Rapid production of hollow spheres using coaxial nozzles: experiments

Supervisory Team:   Ivo Peters, John Shrimpton

Project description

When a gas surrounded by a liquid film flows out of a coaxial nozzle, the stream can spontaneously deform into liquid shells: bubbles of air trapped in a layer of liquid. Under the right circumstances, these liquid shells are highly reproducible and can form at a very high rate, up to thousands of liquid shells per second. This makes them highly desirable for industrial applications where hollow spherical objects need to be produced. Example application areas are encapsulation for pharmaceuticals, 3D printing of foam structures, shells for inertial confinement fusion, and even novel shower systems.

Despite this vast range of applications, how these liquid shells are formed, and what conditions are required, is not fully understood. A better understanding is needed in order to address specific application requirements. For example, the cost of a pharmaceutical product could be reduced by increasing the production rate, but this should be balanced by the potential negative impact on the reproducibility. Addressing this balance requires a thorough understanding of how the production rate influences reproducibility, and which nozzle geometry would be best suited for such a specific application.

In this project you will experimentally investigate the formation of liquid shells from coaxial nozzles. Nozzle can be machined and 3D-printed using different materials, and visualization will be done using state-of-the-art high-speed cameras.

The candidate should have a degree in physical sciences or engineering and have an interest in fluid dynamics. You will join an enthusiastic, friendly, and supportive team of PhD students and postdocs that all work on different experimental and numerical fluids projects within the Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics Research Group. You will further be interacting with an industrial partner that will support the research.

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr Ivo Peters. Email: [Email Address Removed], Tel: +44 (0) 2380 59 4643.

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: 31 August 2024

Funding: Funding for tuition fees and a living stipend are available on a competitive basis. Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

How To Apply

Apply online: Search for a Postgraduate Programme of Study (soton.ac.uk). Select programme type (Research), 2024/25, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, next page select “PhD Engineering & Environment (Full time)”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor Ivo Peters

Applications should include:

Curriculum Vitae

Two reference letters

Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: [Email Address Removed]

The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.