Suspension flows and particle focusing in curved geometries.

该项目旨在开发快速预测工具，以研究弯曲通道和细管道中的悬浮液流动，以及通道几何形状对颗粒按重量聚集到通道不同区域的影响。悬浮液流中颗粒与流体之间的相互作用是一个基本问题，人们对此知之甚少，但它在自然界和工业中的广泛问题中很重要（例如，用于分离血液样品中不同细胞的微尺度分离装置的设计，以及用于从破碎的矿石中分离矿物颗粒的宏观尺度装置的设计）。目前，对这些过程的描述是定性的，如果没有密集的计算，定量的理解被视为一个挑战。该项目计划开发，求解和验证数学模型，以定量了解这些过程。

The project aims to develop fast predictive tools to investigate suspension flows in curved channels and thin ducts and the effect of channel geometry on the focusing of particles by weight to different regions of the channel. Interaction between particles and fluid in suspension flows is a fundamental problem that is little understood but which is important in a wide range of problems in nature and industry (eg for design of microscale segregation devices for separation of different cells in a blood sample, and of macroscale devices for separation of mineral particles from crushed ore). At present, the description of these processes is qualitative, with quantitative understanding seen as a challenge without intensive computation. The project plans to develop, solve and validate mathematical models to give a quantitative understanding of these processes.