFD Lab graduate academic curriculum lecture is moving to the Internet, employing random-access video streaming from a dedicated website. This enables anyone anywhere to "tune in" to topical graduate courses for selfe-study or credit/audit (see Internet Courses). |
