41381 Advanced Fluid and Particle Mechanics
6cp; 4hpw, on campus, standard, weekly: 2hpw (workshops), 2pw (tutorial)Requisite(s): 48641 Fluid Mechanics
Undergraduate
Description
In this Developing subject, students will be asked to engage in the analysis of complex fluids, which are widely used in modern technologies and industries, particularly in foods, water, printing and coating materials, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and mineral processing. Understanding the fundamental principles of non-Newtonian fluids and particle mechanics in a fluid is crucial in these engineering practices. The subject will equip students with practical knowledge of fluid and particle mechanics in the context of chemical process engineering, where fluid (liquid or gas) interacts with particulate solids.
The subject has three parts: it begins by covering rheological concepts of non-Newtonian fluids, such as viscoelasticity, physical properties, and quantities, with an emphasis on the design calculation of the flow. Basic principles of viscometry and analysis of rheological measurements are also introduced. Then, students are invited to investigate how complex fluids are understood within the context of microscopic aspects of surface and interface sciences. This includes surface and interfacial tension, surface chemistry, and their correlation to colloidal stability. The final section will provide coverage of single and multi-particles in fluid, solid-fluid transport, particle aggregation and agglomeration, and particle transport, slurries and fluid flow through a packed bed of particles are discussed in association with relevant case studies and numerical problem-solving methods using computational calculation.
Students will learn through interactive lectures, complemented by tutorials where they will engage in problem-solving related to the content covered in lectures. Laboratory practicals will give them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience operating small equipment.
Completion of this subject will enable students to describe and model the physical behaviour of fluid-particle systems and perform design calculations and analyses of typical chemical engineering processes involving non-Newtonian fluids or complex fluid-particle systems.
Typical availability
Spring session, City campus
Detailed subject description.