Advanced Combustion Modelling for Scramjets and Rotating Detonation Engines. This project will develop new fundamental knowledge and engineering models underpinning air-breathing high speed propulsion engines employing complex hydrocarbon fuels. Extensive data and new physical understanding will be garnered through analysis of direct numerical simulations of supersonic reacting mixing layers including impinging shock waves. That data will be employed to isolate, test and develop computationally ....Advanced Combustion Modelling for Scramjets and Rotating Detonation Engines. This project will develop new fundamental knowledge and engineering models underpinning air-breathing high speed propulsion engines employing complex hydrocarbon fuels. Extensive data and new physical understanding will be garnered through analysis of direct numerical simulations of supersonic reacting mixing layers including impinging shock waves. That data will be employed to isolate, test and develop computationally efficient engineering models that are accurate and efficient for high speed combustion in rotating detonation engines and scramjets. Expected outcomes are knowledge and tools needed to develop practical and effective supersonic propulsion engines for access to space, defence and high speed point-to-point flight.
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Aerodynamic interaction of bluff bodies with applications to sports aerodynamics. Numerical modelling and experiments will be combined by this project to characterise the flow and reduce drag on a set of objects in the wake of another object. The Olympic pursuit cycling team is a typical application, with small improvements leading to major competitiveness gains. Findings will also apply to Paralympic team sports, and potentially transportation.
High-fidelity simulations for new models that reduce noise pollution. This project aims to develop a method for accurate and affordable prediction and mitigation of flow-induced noise. The innovative approach, based on recent developments in simulation and data-driven modelling, expects to reduce environmental noise pollution, improve public health and ease the impact of urbanisation. To date methodological limitations have hampered our ability to predict noise reliably and hence control it. Thi ....High-fidelity simulations for new models that reduce noise pollution. This project aims to develop a method for accurate and affordable prediction and mitigation of flow-induced noise. The innovative approach, based on recent developments in simulation and data-driven modelling, expects to reduce environmental noise pollution, improve public health and ease the impact of urbanisation. To date methodological limitations have hampered our ability to predict noise reliably and hence control it. This project, exploiting proven high-fidelity simulation and machine-learning techniques to overcome limitations to produce the scientific knowledge required for practical noise mitigation. Benefits include quieter aerospace, marine and renewable energy technologies, creating more pleasant communities.Read moreRead less
Catastrophic transition to turbulence in rotation-dominated flows. Rotation-dominated flows are very common in engineering applications and fluid dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and core. Such flows are known to make a sudden transition from an orderly to an energetic turbulent state and this project aims to discover the reason why.
Optimal design of controlled aerodynamic bodies: from concept to prototype. This interdisciplinary project will deliver technological advances in the areas of fluid dynamics, control systems and optimisation. It utilises advanced knowledge in these areas to design manoeuvrable aerodynamic bodies and will have a direct effect on Australian defence capability.
Predictive capability for particle capture in aquatic ecosystems. This project investigates the fundamental fluid mechanics of particle capture, whereby suspended particles contact and adhere to a solid structure. This process is examined in productive and biodiverse ecosystems (such as coral reefs and seagrass meadows) whose health, productivity and propagation are directly controlled by particle capture. Existing formulations for particle capture are valid only under highly idealised condition ....Predictive capability for particle capture in aquatic ecosystems. This project investigates the fundamental fluid mechanics of particle capture, whereby suspended particles contact and adhere to a solid structure. This process is examined in productive and biodiverse ecosystems (such as coral reefs and seagrass meadows) whose health, productivity and propagation are directly controlled by particle capture. Existing formulations for particle capture are valid only under highly idealised conditions that are grossly unrepresentative of the complexity of ecosystem flows. The goal of this project is to use a coupled computational-experimental campaign to develop predictive capability for particle capture in ecosystems, where the flow can be turbulent and/or wave-dominated and the biological structures complex.Read moreRead less
Designing textured roughness to control turbulent pipe flow. This project will combine a recent theoretical model of turbulent pipe flow with computer simulation to develop methods to control these flows (e.g. to increase mixing, reduce wall drag). Additionally we will extend the model so it can deal with many industrially significant flows of fluids carrying high concentrations of fine particles.