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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Computational fluid dynamics and its application to transport processes

subject

description

Fluid transport behaviour is of great importance within the chemical process industry and in biotechnology. The complexity of this behaviour, reflected in the nature of the fundamental partial differential equations which describe it analytically, means that it has to be treated by numerical methods. In this paper the basic equations are given, and the approaches necessary to treat laminar and turbulent flows are carefully explained. As digital computers have increased in size, so has the comprehensiveness of the problems which can be treated, and the development of typical computer programs is described. Problems of accuracy and experimental validation are also surveyed, and it is shown that recent developments in whole-field optical measurement methods, and image and data processing are all involved here. Then, a review of work at City University is shown to comprise typical examples of applications to engineering situations and biotechnology problems. Chosen instances of the former are flow and heat transfer behaviour for convective enhancement caused by roughness elements, and the design balancing of a thermosyphon. The latter include such diverse studies as blood flows in arterial bifurcations, and heat and mass transport in grain storage. They involve the three-dimensional and transient capabilities of current codes, and their applicability to non-standard geometries.