UK Fluids Network

流体力学支撑着许多成熟的和新兴的英国工业，以及气候科学和能源消耗等关键的社会问题。英国几十个机构的流体力学研究仍然是世界一流的。然而，随着最近研究委员会的资金集中在少数几所大学，需要一个跨机构的网络来确保学术和工业研究人员能够获得最广泛的专业知识和资源，并能够继续在关键的新兴领域进行创新。英国流体网络的战略使命是使英国成为创新、相关和有影响力的流体力学的国际焦点，作为一个团体与工业界接触，并在社区内建立领导地位。流体力学研究的早期发展受到空气动力学的推动，这仍然是该学科的一个重要分支；罗尔斯·罗伊斯、空中客车和BAE系统公司是道林商学合作研究报告中被点名最多的6个合作伙伴中的3个。随着学科的成熟，广泛的跨学科应用已经出现在研究委员会的优先领域。例子包括复杂流体和流变学、碳捕获和储存，以及能源挑战主题和“未来制造”倡议的许多方面。英国的流体力学研究在许多团体中仍然是世界一流的。在EPSRC的2010年国际数学科学评论中，英国流体力学研究被描述为领先于亚洲国家和欧洲其他国家，仅次于美国。然而，在识别和资助关键的新兴领域、在资金日益充足的竞争中吸引国际投资、吸引从未参与过合作的公司、以及对不断变化的研究理事会资助模式做出反应等方面存在着持续的挑战。该网络的目的是使英国流体力学社区能够应对这些挑战。在英国流体力学学界有大约20个联合项目，其中许多得到了研究委员会或InnovateUK的支持。这些是特定学科的，如英国湍流联盟、英国应用空气动力学联盟和工业数学KTN，或特定应用的，如航空航天技术研究所、能源生成和供应KTN和运输KTN。这些研究集中在有限的既定领域，因此只涵盖了英国流体力学活动的一小部分。许多新兴领域虽然最有可能带来重大变革，但却落在了夹缝之间。UKFN将补充这些联合努力，促进跨学科研究和与工业界的接触，并支持40个特殊兴趣小组（SIGs），解决现有联合努力之外的工业、科学和社会挑战。英国国民阵线从现有的海外网络中汲取灵感。荷兰汉堡中心（www.jmburgerscentrum.nl）提高了荷兰流体力学研究的国际知名度和国家影响力。欧洲流动，湍流和燃烧研究共同体（ERCOFTAC www.ercoftac.org）组织sig，最佳实践指南和行业活动。欧洲力学学会（www.euromech.org）组织会议和讨论会。美国物理学会流体动力学分会（APS-DFD）协调美国流体力学界向资助机构进行宣传。在印度和中国也有类似的组织。为UKFN提议的活动旨在对英国产生类似的影响。

Fluid mechanics underpins many established and emerging UK industries as well as critical societal issues such as climate science and energy consumption. Fluid mechanics research in the UK remains world-class across several dozen institutions. However, with the recent concentration of research council funding in a few universities, a network across institutions is needed to ensure that academic and industrial researchers can access the widest pool of expertise and resources, and can continue to innovate in critical emerging areas. The strategic mission of the UK Fluids Network is to keep the UK an international focal point for innovative, relevant, and impactful fluid mechanics, to engage as a group with industry, and to build leadership within the community.Early developments in fluid mechanics research were motivated by aerodynamics and this remains an important branch of the subject; Rolls-Royce, Airbus, and BAE Systems are 3 of the 6 most named partners in the Dowling review of Business-University Research Collaborations. As the subject has matured, a wide range of inter-disciplinary applications have emerged within research council priority areas. Examples include complex fluids and rheology, carbon capture and storage, and many aspects of the Energy challenge theme and Manufacturing the Future initiative.Fluid mechanics research in the UK remains world-class across many groups. In EPSRC's 2010 International Review of Mathematical Sciences, UK fluid mechanics research was described as ahead of Asian countries and the rest of Europe, behind only the US. However, there are on-going challenges to identify and fund critical emerging areas, to attract international investment against increasingly well-funded competition, to engage companies that have never participated in collaborations, and to respond to changing research council funding models. The aim of the network is to enable the UK fluid mechanics community to meet these challenges.There are around 20 joint efforts in the UK fluid mechanics community, many supported by research councils or InnovateUK. These are discipline-specific, such as the UK Turbulence consortium, the UK Applied Aerodynamics consortium, and the Industrial Mathematics KTN, or application-specific, such as the Aerospace Technology Institute, the Energy Generation and Supply KTN, and the Transport KTN. These focus on a limited set of established areas and therefore cover only a fraction of UK fluid mechanics activity. Many emerging areas, which have the biggest potential to create major step changes, fall between the cracks. The UKFN will complement these joint efforts, facilitating inter-disciplinary research and engagement with industry, and also support 40 Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that address industrial, scientific, and societal challenges outside existing joint efforts. The UKFN draws inspiration from existing overseas networks. The Dutch Burgerscentrum (www.jmburgerscentrum.nl) enhances international visibility and national influence for Dutch fluid mechanics research. The European Research Community on Flow, Turbulence, and Combustion (ERCOFTAC www.ercoftac.org) organises SIGs, best practice guidelines, and industry events. The European Mechanics Society (www.euromech.org) organises conferences and colloquia. The American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS-DFD) coordinates the US fluid mechanics community in advocacy to funding agencies. There are similar organisations in India and China. The activities proposed for the UKFN are designed to have similar impact for the UK.