Tom I. Shih - US grants

ABSTRACT The principal investigators propose to study a new technique to enhance convective heat transfer from hot surfaces. Arrays of concave indentations will be created on the surface to induce higher rates of heat transfer. This concept was first mentioned by Russian scientists at an international conference held in 1995. The Russian scientists conjectured that tornado-like bursts resulting from flow over the concavities were responsible for the enhanced heat transfer. Preliminary experimental measurements by the principal investigators did show enhanced heat transfer, but not the presence of tornado-like bursts. The proposed work will include comprehensive experimental measurements using the transient liquid crystal technique to establish the full effects of concavities. Three-dimensional numerical simulations using a finite-volume based computer code will be carried out to reveal the flow behavior.

Abstract
CTS-0001794
Tom Shih, Michigan State University


The focus of the proposed workshop to be held at Michigan State University is to identify barriers that prevent from CFD from being more useful in the design and analysis of automotive components and systems. Three panels will be invited to speak at the workshop, one academic and two industrial. The academic panel will consists of leading CFD researchers. The industrial panels will consists of CFD experts and managers from the Big Three (DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors) and representatives from the major CFD commercial code companies (Adapco, AEA, ANSYS, AVL and FLUENT).

The workshop will be held on June 14-16, 2000 at the University Faculty Club in East Lansing, Michigan.

A group of faculty at Michigan State University and the University of Tulsa has organized a pre-competitive, multi-university, multi-disciplinary NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) in the area of Multiphase Transport Phenomena.

Center research will focus on the further development, evaluation, and deployment of next generation multiphase models for turbulent and non-turbulent flows as well as computational methods for rapid design and analysis of process and equipment for a wide range of applications encountered in, but not limited to, the automotive, chemical, and petrochemical industries. Funds will be used to promote long-term synergistic partnerships among industrial members and academic research groups at the two universities. Specific problem-oriented research projects will be identified in collaboration with industrial members of the Center.

This proposal is one of three proposals to each plan participation in a new multi-university I/UCRC that aims to promote a research program of interest to both industry and universities on the analysis of multiphase phenomena. This new multi-university center will be able to have a broad impact on the industry through having each member's resources being enhanced by those of its partners which are also being recommended to receive a planning grant. The three partners, of which this is one are the Michigan State University, University of Tulsa, and University of Akron.

The proposed Center's goal is to focus on tackling the sophisticated challenges of computational multiphase transport phenomena which are of importance in the automotive, biochemical, chemical, food, mining, petrochemical an pharmaceutical industries.

The new center will focus on challenging problems in:

- Multiphase turbulent flows
- Multiphase materials processing,
- Multiphase mixing
- Next generation filtration based on nanoscale fibers, and multiphase separations.

The primary objective of this proposal is to enable first-principle simulations of liquid atomization involving turbulence in a realistic atomizer, which is at least an order of magnitude more complicated than is possible today with current computing capabilities. Achieving this objective will facilitate the fundamental understanding needed of liquid atomization. It will also enable the develop of a theory-based method for design, control, and optimization of atomizers for ultra efficient, clean, and stable combustion in automotive, aircraft, and rocket engines, for spray forming that creates structurally perfect materials, for liquid jets that will not atomize until reaching high elevations for fighting fires as well as other applications.

Broader Impacts of the Proposed Activity
The proposed research will greatly enhance the university's infrastructure for performing high-performance scientific computing of liquid atomization through parallel network RAM and the scientific software to be developed.
In terms of education and outreach, the results of this research will be disseminated via annual CFD short course and a workshop to be held at Michigan State University (MSU).
There will also be a summer internship program for undergraduate students each summer at MSU, where students will work with the PIs of this proposal in carrying out the research. For this internship program, students from under represented groups will be aggressively recruited.
Finally, undergraduate and graduate courses will be developed in liquid atomization in order to educate students in this area of scientific computing.