The dynamics of turbulent entrainment in sheared convective boundary layers. This project aims to develop general laws to enable the accurate prediction of boundary layer entrainment processes. This will be significant in a wide range of environmental and engineering applications. In particular, the current lack of understanding of this area is a major source of uncertainty in the latest generation of global climate models.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100985
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
Entrainment and interface dynamics of turbulent flows. Patches of turbulent flow such as in clouds, volcanic or bushfire plumes grow with time because they draw or entrain non-turbulent fluid through their boundaries. The quantity of fluid entrained, and why it entrains this amount, is poorly understood. This is a major bottleneck in our ability to predict how these natural phenomena evolve in time. This project aims to employ idealised laboratory models of these natural phenomena, and utilise h ....Entrainment and interface dynamics of turbulent flows. Patches of turbulent flow such as in clouds, volcanic or bushfire plumes grow with time because they draw or entrain non-turbulent fluid through their boundaries. The quantity of fluid entrained, and why it entrains this amount, is poorly understood. This is a major bottleneck in our ability to predict how these natural phenomena evolve in time. This project aims to employ idealised laboratory models of these natural phenomena, and utilise high quality measurement techniques and theoretical tools to quantify and understand the physical basis of the entrainment mechanism. The project aims to create better climate models and more accurate predictions of natural disasters associated with bushfires and volcanos.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Experimental facility for extreme air/sea interaction studies. The level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which cause global warming is greatly influenced by interactions at the air/sea interface. This infrastructure will allow in-depth studies of these interactions and contribute to much improved strategies to control greenhouse gases.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100067
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$210,000.00
Summary
Wind profiler network for planetary boundary layer research. Understanding winds in the lower atmosphere is of great fundamental and practical importance. This new wind monitoring network will help Australian scientists to better predict propagation of tropical cyclones, to improve the efficiency of wind energy production, and to better understand atmosphere-ocean interactions affecting weather and climate.
Turbulent flow over surfaces with spatially varying roughness. This project aims to improve understanding of the effect of spatial roughness transitions on turbulent flows. Fluids flowing over non-smooth surfaces influence our daily lives, such as water moving through a pipe, wind blowing over the Earth's surface or aircraft moving through air. The presence of surface roughness profoundly influences these flows. Though engineers have learnt to deal effectively with evenly distributed roughness, ....Turbulent flow over surfaces with spatially varying roughness. This project aims to improve understanding of the effect of spatial roughness transitions on turbulent flows. Fluids flowing over non-smooth surfaces influence our daily lives, such as water moving through a pipe, wind blowing over the Earth's surface or aircraft moving through air. The presence of surface roughness profoundly influences these flows. Though engineers have learnt to deal effectively with evenly distributed roughness, this is seldom encountered in reality. Rather, there are abrupt changes in roughness, for example at the edges of wind-farms or at rivets on aircraft. This project aims to investigate these important, but little understood, turbulent flows. Potential benefits include improved simulation, more efficient vehicle design and improved atmospheric and climate models.Read moreRead less
A predictive framework for the flow control of environmental roughness. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how macro-roughness controls flow, turbulence and transport in environmental systems. Exemplar systems range from flows over seagrass meadows, coral reefs and permeable beds in aquatic environments to flows over urban roughness in atmospheric environments. The overall health and function of these systems is intimately linked to how they modify the incoming fl ....A predictive framework for the flow control of environmental roughness. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how macro-roughness controls flow, turbulence and transport in environmental systems. Exemplar systems range from flows over seagrass meadows, coral reefs and permeable beds in aquatic environments to flows over urban roughness in atmospheric environments. The overall health and function of these systems is intimately linked to how they modify the incoming flow and the transport of nutrients, contaminants, heat and biota. Expected outcomes include novel theory and new predictive models to quantify the flow and transport 'climate' in these complex roughness systems. This will transform best practice in our understanding, management and protection of these critical ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Fluid-structure-acoustics interactions of bio-inspired flapping wings. This project aims to produce a deeper understanding of the role of wingtip feathers in the remarkable abilities of birds to fly in unsteady and unpredictable aerodynamic environments, and in some cases to do so almost silently. This is achieved by developing novel numerical methods integrating fluid, structure and acoustics interactions for large deformations and complex geometries. The numerical results are validated and com ....Fluid-structure-acoustics interactions of bio-inspired flapping wings. This project aims to produce a deeper understanding of the role of wingtip feathers in the remarkable abilities of birds to fly in unsteady and unpredictable aerodynamic environments, and in some cases to do so almost silently. This is achieved by developing novel numerical methods integrating fluid, structure and acoustics interactions for large deformations and complex geometries. The numerical results are validated and complemented by using flow, structure and acoustics experiments on dynamically scaled models. The insight gained provides design guidance for more efficient, robust and stable flight of bio-inspired micro air vehicles, and in reducing the noise impact of wind turbines by innovative blade leading edge and tip shaping.Read moreRead less
Structural transitions in turbulent fluids and plasma through self-organization. Studies into structural transitions in turbulent systems will greatly benefit Australia through its contributions to the science of complex systems, in the areas of self-organization and turbulence control. Applications range from understanding the formation of the Earth's atmospheric spectrum to generation of transport barriers in magnetically confined plasma, as well as development of novel methods of turbulence c ....Structural transitions in turbulent fluids and plasma through self-organization. Studies into structural transitions in turbulent systems will greatly benefit Australia through its contributions to the science of complex systems, in the areas of self-organization and turbulence control. Applications range from understanding the formation of the Earth's atmospheric spectrum to generation of transport barriers in magnetically confined plasma, as well as development of novel methods of turbulence control in engineering. Recent discoveries by the authors open a window of opportunity for a breakthrough in this fundamental field of modern science. The project is based on several national and international collaborations. Australian postgraduate and research training is an integral part of the project.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101098
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,000.00
Summary
Novel modelling of fluid-structure interactions in biological flows. The objective of this project is to develop a novel method to model fluid-structure interactions and turbulence in cardiovascular systems. The cardiovascular system is essential in providing nutrient and waste transport throughout the body. Because blood vessels and red blood cells are flexible, they are subjected to large deformations with significant effects on physiological functions such as blood distribution and oxygen rel ....Novel modelling of fluid-structure interactions in biological flows. The objective of this project is to develop a novel method to model fluid-structure interactions and turbulence in cardiovascular systems. The cardiovascular system is essential in providing nutrient and waste transport throughout the body. Because blood vessels and red blood cells are flexible, they are subjected to large deformations with significant effects on physiological functions such as blood distribution and oxygen release. Fluid-structure interactions are critical for understanding the intricacies of such systems but it is still a challenge to model these systems realistically using numerical methods. Expected outcomes of the project include better simulations of three-dimensional fluid-structure interactions and improved understanding of the behaviours of biological systems.Read moreRead less
WAKE FLOWS WITH UPSTREAM TURBULENCE IN MARINE, ATMOSPHERIC AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. Through improved understanding of turbulent wakes the project will have applications across aeronautics and hydrodynamics, leading to more efficient engineering designs to reduce flow drag. In marine environments our findings will improve coastal ocean models and the prediction of pollutant dispersal, nutrient fluxes and sediment transport, and contribute to the management of biological productivity (NRP 1.5). In ....WAKE FLOWS WITH UPSTREAM TURBULENCE IN MARINE, ATMOSPHERIC AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. Through improved understanding of turbulent wakes the project will have applications across aeronautics and hydrodynamics, leading to more efficient engineering designs to reduce flow drag. In marine environments our findings will improve coastal ocean models and the prediction of pollutant dispersal, nutrient fluxes and sediment transport, and contribute to the management of biological productivity (NRP 1.5). In the atmospheric boundary layer, the results will assist planners to improve wind environments near large buildings or clusters of buildings, benefiting the safety of aircraft at takeoff and landing. The project will develop collaboration and help maintain the strength of Australian research in environmental flows.Read moreRead less