Current Projects

  • NEW (Spring 2023): LAM Research Corporation and Oregon Metals Initiative (LAM-OMI): Accurate and Fast Characterization of Non-Continuum Flow Physics in Interfacial Gaps of Semiconductor Equipment: This is an industry sponsored project (Lam Research Corporation, Portland, Oregon) together with matching fund from Oregon Metals Initiative (OMI). The primary goal of the proposed research is to develop and evaluate the extended Navier Stokes equations (ENSE) based model for wide range of Knudsen number (0.001 < Kn < 50) flow and heat transfer within microchannels. It is proposed to first focus on single species heat and momentum transport in microchannels. A new computational model and algorithm will be developed for this application. PI-Apte is leading this effort.

    • We are looking for qualified and motivated students for this short term and demanding project.

  • Influence of Turbulence on Momentum Transfer at the River-Hyporheic Zone Interface: This is a collaborative project involing computations (Apte Research Group), modeling (Brian Wood, CBEE), experiments (Liburdy, MIME), and machine learning (Xiaoli Fern, EECS). The main goal is to develop closure models for large-eddy simulation of momentum transfer at the sediment-water interface over a bed of sediment. Using direct numerical simulations and experimental data, and machine-learning based data analysis, closure models for the subgrid scale quantities will be evaluated. We are looking for highly qualified PhD student (on the computational side) to work on this project starting immediately. Ideal candidate for would have some familiarity to computational methods (such as finite volume), large-eddy simulation or direct numerical simulation, turbulence, and high performance computing.

  • Direct Numerical Simulation of Transport in Turbulent Boundary Layers Over Sediment Bed (LRAC Frontera): In this work we plan to perform pore-resolved, direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent boundary layer flow over a permeable bed. The main goal of these numerical experiments is to test the hypothesis that structure and dynamics of turbulence over a porous sediment bed can be significantly different than that over an impermeable, rough wall. Bed permeability decreases anisotropy in the near-bed turbulence as compared to flow over an impermeable, rough wall and thus can alter momentum and mass transport across the sediment-water interface by influencing the sweep-burst cycle in turbulent boundary layers. Such simulations will require large-scale, high-performance computing power. Significant amount of computing time has been secured on Frontera under the Leadership Resource Allocation (LRAC) solicitation. Specifically, 500K Node-hrs were awarded for 2021-2022 (this computing time is equivalent to $200K in equipment resource) to conduct these simulations. This computing time resulted from work by graduate student Shashank Karra in collaboration with Dr. Xiaoliang He and partially supported through graduate student internship at PNNL (Dr. Tim Scheibe)    Press.

  • Collaborative Research: Shoreward Sediment Transport: Combining Highly Resolved Field Observations and Modeling to Examine Fundamental Processes Controlling Shoreline Adjustment: This is a NSF funded, collaborative research with Prof. Greg Wilson, Prof. Alex Hay and funded by the NSF's Physical Oceanography division (PREEVENTS) . Modeling shoreward transport requires representation of multiple transport processes that act across a broad range of scales, from small-scale turbulence, sediment mobilization, and fluid-sediment feedbacks, to wavelength-scale nonlinear wave processes. This work will involve predictive large-eddy simulation (LES) of nearshore ocean waves with modeling of sediment particles, a 1D, Reynolds averaged modeling of the transport, and also state-of-the-art field measurements broadband, pulse coherent acoustic doppler profiler (MFDop) for measurements of sediment concentration and velocity fluctuations on a natural beach in Oregon. A PhD student (Nathan Keane) is working on the LES modeling part of this topic.

  • A novel hybrid Eulerian/Lagrangian dual scale LES model for predicting atomization in realistic aircraft combustor fuel injectors (Funding: NASA): This is a collaborative project between Dr. Marcus Herrmann (ASU), Dr. Apte (OSU) and Cascade Technology. The goal of this project is to develop, verify, and validate a hybrid Eulerian/Lagrangian dual-scale LES model to predict atomization in realistic aircraft engine combustors. If successful, the model will significantly advance the predictive capabilities of aircraft engine simulations by avoiding the currently existing need to tune spray models with relevant experimental data that is dicult to obtain at best. The aircraft engine injector targeted in this proposal is a realistic high shear fuel injector containing 6 liquid fuel jets injecting into a swirling crossflow and an outer secondary swirling flow.

 
 
 
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