Finite element methods for microscale multiphase flows: application in separation processes

• Grant number: 14/14720-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): July 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Transport Phenomena
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Carlos Buscaglia
• Grantee: Stevens Paz Sánchez
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação (ICMC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07375-0 - CeMEAI - Center for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/20115-5 - Trapping bacteria efficiently to inform treatment of urinary tract infection using microfluidic chips: a mathematical modelling and observational study, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

This Phd research project propose the study of finite element methods for dynamic meshes, intending to simulate multiphase flows, specially those happening in dense-packed layer of droplets. Such flows are inherent to oilindustry applications, specially in the modeling of phase separation devices. The equations modeling such fluid flows will be discretized in an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian framework, with suitable boundary conditions between the different fluids. Some numerical challenges in this application are the correct representation of the interface between fluids, the geometry and topology maintenance of the dynamic mesh and modeling of microscale phenomena, such as droplets coalescence. (AU)