Airborne pathogens and particulate matter: advancing modelling & simulation (Engineering - Fluid Dynamics and Aerodynamics)

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Airborne particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 or less (known as PM2.5) contributes to a wide range of adverse health effects - an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths were caused by particulate matter in 2016 alone (Source: WHO). Viral infections are transported in water drops of a similarly small size, which become airborne when we cough and sneeze, and that can survive (before being evaporated) for very long periods of time. Understanding the flow characteristics of such pathogens and particulate, through modelling and simulation, is critical to designing future measures to contain and control them, including designing effective filtration systems and cheap, reliable sensors. The size of these objects, be they rigid particles or evaporating drops, can be comparable to the molecular `mean free path', and demand modelling and computational methods beyond the state of the art. In this PhD project we will pioneer the development of flexible and efficient tools for the aerodynamic prediction of very slow, very small objects, using the Method of Fundamental Solutions.