MechE PhD Prospectus Defense: Kathleen Dupre

TITLE: COMPUTATIONAL UPSCALING OF SMALL SCALE INTERFACIAL DYNAMICS IN LARGE SCALE SYSTEMS.

ABSTRACT: Interfaces are some of the most common occurrences in fluid dynamics often driving or characterizing fluid systems. Interfaces are, however, some of the most difficult dynamics to model in fluid systems, due to their discontinuous nature. My research uses computational upscaling of the fine scale interfacial dynamics to develop macro homogeneous models for complex systems. My preliminary research successfully used these techniques to obtain information about cavitation from single bubble dynamics. My dissertation research will use these techniques to develop porous media hydrodynamics models.

Porous media hydrodynamics is an important phenomenon in many systems, including groundwater transport and chemical processes such as gas separation. Modeling of porous media hydrodynamics is still primarily completed using the Darcy-Forchheimer equation. Although this method is adequate for some applications, when adding complex physics such as heterogeneities, variable density or viscosity, or chemical reactions it can become inaccurate or unstable. This is in part because the Darcy-Forchheimer does not describe the fine scale dynamics that govern these other processes.

My Ph.D. research will focus on developing a model for how specific geometric features of porous media affect the hydrodynamics. The developed model will be implemented in a porous carbon capture system for validation and verification. This work will provide information for a variety of applications and help improve modeling and development of porous media systems.

COMMITTEE: Advisor Emily Ryan, ME/MSE; Srikanth Gopalan, ME/MSE; Sheryl Grace, ME; Pirooz Vakili, ME/SE

When 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Thursday, July 25, 2019
Location 110 Cummington Mall, Room 245