(3gf) Computational Methods for Particle-Laden Flows

Many natural and industrial processes involve the flow of solid particles whose dynamical evolution are strongly coupled with a carrier gas. Relevant examples may be seen in, but not limited to: chemical looping combustion, concentrated solar power, biomass pyrolysis, and catalytic riser-reactors. My work-to-date has been primarily focused on transport phenomena in particle-laden flows, with an emphasis on theoretical and computational descriptions. Of particular interest to me is heat transfer in gas-solids flows, heterogeneous catalysis, turbulence induced clustering, and non-spherical particle dynamics. To gain fundamental insight on such flows, I employ a mixture of analytical and numerical methods that range from the sub-particle scale (particle-resolved direct numerical simulation) up to the macro-scale (Euler-Euler two fluid model).

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests encompass traditional curriculum (e.g. fluid mechanics and reaction engineering) as well as the introduction of new courses. Specifically, I have a desire to develop/expand multi-phase and computational coursework. Despite the pervasiveness of multi-phase flows and advent of modern computing, these subjects are often less emphasized in the chemical engineering curriculum. However, exposure to core fundamentals in these growing fields will help prepare students for a future in industry, research, or academia. Naturally, such topics are highly interdisciplinary and would benefit from undergraduate and graduate level courses where the subject matter may be addressed with differing levels of rigor. Finally, it is my hope to bring a conversational approach to teaching that fosters student interact during lectures and incites questions; thereby supporting connections between rigorous fundamentals and applications.