About the Project
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. This PhD project will be supervised by Dr Melika Gul (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Prof Simon Tait (Department of Civil and Structural Engineering) and Dr Paul Dickenson (nuron Ltd). Start date of this project is negotiable but preferably 1st of October 2022.
About the project:
From transport of wastewater in sewers to various applications in nuclear and chemical industries, partially-filled pipe flows are frequently encountered. Different from pressure-driven fully-filled pipe flows, presence of a free surface in a partially-filled pipe flow leads to turbulence-driven secondary currents which have been shown to have a direct impact on bulk friction factor. These secondary currents are important as they are also responsible for most of the in-fluid transport mechanisms – mass, momentum and energy. Hence, it is of immense practical significance to understand, model and potentially manipulate these secondary currents in a partially-filled pipe flow. Currently, there is very limited research on these flows, so it has remained unclear how these secondary currents and hence bulk friction factor change under different flow and wall surface conditions. This project will address these issues by carrying out cutting-edge experiments in the brand-new pipe flow facility located in the National Distributed Water Infrastructure Laboratory at the University of Sheffield.
During this project, the PhD candidate will gain significant experience in experimental fluid mechanics (using state-of-the-art pipe flow facility and advanced experimental techniques in particular particle image velocimetry and fiber optic sensors), turbulent flows and analysis of large-data sets. The PhD project is supported by nuron Ltd, who develop advanced fiber optic-based sensing systems for pipes. The candidate will also have access to various training in business awareness, project management and planning in an innovative commercial environment, as well as attending national and international conferences as part of this PhD project.
If you are interested in applying and wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr Melika Gul ([email protected]) or Prof Simon Tait ([email protected]).
Entry Requirements:
Applicants require (or are expected to gain) a very good undergraduate degree in Engineering or related areas (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent). The candidates should also have a strong background and keen interest in fluid mechanics. Any experience of experimental methods (in particular, particle image velocimetry) and computer programming for data analysis is desirable.
Funding:
Funding includes Tuition Fees and a stipend of £16,062 tax-free per annum for up to 4 years (for UK students).
Closing date:
Please note that this project will close as soon as a suitable applicant is secured. So, we suggest that you do not delay submitting your application.
How To Apply:
Applications should be made at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/mecheng/phd/applying
Applications should include:
· Curriculum vitae
· Two reference letters
· Degree transcripts to date
For further information please contact: [email protected]
Funding Notes
Funding includes Tuition Fees and a stipend of £17,668 tax-free per annum for up to 4 years (for UK students).
