Presidential Faculty Fellow

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Research on this grant will be mainly centered in the areas of computation of combustion processes, numerical fluid dynamics, and turbulence. A key distinctive feature of the work involves model-free simulation of turbulent reactive flows, an approach divergent from traditional "closure" approaches to turbulence analysis. The major thrust of the research is concerned with development of a basic understanding of turbulent combustion phenomena, with a study of the pertinent issues as regards eventual application to practical industrial applications. The overall planned activities can be divided into four major areas: (1) study of fundamental issues as regards the physics of turbulence and turbulent combustion; (2) development of advanced computational tools for industrial use; (3) study of active and passive control of random and harmonic forcings for enhancement or suppression of mixing in a research combustor; and, (4) collaborative efforts in modeling of transport of gametes, spores, and planktonic of larvae of benthic species in turbulent flows. Among other outputs, this research should provide further insight into shortcomings associated with existing turbulence models and identify better approaches to improved (relative to current turbulent closure approaches) techniques for utilization in practical turbulent combustion modeling, providing guidance as to what types of approaches are most suitable for various classes of turbulent flow problems. In addition, the third study listed above has a long-term goal of establishment of input-output control devices/algorithms for definition and control of disturbances in practical combustion devices, while the fourth study is quite important as regards understanding of the dynamics of settlement and external fertilization in violent water motion and in modeling the ecology of wave-swept rocky shores.