Fluid flows through porous obstacles

Environmental and industrial fluid mechanics problems often involve flows through porous obstacles. Examples of practical applications include flow through atmospheric and aquatic vegetation, offshore structures, buildings exposed to flooding and arrays of turbines in tidal channels. Our ability to predict such flows crucially depends on understanding of the key processes occurring at the interface between ‘free flow’ approaching porous obstacle and ‘obstructed flow’ or ‘porous media flow’ through the obstacle. Despite several decades of extensive research our understanding of these processes is still incomplete.

This project aims to improve knowledge and understanding of flow through porous obstacles by producing a detailed experimental data set which will include uni-directional and oscillatory flows through porous obstacles with simple regular geometry. These data will be used to identify mechanisms responsible for mass and momentum transfer between the ‘free flow’ and the ‘porous media flow’, and to establish new turbulence closure relationships suitable for simulating these phenomena. The data set will also serve as a benchmark for testing numerical simulation models of fluid-porous interactions.

The successful candidate should have (or expect to achieve) a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2.1 or above (or equivalent) in Civil engineering, Mechanical engineering, Physics

Essential background: Fluid mechanics

Knowledge of: Turbulence, Porous media flows

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Formal applications can be completed online: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply. You should apply for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering, to ensure that your application is passed to the correct person for processing.

NOTE CLEARLY THE NAME OF THE SUPERVISOR AND EXACT PROJECT TITLE YOU WISH TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ON THE APPLICATION FORM.

Informal inquiries can be made to Professor D Pokrajac (d;[Email Address Removed]) with a copy of your curriculum vitae and cover letter. All general enquiries should be directed to the Postgraduate Research School ([Email Address Removed]).