Supervisors: Prof. James Sprittles (Maths), Dr. Radu Cimpeanu (Maths), Dr. Tom Sykes (Eng.)

Summary:

This project is a pioneering study into the microstructural development inside spreading and solidifying droplets (Fig.1e), to solve 21st century challenges such as efficiency-reducing ice accretion on wind turbines (Fig.1f) and poor bonding in the 3D printing of metals (‘MetalJet’ Fig.1b,c). Guided by experts in the latest scientific techniques, you will predict the complex dendritic growth of crystals within a droplet (Fig.1a,d), connect this to engineering-scale mechanical properties and have the opportunity to apply machine learning image processing techniques to guide theory with experimental analyses. Your research will lead to new discoveries and a close interaction with our industrial collaborators.

Background:

A New Research Direction

The project tackles a fascinating, evolving set of open problems, which are ripe for analysis. In modelling, this includes capturing dendritic growth on the microscale and developing a new multiscale method for ‘upscaling’/‘coarse-graining’ this information into a macroscopic model. For the computation, you will develop a robust method for capturing complex dendritic interfaces within an evolving domain (i.e. in a droplet). Finally, you will need to connect this with our experiments using machine learning image processing techniques that simultaneously capture the solidification front geometry and temperature in order to initiate a positive feedback loop with the evolving theory.

An Outstanding Research Environment

You will be hosted within the HetSys CDT, which will provide you with a firm foundation in the latest cutting-edge theoretical and computational techniques from applied mathematics that are required to make a success of this project. The PhD team itself boasts an excellent balance of theoretical (Sprittles, Maths), computational (Cimpeanu, Maths) and experimental (Sykes, Engineering) expertise that will guide you through the project and yet retain some flexibility for you to pursue your own leads towards the end of the PhD. Our interdisciplinary team will also provide a multitude of opportunities to integrate within vibrant research groups and their activities. Within Warwick, you will benefit from internationally-leading cross-departmental expertise in both fluid/solid mechanics and computational modelling. Crucially, training in the HetSys CDT and this application-ripe area will arm you with key technical skills that are sought in both academia and industry.

A Collaborative Network

CFD has been revolutionary in major industries (e.g. aeronautics) and advances here would transform many technologies, e.g. those aimed at preventing ice formation on roads/aeroplanes/wind-turbines, improving the quality of 3D-printed metal parts, and thermal spray coatings. The project offers you training opportunities in rigorous mathematical and data-driven modelling, with an interdisciplinary mindset. The initial foci are the 3D printing of metals, with Nottingham’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM) and Lawrence Livermore National Labs, and de-icing aircraft, with AeroTex (a UK SME). Discoveries in this project could enable disruptive technologies that put the UK at the forefront of these multi-billion-pound markets as well as providing scientific guidance to safety/certification within the aerospace domain.