Mechanical

2017 THESIS TOPICS

Steve Armfield, steve.armfield@sydney.edu.au

Industrial, environmental and bio- fluid mechanics

Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of turbulent mixing in two layer flows Understanding the mechanics of the mixing in two layer flows is important in a number of areas of

fluid dynamics. For instance a number of countries use desalination to obtain fresh water from

seawater. As well as producing fresh water these plants discharge hot highly saline water back to

the sea. For environmental reasons it is important to determine the behaviour of this discharge,

which will be controlled by the level of turbulence as well as the relative variations in heat and

salinity between the discharge and the seawater. The heat makes the discharge fluid buoyant, while

the salinity makes it heavier than seawater, while additionally double diffusive effects can lead to an

instability that may control the interfacial mixing.

Stability of Fountain flows

Fountains are jet flows with the buoyancy force acting in the direction opposite to the jet direction.

Such a flow occurs, for instance, in a room when a jet of heated air is directed downward from the

ceiling as means of heating the room. Similar flows occur in many other industrial and

environmental settings. In this project computational work will be undertaken to investigate the

initial unstable modes of the fountain using both direct numerical simulation and semi-analytic

stability analysis via investigation of the eigen-values and eigen-vectors of the system.

Developing a fast accurate solver for the Navier-Stokes equations

Accurate solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations are required for the direct and large eddy

simulation of turbulent and transition flows. In this project a novel Poisson solver will be developed

and tested for use on parallel architectures. The scheme will initially be applied to the heat equation,

and subsequently will be included in a full Navier-Stokes solver.

Natural convection flows A number of projects are available in the simulation and analysis of natural convection flows, such

as the flow that develops next to a heated plate. The fluid mechanics and heat transfer properties of

such flows are important in determining the efficiency of heat transfer devices; ventilation systems;

crystal growth and many other systems. The flow is analysed via direct numerical simulation using

state of the art computing techniques, stability analysis and scaling analysis.

Improving the stability of sclerosant foams for medical applications

External Supervisor: A/Prof. Kurosh Parsi, St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research,

Darlinghurst

Sclerosant foams are routinely injected into diseased veins for the treatment of varicose veins and

venous malformations. Our laboratory has been investigating the ideal properties of foam

sclerosants in order to improve the clinical safety, efficacy and stability of these agents. In this

project, we wish to investigate the fluid mechanics of sclerosant foams, using a range of methods

including computational fluid dynamics, experimental rigs and microscopy. The candidate will be

based at the St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research interacting with medical staff,

scientists and other students in the group.

General Fluid Mechanics Any projects students may wish to pursue involving the development and testing of wings, paddles, keels, hulls and

other flow devices, flow measurement and visualisation and analysis and simulation.

Rapid Engineering (1 or 2 students)

Semester 1 2017 Start date Supervisors; Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> An open ended Project / Thesis topic to explore 3D printing of materials other than; ABS and PLA. The ultimate aim is to compare the results obtained with ABS, PLA and Nylon into operating knowledge that could be readily applied to practical use.

The main requirements of the suitable candidate would be; 1. A strong interest in CAD and Manufacturing Engineering. 2. Completed MECH3660, 9660 or AMME 5902. 3. Prior experience in FDM would be a distinct advantage. Prospective students will be required to produce a brief 500 word research proposal with referencing on the desired topic prior to it being accepted.

Use of LS-DYNA in the Analysis of Manufacturing Processes or Mechanical Design

(Unlimited No. of students) Semester 1 2017 Start date

Supervisors: Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> This is an open ended Thesis topic that deals with interesting areas related to Manufacturing or Design that may be analysed by using LS-DYNA.

The main requirements of the suitable candidates would be; 1. A strong interest in CAD and FEA. 2. Completed AMME5912 or prepared to undertake the subject in Semester 1 2017. 3. A high skill level in the use of computers. Prospective students will be required to produce a brief 500 word research proposal with referencing on the desired topic prior to it being accepted.

Choose your own Mechanical Design adventure (Unlimited No. of students) Semester 1 2017 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> Students to undertake a Mechanical Design in a particular area of interest will be considered. Preferred areas include but are not limited to, the development of software to carry out; Mechanical Design component selection, the creative design process and other areas that may interest Prospective students will be required to produce a brief 500 word research proposal with referencing on the desired topic prior to it being accepted.

Industry Sponsored Projects (Unlimited No. of students) Semester 1 2017 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> Students that require an Internal Academic Supervisor are welcome to submit their proposal for consideration. External Project topics should be of a Mechanical Design or Manufacturing Engineering nature. Prospective students will be required to produce a brief 500 word research proposal with referencing on the desired topic prior to it being accepted.

Engineering Educational Research (1 student)

Semester 1 or 2 2017 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au>

Engineering educational research is a growing sector of educational research that is having a profound effect on the suitability for industry or research based careers on the graduates produced. The research topic proposed for 2017 is, “What's the same and what's different about the learning that happens in a 3D printing lab compared to a traditional mechanical engineering workshop?” Prospective students will be required to read a provided paper and produce a brief 500 word research proposal with referencing on the desired topic prior to it being accepted.

Mechanical and Mechatronic Design of a Soccer Field Line Marking Robot

(1 student) Semester 1 2017 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo (Room S318, Bldg J07) <paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> The line marking of community based soccer fields is highly dependant on volunteer’s time and their efforts. Line marking must be repeated across a season due to environmental factors. Ideally two students are required to develop an initial working prototype that repaints over an existing faded line. One student is to focus on the mechanical design and CAD (using SolidWorks) requirements to arrive at a working mechanical prototype. The other student is to focus on the Arduino \ electronic aspects of developing the robot.

Revision 1 02/02/2017

Paul Briozzo

HONOURS PROJECTS

Contact: Prof. Julie Cairney, Professor, AMME Location: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Madsen Building F09, LG Email: julie.cairney@sydney.edu.au Phone: + 61 2 9351 4523 High wear alloys for the mining industry (with Weir Minerals) (up to 2 students) Microstructural analysis of wear-resistant alloys Weir Minerals are multinational company, with a research lab in Artarmon, who produce metal parts for the minerals processing industry. They have developed a new alloy that has very high wear resistance and lasts up to three times as long than their previous product, and can lead to longer-lasting parts. This is critical for the mining sector, as instrument down time for replacement of parts can cost many millions of dollars per day in lost production. The aim of this project is to understand how the microstructure of these new alloys contributes to wear resistance, by using state of the art microscopy and microanalysis techniques. This information can then be used for further alloy improvements. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Weir Minerals This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B and will be supervised by Vijay Bhatia, under the guidance of Prof. Julie Cairney Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of advanced composites Termed self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), this technique has been used to synthesize materials such as ceramics, ceramic composites and intermetallic compounds. The technique is concerned with the ignition of a mixed powder of reactants, producing a chemical reaction, with sufficient heat release (exothermic reaction) that it becomes self-sustaining. The aim of this project is to integrate SHS composite materials into traditional castings using molten alloys to kick-start the reaction and form one solid component. The composite materials with are then examined using advanced microstructural and mechanical analysis.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B and will be supervised by Vijay Bhatia, under the guidance of Prof. Julie Cairney

Figure: Scanning electron microscope / electron backscatter diffraction images showing the orientation of grains and carbides in cast iron samples from Weir minerals

Understanding the dissolution of human tooth enamel at the atomic scale

(up to 2 students)

According to the World health organization, 60-90% of children and nearly 100% of adults worldwide suffer from dental decay (caries), which occurs via the progressive dissolution of dental enamel. The development of effective treatments requires a basic understanding of the structure of enamel and the processes by which it forms and dissolves. We recently examined human dental enamel using atom probe tomography (APT), which provides the position and identity of atoms in three-dimension within matter. In our results published this September in Science Advances [1], we find Mg-rich ACP nanolayers between the HAP nanowires that make up the enamel, and this work has drawn substantial attention rom the media [2]. Being more susceptible to acid dissolution than the HAP nanowires, this ACP phase is thought to be responsible for tooth decay. More importantly it can also accommodate a substantial amount of foreign ions (such as fluoride or iron) that could change the ACP phase chemistry making it less soluble in acidic environment. The aim of this project is first to understand the role of Mg-rich ACP nanolayers in the dissolution of human dental enamel during acid attack (i.e. caries) and secondly to investigate the effect of fluoride and iron ions in the solubility of the ACP nanolayers in acidic condition. We will achieve this through a detailed study of the fine-scale structure of healthy and carious enamel using advanced microscopy techniques such as MicroCT, atom probe and electron microscopy. The long-term objective of this study is to enable new treatments to avoid or limit tooth decay by changing the ACP phase chemistry and make it more stable in acidic condition. This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B and will be supervised by Alexandre La Fontaine, under the guidance of Prof. Julie Cairney

[1] A. La Fontaine, A. Zavgorodniy, H. Liu, R. Zheng, M. Swain and J.M. Cairney, “The atomic structure of human dental enamel”, in press, Science Advances. [2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/carmendrahl/2016/09/07/nanoscale-view-of-enamel-might-help-us-treat-tooth-decay/#3cc6f116d504

Working with the biomedical industry to develop 3D printed medical devices 3DMedical are an exciting new start up based in Melbourne. They recently listed with the ASX and are already Australia’s leading medical and healthcare specific technology provider. In an Australian first, they recently developed a 3D printed and customised titanium jaw joint which was used to correct a rare jaw deformity in a 32-year-old male (x-ray shown below). In this project, you will work closely with the 3D Medical to develop new 3D printed products for orthopaedics. By undertaking a thorough review of the current orthopaedic consumables, you will be expected to identify the top 5 applications in which 3D printing could ‘disrupt’ the market for existing technologies. From there, you will be design and print a prototype product. The student undertaking this honours project will have the opportunity to undertake an industry placement in Melbourne over summer with 3DMedical. http://3dmedical.com.au/

Assessment of the creep damage evolution in P22 steel (in collaboration with ANSTO) Project/Overview: Understanding and effective assessment of the creep damage of material in-service is of technological importance particularly in the power-generation industry, because any unexpected failure can potentially lead to dangerous situations for on-site personnel and to high losses in revenue. The monitoring and assessment of the creep damage evolution during the lifetime of the material in-service is thus critical in minimizing the risk of catastrophic failures that pose a threat to safety and to effective as well as economical operation of any type of power plant (renewables, conventional or nuclear). Historically, the assessment of creep damage in the power generation industry is carried out by means of replica metallography (manual count of voids). The goal of the present project is to work on a novel creep damage assessment methodology using the orientation imaging microscopy. The student will use the Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique in combination with standard optical microscopy to study the evolution of the creep damage in P22 steel (Fig. 1 shows the microstructure of the as-received P22 steel). In addition, the student will use either the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) or/and neutron powder diffraction to determine the volume-averaged (bulk) amount of plastic damage the microstructure. Because of the time demanding nature of creep testing ANSTO has been preparing a test matrix of creep samples

for past 18 months (85MPa, 605C). Some knowledge of Matlab and diffraction principles is desirable but not essential.

Figure 1: As-received microstructure of P22 steel, regularly used in power generation industry. This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B and will be supervised by Dr Ondrej Muránsky at ANSTO, under the guidance of Prof. Julie Cairney

The effect of cold work on the corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel (in collaboration with ANSTO) Project/Overview: One of the proposed next generation of nuclear reactor designs uses a molten salt as the energy collection medium (coolant), while the proposed thermo-solar power plant design uses a molten salt as the energy collection and also energy storage medium. The main advantage of using a molten salt in these proposed energy-generating systems is the fact that the salt remains liquid over a wide range of temperatures so that the system can operate at low pressure (i.e. a leak in a tube does not automatically result in an expulsion of molten salt). On the other hand, the main disadvantage of using a salt is the material degradation (corrosion, creep, radiation). Therefore, it is of technological importance for the future low-greenhouse emission power-generating systems to develop a detail understanding of the effect of molten salt on the structural materials.

The goal of the present project is to determine the effect of cold working on the corrosion resistance of the 316 stainless steel in a molten salt environment. Cold working has numerous effects on a material, including changes in microstructure, mechanical properties, and residual stress state. The test material has been cold-rolled to three levels: 0%, 20%, and 30%. The student will use the Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) technique in combination with standard optical microscopy to assess the effect of the molten salt on the microstructure and identify the corrosion products (Fig. 1 shows EBSD orientation map (a) and chromium (b) distribution at the surface of Ni-based alloy after 200h/650°C exposure to molten salt (FLiNaK). Some knowledge of Matlab is desirable but not essential.

Surface

Fig. 1a: Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) orientation map, 200h/650°C, FLiNaK.

Surface

Fig. 1b: Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) chromium (Cr) distribution map, 200h/650°C, FLiNaK.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B and will be supervised by Dr Ondrej Muránsky at ANSTO, under the guidance of Prof. Julie Cairney

Dr Li Chang

Field of Expertise: Precision Manufacturing and Nanotribology

Phone: +61-02-9351 5572

E-mail: li.chang@sydney.edu.au

Thesis Topics:

Title: Determination of fracture behaviour of soft materials

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Mr Hongjian Wang

In modern materials science, how to accurately characterize the fracture behaviour of soft materials has been

a longstanding problem. The highly extensible behaviour of soft materials leads to both crack growth and

crack blunting which are difficult to separate. Consequently, the existing standard fracture tests may not

draw a clear distinction between fracture toughness (contributing to crack propagation) and strength

(contributing to crack blunting) of soft specimens. Owing to the lack of the reliable data of fracture

toughness, the design and use of soft matter in engineering applications are often limited.

Recently, the cutting methods (such as blade cutting, orthogonal cutting and wire cutting) have attracted

significant research interest, in which materials are removed and the separation work, i.e., the fracture

energy (GC) can be determined. The methods seem elegantly simple and promising. However, there are

several issues still outstanding concerning the validity of the fracture analysis in cutting process. For

instance, it remains unclear how the sharpness of the cutting tools effects on the fracture measurement. This

project aims to understand the role of fracture in material removal in cutting process. It will deliver the

necessary experimental data and the basic science in developing new standard methods for determining the

fracture toughness throughout material removal i.e., the cutting tests. The new methods will provide new

capabilities to characterise tough polymers, thin films, some biomaterials and more.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1 Schematic representation of fracture tests by using the cutting methods a) blade cutting [1], b)

orthogonal cutting [2] and c) wire cutting [3]

Title: Shear-thickening and structure formation in suspensions

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang

Shear thickening fluids (STFs) are unique materials, displaying recoverable phase transitions between liquid

and "solid" phases due to significant changes in viscosity at a critical rate of shear. Normally, shear-

thickening is observed in highly concentrated dispersion systems. Such highly nonlinear behaviour is of

great practical and fundamental importance. One promising application of STFs is to develop adaptive,

energy-dissipation systems, in which STFs can divert or dissipate the energy via viscosity, friction,

"plasticity" or "fracture", depending on loading conditions. In fact, the use of STFs as adaptive energy-

dissipation materials has created significant industrial and commercial innovations, e.g. new polishing

techniques, smart damping and brake devices and "liquid armour".

However, fundamental knowledge of STFs at near to and after the shear thickening transition is lacking.

There is still no a satisfying mathematical treatment of the mechanics of shear-thickening in the literature.

This project aims to establish fundamental knowledge in developing STFs as adaptive energy dissipation

materials for practical applications, which will be achieved by a thorough study on both rheological and

"solid-like" behaviours of STFs before and after the shear thickening transition. The outcomes of the work

will not only advance the basic knowledge of STFs for the research community, but also bring significant

economic opportunities for the industries to develop new STFs-based energy-absorbing systems.

Fig. 2.2 Figure 2: SEM image of particles dispersed in the suspension shown in Figure 2.1

Figure 2.1: Photos of the experiment of removing a stick out of the STF at (a) low and (b) high speed.

(a) (b)

vBhighB vBlowB

Title: Development of high performance wear-resistant polymeric

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Mr Abdulaziz Adel H Kurdi

Over the past decades, polymer composites have been increasingly applied as structural materials in the

aerospace, automotive, and chemical industries, providing lower weight alternatives to metallic materials. A

number of these applications are concentrated on tribological components, such as gears, cams, bearings and

seals, where the self-lubrication of polymers is of special advantage. It is a current trend in the development

of polymers to seek materials retaining reliable properties at high temperatures. One example for such

requirement is the new generation of the bushings which is supposed to be used as camshaft bearings in high

pressure, diesel fuel injection pumps (Figure 3), or even in the engine of the cars. In this case, polymer

composites have to operate as tribo-elements at relatively high environmental temperature, e.g. 120o

C, and

the demand for high wear resistance becomes increasingly important. High temperature polymers such as

polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyetherimide (PEI) are particularly interesting candidates for these

tribological applications.

To meet the increasing industrial demands, various fillers were used to overcome the inhibited weakness of

polymers to achieve high wear resistance under extreme sliding conditions. In particular, with the booming

of nano-phased materials, nano-sized fillers such as nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes have also come

under consideration, and results have shown that such fillers are promising for improving the wear-

resistance of polymers even at very low filler content (about 1 ~ 4 vol.-%). However, the role of nano-sized

fillers in determining the hybrid polymeric composites is still unclear. This project aims to provide reliable

material data for characterise the wear properties of polymer composites filled with and without

nanoparticles. Further, the formation of transfer films with and without nanofillers will be particularly

investigated. It can be considered as a first step towards a new generation high performance wear resistance

polymeric nanocomposites.

Figure 3. Camshaft journal bearings in a diesel fuel injection pump (upper left: view into a real pump; upper

right schematic, three dimensional drawing of the bearings’ position); Courtesy of Robert Bosch GmbH,

Stuttgart, Germany (modified)

Title: Numerical study of strengthening/ toughening mechanisms in nano/micro–composites based on

soft matrix materials

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Tania Vodenitcharova

Soft materials, such as polymers and resins, are commonly used as matrices in nano– and micro– composites.

The filler particles enhance the strength, stiffness, fracture toughness and wear resistance of the matrices,

and thus the load bearing capacity and serviceability of the composites.

Camshaft Journal Bearings

Enhancement of Injection Pressure and

therefore of Engine‘s Degree of Efficiency

Operating

Temperature T = 100°C http://www.manager-magazin.de/magazin/artikel/0,2828,342084-2,00.html

This project aims to understand the strengthening and toughening mechanisms in polymer-based

micro/nano– composites under standard strength and fracture toughness loading conditions. Composite

preparation and standard strength and fracture toughness tests will be conducted in parallel on another

project.

FEA will be utilized to develop a numerical model for the representative sample of the composite, and the

response of that sample will be studied to standard strength and fracture toughness loadings. An input code

will be prepared in a parametric form which will allow optimization of strength and performance for

varying %volume and mechanical properties of the filler material.

The project will improve the students analytical and numerical skills and provide them with the opportunity

to develop useful design skills. A sound background in solid mechanics and analytical skills are required, as

well as some basic knowledge of an FEA code.

Title: FEA simulations of cutting process in nano/micro–composites based on soft matrix materials

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Tania Vodenitcharova

Cutting is a common process applied to fabrication of products with required size and surface furnish.

Although it has been used for a long time in manufacturing, it is still under-researched, especially in the case

of soft materials and composites based on soft matrices.

This project will study the cutting mechanism in soft materials and soft-material-based nano/micro–

composites by means of numerical simulation of the cutting process using an FEA code. Sample preparation

and standard cutting tests will be conducted in parallel on another project. A representative sample will be

first modelled using the FEA code and then subjected to the cutting conditions employed in the experiments.

The numerical results will be compared with the experiments, and thus the model will be validated. A valid

model will then allow predictions to be made and parameters be set to achieve optimized results in terms of

cutting force and surface finish.

The project will enhance the problem solving ability of the student in analysis and design of new materials,

and expose them to the area of product development of contemporary and future significance. The student is

expected to have sound knowledge in solid mechanics and an FEA code.

Title: Ablation behaviour of fibre reinforced plastic composites under laser

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Kunkun Fu

Fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) composites have been extensively used in the aerospace industries, owing to

their lighter weight and excellent mechanical properties. Although the traditional mechanical drilling of the

FRP composites is a common practice in the industry, it sometimes causes severe damage on the FRP

composites such as delamination and fibre pull-out during the mechanical drilling. In recent decades, laser

machining is increasingly attracting the attention of machining composites due to its non-contact, no

abrasive and high precision characteristics. Laser machining uses thermal energy to remove materials from

work pieces by melting or vaporising the materials.

(a) (b)

Figure 1 Comparison of edge quality between mechanical cut and laser cut of FRP composites

It is relatively easy to control the machining quality of the traditional materials such as metals, polymers and

ceramics because they have isotropic properties. Regarding the FRP composites, their thermal and

mechanical properties are highly dependent on the fibre orientation, and more importantly, the fibres and

polymer matrix have distinctly different properties. The transfer of the laser-induced thermal energy in

fibres and polymer matrix and the ablation behaviour of the FRP composites are complicated during

machining. Therefore, it poses a significant challenge for quality control of laser machining. This project

aims to investigate the ablation behaviour of FRP composites under the laser and gain a better understanding

of the interaction between the laser and the FRP composites. The outcome of this work will establish

fundamental knowledge of the laser machining of FRP composites, and this work can be considered as the

first step towards the quality control of laser machining on FRP composites.

Title: Mechanical behaviour of nanoscale metallic multilayers at elevated temperature

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Kunkun Fu

In recent years, nanoscale multilayers have attracted significant interests due to their attractive electrical,

optical and mechanical properties. It has been found that the mechanical properties of the multilayers such

as hardness and strength increase with a decrease of individual layer thickness, which is so called length-

scale effect. The strengthen mechanisms of the nanoscale multilayered films are highly dependent on their

deformation behaviour. Due to its size limitation in the thickness direction, it is usually difficult to examine

the deformation behaviour and characterise the mechanical properties of the multilayered films. Nano-

indentation technique may be the only efficient method.

Figure 2 SEM image of Ti/Al multilayers on a silicon wafer

Indentation-induced deformation behaviour of metallic multilayers has been well explored at room

temperature. In the engineering practice, the multilayers may be used at high temperature. Therefore, it is

essential to obtain the mechanical properties of the metallic multilayers at elevated temperature. The

mechanical characterization of the nanoscale metallic multilayers at elevated temperature is, however, a

relatively unexplored area. This work aims to investigate the mechanical behaviour of nano-structured

metallic multilayers at high temperature under nanoindentation. The outcome of his work will provide

fundemental data on mechanical properties of the nanoscale metallic multilayers at a different temperature.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Modelling of NOx emissions from the burning of coal and biomass

The cofiring of coal and biomass can reduce CO2 emissions from electricity generation

and also our reliance on fossil fuels. However, due to composition differences between

coal and biomass, technical problems such variations in toxic gas emissions can arise

when the biomass fraction rises above just a few percent. But with careful analysis and

plant design, the addition of biomass can lead simultaneous reductions of global and

local pollutants. We will develop quality computational combustion models to address

this issue. The models will be accurate and affordable so as to provide valuable

fundamental tools to assist both engineering designers and operators of electricity

generating plant.

This project will focus on prediction of NOx from a single coal and/or biomass particle

undergoing combinations of evaporation, pyrolysis and char reactions. It will involve

implementation of the models into a numerical solver such as Matlab and validation of

the predictions against available experimental data.

Students are expected to have taken or to be taking the Advanced Combustion elective

course.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Computational fluid dynamics of swirl and bluff-body stabilised flames

Due to high mass throughput rates, modern gas turbine combustors operate very close

to the point of flame blowoff. Avoidance of blowoff is the critical concern in combustor

design as it can lead to complete loss of power. Swirl and bluff-body stabilisers are

commonly used to hold the flame in place and minimise flame length. Due to

environmental concerns and finite oil supplies, there is increasing use of exotic fuels

with vastly different combustion properties. Fuel flexible gas turbines are in demand

but the stabilisation mechanisms designed for conventional fuels are not always suitable

and simple fuel substitution can lead to catastrophic failure. Gas turbine designers such

as General Electric and Rolls Royce are increasingly using computational fluid

dynamics (CFD) to improve their designs.

The aim of this thesis is to perform a CFD model of swirl and bluff-body stabilised

flames, make comparison to experimental data and explore the sensitivity to changes in

the fuel.

During 2017, specific attention will be given to the calculation of the combustion

chemical reactions and you will be expected to implement computationally efficient

methods for doing this. The TDAC in-situ tabulation and dynamic dimension reduction

technique is suggested as a starting point.

Students are expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD and Advanced Combustion

elective courses.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Firehawkers – optimised bushfire suppression

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission stresses the importance of aerial

firefighting for rapid response to stop nascent fires growing into destructive forces

while lamenting that severe conditions can impair the deployment of piloted aircraft. A

solution has been proposed that is based on unmanned aerial vehicles called

firehawkers. These offer the ability to fight bushfires quickly, cheaply and with

precision at close-quarters in all terrains.

Firehawkers offer the potential for high precision delivery of suppressant. Up to three

projects are available to determine (i) the location within a flame where suppressant

should be targeted and the optimal droplet size, (ii) the choice of suppressant and the

balance between chemical and physical suppression, and (iii) the delivery mechanism

of the suppressant to the optimal location and at the optimal size.

Students are also expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Dispersion of pulmonary drugs in inhaler devices and the respiratory tract

Pulmonary drug delivery via inhaled powders is an efficient form of therapy for a range

of diseases. Although inhalers are part of a multi-billion dollar industry, currently

available dry powder inhalers are unable to ensure consistent dose delivery to the lungs.

Improvements will rely on improved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling to

gain a better understanding of the powder dispersion and de-agglomeration.

The project will involve the development of models for particle de-agglomeration via a

statistical population balance equation approach and comparison against idealised

laboratory data. Two projects are available: one will concentrate on turbulent dispersion

and deagglomeration and the other on deagglomeration by mechanical impaction.

This project requires a very high level of mathematics. Students are expected to have

taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Novel propulsors which mimic nature for long-range autonomous vessels

Autonomous sea-going vessels are used or have potential use for exploration,

monitoring of equipment such as undersea cables and oil rigs, and for military

purposes. Since the vessels are powered by solar, wind and wave energy, it is important

to minimise power usage. Optimisation of the propulsion system is a major way of

achieving that. Additionally, if used for military purposes, low noise generation is

required. Propulsors which mimic nature (e.g. fin and tail motion) have been suggested.

This project will use computational fluid dynamics to investigate various propulsor

designs.

This project requires a very high level of mathematics. Students are expected to have

taken or to be taking the CFD and Advanced Combustion elective courses.

The Australian Centre for Innovation and International

Competitiveness, Faculty of Engineering & IT

University of Sydney 2006.

John Currie

Tel 02 9351 5672 Fax 02 9351 3974

Email: john.currie@sydney.edu.au

AMME Thesis/Project topics 2017 John Currie

INNOVATION The study of innovation involves developing and sustaining new technologies and organisational forms and practices to create competitive advantage and/or economic, social, environmental improvement. Topics will be finalised in consultation with the student and can be selected from the following areas:

Leadership and the development of engineering managers - the development of managers as leaders to enhance organizational effectiveness is crucial in times of change. This topic will involve students understanding the theory of leadership and its practical application in engineering management.

Management of organisational change - the need to maintain competitiveness means that change is the organisational norm. This topic will investigate the factors and conditions that impact on change in strategy, operations or projects that allow managers to innovate and make more effective choices.

‘Digital disruption’, the development of smart technologies and their impacts – a new stage of technology development with advanced computing and mechatronics is rapidly advancing. The potential for industrial, organisational and social change will be investigated along with the nature of specific engineering associated with these developments.

Space engineering and technology development – Recent discussions on space flights to Mars have reignited debate on the costs and benefits of space engineering. This topic will investigate the nature and potential of wider industrial and technological innovation as a result of Space engineering R&D.

Organisational learning and knowledge management - this topic will examine the readiness of engineer managers to undertake the management of learning and knowledge in organisations, leading to a better understanding of the factors necessary to generate effective organisational outcomes.

Human resource development - career development for C21 professionals will mean inevitable job and career changes. This topic will investigate the development of engineering careers, organisational career planning and the personal and skill development necessary for the development of successful careers.

Management of industrial research, innovation and technology development - Competitiveness through new technology and product development is a cornerstone of business success. This topic will examine the factors that lead to success (and failure) in the technology/product development process.

Gender equity/women in engineering - This topic will examine the factors necessary for women to enjoy successful careers in engineering, the factors that inhibit this, and the implications for organisational competitiveness and Australian society.

Humanitarian Engineering- The Nature and Development of Humanitarian Engineering within the Engineering profession will be examined to discover the challenges and benefits for both engineers and/or recipients of humanitarian development assistance.

Engineering Education#1 - the promotion of Mechanical, Mechatronic and Aeronautical Engineering in schools - This topic will involve investigating the relevance of the HSC’s “Engineering Studies” curriculum as a precursor to Engineering at University, and whether the Aeromech degree program successfully builds on this prior learning. It will also include how Aeromech can support Engineering Studies in an attempt to encourage more students to consider future careers in engineering.

Engineering Education#2 – This topic will seek to examine the extent to which ideas of humanitarian engineering and social justice are utilised in Aeromech curriculum and teaching, and how these ideas are, or could be, utilised to enhance student learning and development of graduate attributes.

Attitudes to professional engineering - This topic will examine the origins and the development of perceptions and understandings as to what comprises professional engineering practice and its appropriateness to both individuals and society.

Supervisor: Dr. Matthew Dunn (matthew.dunn@sydney.edu.au),

Rm S 505 (Mech. Eng.)

I am offering a number of thesis topics in energy and thermofluids related areas

including, but not limited to: combustion, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat

transfer, solar reactors, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and

refrigeration. Some samples of the topics I am offering are detailed below. Most

projects can be tailored to take advantage of particular skills and interests in areas

such as mechanical design, practical experiments, thermodynamics, fluid

mechanics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), programming, chemistry, lasers,

spectroscopy, physics and signal processing. If you are interested in any of the topics or topic areas I have

outlined, please come and see me to discuss further as well as to find out about additional topics that I am

offering that are not outlined below.

Oxy-fuel combustion as route towards carbon neutral power generation

Oxy-fuel combustion is a mode of combustion that

utilizes an oxidiser of oxygen and a diluent such as

carbon dioxide. Significant further developments

in the understanding and prediction of oxy-fuel

combustion are necessary for the development of

next generation combustion cycles that allow

carbon capture processes such as clean coal and

natural gas power generation technologies. This

project will seek to build upon recently obtained

experimental results to further understand the

flame stability, flame extinction and radiant

emissions in oxyfuel flames. Both experiments

utilising advanced laser diagnostic techniques and

numerical modelling streams for this project are

available.

Chemiluminescence image of a typical laboratory

scale oxy-fuel flame

Formation of nanoparticles in conventional and Biodiesel flames

Nanoparticles are renowned for featuring an extreme bio-reactivity, this bio-reactivity has recently been

exploited in cancer drug delivery using nanoparticle encapsulated cancer drug delivery. The extreme bio-

reactivity of nanoparticles can also be an extreme health hazard if the nanoparticles are formed in flames

or other chemical processes resulting in particles with an extreme toxicity and carcinogenic properties.

Combustion formed nanoparticles from Diesel engines are becoming an increasing concern and

correspondingly modern emission regulations such as in Euro 5 and Euro 6 attempt to regulate their

emission. Biodiesels are a promising alternative to fossil fuel derived Diesel in terms of sustainability and

carbon cycle neutrality, however there is significant debate and conflicting experimental evidence as to if

Biodiesels enhance or inhibit nanoparticle production when combusted. This project will the investigate

the nanoparticle formation and sooting properties of different fuels including biodiesels to determine the

presence, size and quantity of nanoparticles and soot using advanced laser diagnostic techniques.

Utilising high speed CMOS cameras for measurements in combustion

The use of high speed cameras in many popular

TV shows (MythBusters) and YouTube channels

(The Slow Mo Guys) is testament to insights

(and wow factor) that can be obtained from

viewing events at high speed. Recent

applications of high speed CMOS cameras to

combustion applications have revealed many

new insights into transient combustion

phenomena. This project will focus on the

application of high speed CMOS cameras to

combustion applications where quantitative

measurements are desired. A particular emphasis

of this project will be to extend the use of high

speed imaging to go beyond feature tracking to

the analysis of temporally varying quantities

such as temperature and fuel concentration.

Solar fuels and solar reactors

Solar energy is an abundant energy source that is being investigated as a source to drive industrial energy

intensive processes such as the formation of hydrocarbon fuels (such as Diesel and jet A fuel) from water,

CO2 and air. Whilst this may initially seem ridiculous from a thermodynamic perspective, in that the

formation of fuel from combustion products is highly endothermic process, they key point to understand

here is that all of the energy to drive the reaction is delivered from the sun and is essentially free. This

project will leverage high powered lasers to allow the simulation of very high irradiances similar to those

found in large solar heliostats (10 000 suns) in the laboratory. The influence of irradiance levels relevant

to solar reactors will be examined using laser diagnostics with a particular emphasis on soot, particle,

aerosol and droplet behaviour under these very high irradiance levels.

Active heat transfer technology

The ability to adequately cool high power

density devices such as CPUs is becoming a

major limitation to further advances in many

applications. By utilizing active heat transfer

technology whereby the heat transfer component

is a non-stationary rotating component, the need

for an external fan is eliminated and

significantly increased heat transfer rates can be

achieved compared to standard fan and passive

heat sink methods. The aim of this project is to

develop a detailed description of active heat

transfer technology realised through the

combination of heat pipe technology and a

multiple disk Tesla type pump.

The role of LED’s in fluid mechanics and combustion diagnostics

In the past 40 years lasers have made an enormous impact in advancing the experimental fields of fluid

mechanics and combustion. Given the recent rapid developments in high power light emitting diode

(LEDs) technology, LEDs are poised to deliver a new wave of advances in experimental fluid mechanics

and combustion. Whilst LEDs will never replace lasers in many experiments, there are many new

applications that can capitalise on the desirable properties of LEDs such as their wide ranges of spectral

bandwidths, variable temporal pulse width, high repetition rates and their ability to be employed in a

clusters due to their cost being potentially 4-5 orders of magnitude cheaper than an equivalent laser. This

project will employ and evaluate experimental techniques based on LEDs to explore and understand fluid

mechanic and combustion related phenomena. This topic is best suited to a student with a keen interest

and skills in electronics.

Second generation biofuels as alternative transportation fuels

Second generation biofuels such as dimethyl

ether (DME), are a promising renewable

alternative transportation fuel for the future as

they do not require the use of food crops for

their production. Measurements in biofuel

flames have indicated significantly lower

emissions of pollutants such as soot compared to

conventional fuels. However biofuels such as

DME are far more complex in terms of their

chemical mechanisms, flame behaviour and the

application of laser diagnostic measurements

when compared to more standard fuels such as

methane. This project will utilize both laminar

and turbulent flames to investigate the flame

structure in terms of the established chemical

mechanisms, transport properties and the

behaviour of these fuels in turbulent flames.

Both experimental and numerical streams are

offered in this project.

Application of CFD in comfort air-conditioning

The application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to comfort air conditioning is relatively new

and little experimental data is available to back up the model results. The recent development of the

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) laboratory at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at the

University of Sydney provides an ideal platform to validate and explore computational modelling of

comfort with a sound experimental database. This project will work in collaboration with current projects

and experiments being run in the IEQ lab to form CFD models of these experiments and explore the

capability of current CFD models to faithfully explore the parameter space necessary to analyse,

understand and design air-conditioning systems to optimise occupant comfort and minimise energy usage.

2017 THESIS TOPICS

Supervisor: Dr Rod Fiford – rod.fiford@sydney.edu.au

1. Sustainable energy systems for remote NSW communities (1-2 students)

The University is involved in several projects with remote NSW aboriginal communities (around Bourke)

as part of the Murdi Paaki agreement. These communities currently rely on the NSW electricity grid to

supply much of their energy needs and are looking to reduce their reliance on this expensive grid power

by implementing suitable alternative energy sources.

This project involves working closely with some of the communities to gain an understanding of their

energy needs; with the aim of producing a feasibility study comparing potential alternative energy

solutions. Also of secondary interest is the investigation of suitable water treatment processes.

This project will require student(s) to undertake a University run day-long workshop in cultural

competency and to visit one or some of the communities for approximately 4-5 days; which will be

funded and coordinated by the University and scheduled to occur outside teaching weeks. In 2016 five

students from the Faculty travelled to communities near Bourke to conduct preliminary assessments of

energy usage. It is expected that this project will build upon their findings and recommendations. This

project is a very unique and special opportunity for students to be involved with.

2. Engineers Without Borders Research Projects

I am willing to supervise students undertaking Engineers Without Borders research projects

https://www.ewb.org.au/whatwedo/education-research/research-program Interested students

need to come and talk with me about the projects first, then register and apply via the Engineers

Without Borders webpage. In 2016 students studied United Nations High Commission for Refugees

and Robohand projects.

3. Biomechanics –Concussion in Roller Derby skaters

This project involves the investigation of impact forces and accelerations of the heads of skaters

participating in the full contact sport of roller derby. It is expected that data will be obtained over a

period of a few months through the use of accelerometers, and from this data estimations of impact

forces to the skaters’ heads and brains determined. Potential correlations with concussion injuries

will also be investigated.

4. Biomimetics

Biomimetics involves the study of naturally occurring biological structures and application of these

structures to engineering designs. This thesis aims to investigate unique biomechanical

macroscopic structures and morphology from plants that may be of use in engineering; analyze

these structures with FEA and then construct and mechanically test 3D printed models based on

these biological structures. In 2016 a student studied the structure of trap jaw ant mandibles.

Plant seed “bur” inspiration for Velcro

5. History & Philosophy of Engineering –Engineering Student’s Views on Ethics

This topic involves investigating the current views and attitudes of Australian engineering students

towards professional engineering ethics and how this relates to past and current expectations of

Australian society. It is expected that this study will draw heavily on published research, case

studies and surveys/interviews with current engineering students.

6. Sustainable Engineering – Choose your own topic

I am willing to supervise students that have a genuine interest in sustainability, as applied to

Engineering technologies. Please come and see me if you have an innovative idea you think might

be worth investigating, these projects require self-motivated students.

7. Mechanical Design – Choose your own topic

I am willing to supervise students that have a unique idea requiring mechanical design. Please come

and see me if you have an innovative idea you think might be worth investigating, these projects

require self-motivated students.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Ahmad Jabbarzadeh

Room S311, Bldg J07, ph: 9351 2344

ahmad.jabbarzadeh@sydney.edu.au

These following research projects are available for Thesis A/B (AMME 4111/4112)

1B- Tribology (experiments)

(3 student)

Tribology is the science that deals with friction, lubrication and wear. The objective of

this project is to measure the tribological properties of soft materials used in biomedical

applications. You will use tribometers and rheometers to characterize the materials and

find the relationship between the frictional/mechanical properties of the material and its

chemical/physical composition. Examples of the materials to be tested include,

hydrogels, contacts lens, and soft tissues such as cartilage.

1B- Tribology (Simulations)

Self assembled monolayers (SAM) are used to modify surface properties and protect

against wear, in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). In this project simulations

will be conducted to study how the friction between two surfaces coated by SAMs can be

affected by changing the molecular composition of the monolayer. No programming is

required, however you should be willing to learn how to use existing software and run

simulations on supercomputers.

2 Polymer crystallization (experiments)

(1 student)

Polymer Melts

Understanding polymer crystallization is essential for polymer processing industry. Due

to complex nature of polymers their mechanical properties are dependant on their

morphology and degree of crystallinity. In semi-crystalline polymer materials, crystalline

patches of molecules are imbedded within amorphous (non-crystalline) matrix.

Understanding the degree of crystallinity of the end product and its dependence on

cooling rate, additives, flow conditions and molecular structure is very important to

design efficient processing techniques. You will use rheometers and microscopy to

investigate some of these interesting problems.

Crystallization of Particles

(1 student)

Crystallization of particles in spray drying and polymer atomization experiments will be

investigated. The target area for this study is to understand the effect of processing

conditions on particles crystallization kinetics. This is important in food industry and

customized nano/micro particle making processes.

3 Effect of nucleating agents in crystallization kinetics-Simulations

(1 student)

The microstructure of crystallized polymers can be significantly affected by presence of

additives of various shape and size used for various purposes. In this project simulations

of low molecular weight hydrocarbons will be conducted to study the effect of shape and

size of particles in nucleation process during crystallization. The microstructure

(morphology) of such systems and the rate of crystallization are believed to be affected

by characteristic of the solid particles in the polymer melt. Polymer processing and nano-

composites are areas that would benefit from the results of this project. Two research

projects are available in this area to use molecular dynamics simulations to study these

challenging problems. Programming is not required; you will use an existing computer

program to run the simulations.

4 Flow Induced Crystallization of nano-particles (1 student)

Simulations will be conducted to understand the crystallization of polymeric nano-

particle subjected to flow. The aim is to understand the effect of nano-particle size, flow

conditions and cooling rate on the crystallization kinetics and morphology of the

polymers and comparison with the bulk crystallization. We will also explore the

possibility to study this phenomenon using experimental means.

5-Computational nano-fluidics

(2 students)

Nano-fluidics is the science of flow at the nano-scale. There is considerable interest in

this area due to advances made in nano science and engineering. The behaviour of flow at

nano-scale where the size of pores and channels are comparable to the size of molecules

could be very different from that of macroscopic flows. For example carbon nanotubes

can be manufactured with sizes ranging from a fraction of nanometer to a few hundred

nanometers. They can be used for transportation of particles and liquids in nano-scale

applications. Experimental measurements and understanding the flow behaviour at such

small scales is a daunting task.

In computational nano-fluidics molecular dynamics simulations are used as one of the

tools for analysing the nanoscopic local properties and flow conditions in such situations.

There are two projects available in this area for two interested students. Students working

on these projects will need to use an existing computer program to simulate the flow in

nano-channels and nano-pores. They should have a basic understanding of fundamental

physics, fluid mechanics and Newtonian dynamics. Some basic understandings are

required about molecular structures such as atomic lattice structure and inter-atomic force

potentials such as van der Waals forces. The research projects are computational so

interest in working with computers is essential. You will be using existing software and

computer programming will not be necessarily required.

5A) Molecular dynamics simulation of flow over cylindrical and spherical particles

in nano-scale. In this project the student will simulate the flow of a Newtonian fluid in a rectangular

nano-channel over a cylindrical obstacle. The boundary conditions, pressure, stresses and

velocity field will be calculated using molecular dynamics simulations. A few scenarios

will be investigated and effect of molecular size and ratio of particle to channel size on

the flow conditions will be analyzed.

5B) Simulation of flow through carbon nano-tubes

This project requires some algorithmic development for molecular dynamics simulation

of flow through carbon nano-tubes. Only flow simulations of simple fluids made of soft

Lennard-Jones spheres will be conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the

algorithm. You should have knowledge and passion in computer programming in

FORTRAN or C languages and working with computers.

5C) Effect of confinement and surface roughness on viscosity of polymers

The project involves direct molecular simulation of polymeric and non-Newtonian

systems to investigate the effect of confinements on the viscosity of large polymeric

molecules. The student is expected to conduct simulations on supercomputers and

analyze the results. You should be willing to learn how to use existing software/ or

develop your own tools to conduct the study.

6- Effect of surface topology on diffusion and spreading of liquids (1

student)

Physical properties of surfaces including their topology play an important

role in spreading and diffusion of liquids that come into contact with

them. Spreading of a liquid drop and its diffusion on the surface are of

significant importance in many processes such as lubrication, surface

induced diffusion, cell growth, and micro/nano fluidics. The project

will use simulations at the molecular level to investigate such a

process. The research projects are computational so interest in

working with computers is essential. You will be using existing

software and computer programming will not be necessarily required.

Figure 1. Surfaces can be made liquid repelling

or liquid loving by controlling their nano-scale

topology.

Supervisor: A/Prof Michael Kirkpatrick

Room S422, Mechanical Engineering Building

email: michael.kirkpatrick@sydney.edu.au

Overview

I currently supervise thesis and capstone projects / dissertations in the following areas:

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Computational Heat Transfer

Details are given below.

It is up to you to come up with your own project. Think about the sort of project that

interests you. If it falls into one of the categories above, come and have a chat. I will give

you an idea of what is and isn’t feasible. It will then be up to you to determine the details of

the project. This will involve undertaking a review of the literature in your area of interest to

determine what research has already been done, and coming up with a research question

that remains unanswered. You will then formalize this by writing a research proposal

outlining the motivation, context, objectives, and proposed method for your research

project.

Computational Fluid Dynamics / Computational Heat Transfer (You will gain skills in: Computational Fluid Dynamics / Fluid Dynamics / Heat Transfer / Numerical Methods / Data Analysis and Processing)

CFD modelling using commercial CFD software – ANSYS FLUENT / CFX

Commercial CFD software is best suited for simulations of flows involving complex

geometries. It typically uses a “RANS” (Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes) based approach

in which only the large scale time-averaged flow is computed, while the effects of small

time-dependent features such as turbulent eddies are accounted for using a turbulence

model. This approach dramatically reduces computational requirements making it feasible to

run simulations of complex flows on a PC. As such it is the approach commonly used in

industry. It can be used to model a wide variety of fluid flows. These include:

external flows such as air or water flow over vehicles, aircraft, ships, buildings or

other structures

internal flows such as to simulations of heating / ventilation and air-conditioning of

buildings / concert halls / sports stadiums; biomedical flows such as blood flow, air-

flow through naso-pharyngeal tract, flows inside mechanical devices such as engines

and pumps.

Examples of a project would be to investigate the effect on lift and drag of various types of

spoilers, canards and diffusers fitted to

your favourite sports car.

Requirements:

HWAM > 70

Completion of the

Computational Fluid Dynamics

elective before or in parallel

with your thesis

CFD projects using research-oriented CFD software - PUFFIN

PUFFIN is a research-oriented CFD code that I have developed. It is different from

commercial codes in that it does not use a RANS based approach (see above). Instead it

obtains time-dependent solutions of the governing equations on very high-resolution grids

and resolves all (Direct Numerical Simulation) or most (Large Eddy Simulation) of the time-

dependent features of the flow. An image from a Direct Numerical Simulation of a turbulent

boundary layer computed by PUFFIN is shown below.

Vorticity field in a turbulent boundary layer over a flat plate generated using PUFFIN

This simulation used a 100 million node mesh and was computed over 1 million time steps.

Considering there are 5 variables (3 components of velocity, pressure and temperature), this

amounts to the solution of one hundred trillion equations! In order to be feasible,

simulations such as these must be run in parallel across multiple processors. We have a

Linux-based parallel computing cluster in the School for this purpose, and also run on the

university supercomputer – Artemis – and the 57,472 core 1.2 petaflop supercomputer –

Raijin – at the national supercomputing facility.

http://nci.org.au/systems-services/national-facility/peak-system/raijin/

You can watch movies of similar flows here

http://web.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/~kirkpatrick/

PUFFIN is best suited for more fundamental research investigations involving very high

fidelity simulations of heat transfer or mixing of fluid streams with relatively simple

geometries.

Examples of possible projects are

1. Heat transfer: CFD investigation to determine the heat transfer characteristics (eg.

Nusselt number correlation) for a particular heat transfer device or geometry.

2. HVAC: CFD investigation to study the heat transfer or fluid dynamic characteristics of

devices used in specialized HVAC systems such as chilled ceilings or buoyant wall-

attached jets.

3. Environmental Fluid Mechanics: CFD investigation of turbulent mixing processes

resulting from environmental forcings such as solar heating, night-time cooling or

wind shear in rivers, lakes or estuaries. This is my personal research focus at the

moment. You can read

Requirements:

HWAM > 80

Good programming skills

Ability to use Linux Operating System

Good understanding of fluid dynamics and heat transfer

Completion of the Computational Fluid Dynamics elective before or in parallel with

thesis

FSAE thesis topics 2017

THESIS & PROJECT IN FSAE

Supervisor: Dr Andrei Lozzi, room S317, andrei.lozzi@sydney.edu.au

2016 Team leaders, FSAE workshop S116

Nick Athanasios nath6224@uni.sydney.edu.au

Alex Hutto ahut7327@uni.sydney.edu.au

Serena Liu sliu7572@uni.sydney.edu.au

You are invited to apply to join the FSAE team for 2017 as a Thesis or Project student. What are

presented here are the principal topics selected to improve the current car and continue the

revolutionary development which is well underway for the 2017 and later cars.

If you wish to join the team we want to interview you, to ensure that you understand what this field

entails and what topic may suit you best.

The 2014 Sydney

team.

The top team

from NSW.

An FSAE team is essentially a small company that has to design, manufacture and market a small

competition car, all in one year. This task provides real-world engineering challenges and

experiences. It requires a good deal of work, but it will begin to make you into a competent

engineer, and provide you with excellent credentials when you apply for professional engineering

positions.

Critical Topics:

Engine Intake and Exhaust Design:

The unique nature of the FSAE competition requires the design of specialised intake and exhaust

systems to both meet FSAE rules, and to increase the efficiency and performance of our engines.

The recent development of in-house dynamometers for engine tuning, and the development of

Electronic Throttle Control systems, have presented the need for a more comprehensive design

of our intake and exhaust systems.

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Our intake plenum

with the 20 mm dia

entry restrictor

Project Outlines:

- Review current and previous Intake and Exhaust system designs.

- Use CFD analysis to design and implement new Intake and Exhaust systems.

- Work with Engine tuning and Electronic Throttle Control design members to optimise

engine performance.

Engine Tuning for better power and economy:

Engine tuning is one of the simplest and most effective ways of improving the performance of

our car. With our new in-house engine and chassis dynamometers, optimal engine tuning has

become much more achievable. This project will involve working with/implementing a new PE3

ECU, and the tuning and maintenance of our Aprilia 550cc V-Twin engines.

Our engine dynamometer

under construction

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Project Outline:

- Work with the Electronics design team to implement a new PE3 ECU.

- Use the team’s in-house engine and chassis dynamometers to tune our Aprilia engines,

working with the engine and drivetrain design teams.

- Investigate the feasibility of using the engine dynamometer to perform track

simulations.

Suspension Analysis and Optimisation:

Suspension geometry design and tuning is the fundamental aspect of the design of our car, or

any road-going vehicle. Understanding and documenting our past and present design would

enable us to optimise our tuning capability during different dynamic event, while moving to a

new chassis concept and downsized wheel package opens up the possibilities to explore other

suspension layouts and options.

Project Outline:

- Documentation of the characteristics of the existing suspension geometry designs.

- Utilisation of vehicle dynamic software (Lotus Shark) to design/optimise the suspension

geometry for the 2017 car.

- Design and manufacture of suspension arms.

Chassis Analysis and Optimisation:

The 2016 season sees us moving from a full tubular space-frame chassis to a lighter, stiffer

aluminium honeycomb monocoque (ALHC)/rear space-frame hybrid structure. A conservative

approach has been taken in order for our first monocoque contender to be rule-compliance.

Therefore, many areas of the design can be optimised for weight, stiffness and manufacturability

for the next iteration.

The 2016 chassis

under construction

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Project Outline:

- Review past relevant R&D theses and the current monocoque design.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing as per FSAE rule.

- Design and manufacture of an ALHC/space-frame chassis.

- Completion of the Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet.

Steering System:

The steering system is a critical and interesting topic on the design of our car. Not only is it

closely related to the vehicle dynamics/suspension geometry of the car, but other aspect such as

driver comfort and packaging also need to be put into consideration in order to optimise the

drivability and manufacturability of the vehicle.

Coordinate system of

rack & pinion

Coordinate system of

steering wheel system

The Intermediate shaft has to be

adjustable, to ensure lower universal

is on the pinion centre line

Project Outline:

- Review past in-house manufactured design solutions.

- Design and manufacture a steering system for the 2016 car.

- Feasibility study and packaging of the Miltera steering rack.

Drivetrain and Drive Shaft Design:

Typically, FSAE cars use heavy CV joint-based drive shafts to drive the rear wheels. Past theses

have suggested new designs that could significantly lower the mass of the drive shafts, such as

the use of flexible couplings and hollow tubes, possibly manufactured from Aluminium or

Carbon Fibre. For the 2016 FSAE car, new, lighter drive shafts need to be designed and

manufactured. As part of this, a comparison between new and existing drive shaft designs will

need to be performed, and ultimately designed and manufactured.

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Project Outlines:

- Perform a comparison between different potential drive shaft designs.

- Design, manufacture and test new drive shafts for the 2016 FSAE car.

Cooling System:

Adequate engine cooling is essential to the reliable operation of our car in a wide range of

environments. Over the years, we have obtained a significant amount of cooling system

temperature data, and we believe that it is feasible for a smaller, lighter cooling system to be

designed to meet our requirements. Such a system could be mounted above the engine at the

rear of the car, facilitating the removal of the side pod, and a lighter, lower drag car.

Project Outline:

CFD simulation of flow in

radiator duct

- Determine the required cooling capacity for our engine, and design an appropriate

cooling system.

- Design ducting to optimise air flow through the cooling system, potentially with the use

of CFD techniques.

This project will require collaboration with design members from the Aerodynamics, Chassis and

Engine teams.

Impact Attenuator:

The Impact Attenuator is a critical vehicle safety feature, consisting of a deformable, energy

absorbing structure mounted on the front of the car. In the event of a collision, the Impact

Attenuator must limit the deceleration of the car to a safe level.

Our current Impact Attenuator uses a folded aluminium sheet construction, and is significantly

heavier than other potential designs. For our 2016 car, a smaller, lighter Impact Attenuator

needs to be designed, manufactured and tested. It is expected that materials evaluation and

testing will be required as part of the project.

FSAE thesis topics 2017

LSDYNA simulation

of kinetic energy

being absorbed by

our impact

Project Outline:

- Design and manufacture a new Impact Attenuator, compliant with all FSAE rules.

- Carry out performance testing of the Impact Attenuator, and show that the design is

compliant with all FSAE rules.

- Work together with the Chassis and Aerodynamics design teams to implement the

Impact Attenuator on our 2016 car.

- Completion of the Impact Attenuator Data (IAD) document for the FSAE competition.

Brakes:

The behaviour in which a vehicle decelerates contributes greatly to the dynamic of the vehicle,

the driver’s confident and therefore its performance overall. The brake system is a critical topic

to study in order to achieve a reliable and serviceable package that relay good feedback to the

driver.

Our own in-house brake

dynamometer, used to

provide data on disk and

pad material, versus

temperature and pressure

Project Outline:

- Study of the braking demand on a FSAE car during dynamic events.

- Study of the hardware specification of the current pedal box.

- Packaging of the rear inboard brake hardware.

- Experiment with different rotor and pad materials.

Rear Bulkhead:

Our FSAE car utilises a one-piece machined aluminium bulkhead at the rear of the chassis to

accurately locate and mount 20+ critical suspension, drivetrain and chassis hard points. With the

move to a smaller wheel package, revised suspension layout and inboard brakes, this packaging

FSAE thesis topics 2017

and optimisation exercise will challenge those who have an interest in solid modelling and finite

element analysis.

Machined rear frame

providing precise

attachment points for

engine and suspension

mountings.

Project Outline:

- Review of existing design from our team as well as competitors worldwide.

- Design and manufacture of a rear bulkhead that meets all packaging demands and

constraints.

Points Simulator:

The design decisions made for the FSAE competition are, like any real-world engineering

projects, result driven. And the quantity that represent result in the FSAE competition is the

points rewarded. A Points Simulator is a set of arithmetic that predicts the potential gain or loss

of points in both static and dynamic events for certain design decisions based on the past results

of all teams participated in the Australasia competition.

A Matlab program that uses

a simple car model, to

estimate the effect on the

total point score, by the

variations of individual car

performance parameters

Project Outline:

- Research on all car specifications and results of all teams in recent FSAE-A competition.

- Review past Points Simulator from our team.

- Design and construct a Points Simulator in MATLAB with an instruction manual.

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Wireless Steering Wheel:

In-car driver feedback about lap times and vehicle information such as gear position and engine

RPM, is of high importance and needs to be done without distracting the driver. The team has

recently investigated incorporating displays and controls into the steering wheel, however

further development is required. This project involves both Mechanical and Electrical design.

Project Outline:

- Design and manufacture of Electronics required to display vehicle information to the

driver, using a wireless data link.

- Work with Ergonomics and Steering design members to design and manufacture a

steering wheel out of Carbon Fibre or similar materials.

Electronics and Data Acquisition:

The Electronics system consists of three main areas; Power Distribution to all Electronics on the

car, Engine Management, and Data Acquisition. Power Distribution and Engine Management are

critical to the functioning of the car, and involve the implementation of the team’s power

distribution modules and ECUs via a single wiring loom. Data Acquisition is used by the team to

obtain real time data from sensors on the car. This data is used for the purposes of design

validation and car setup tuning. Design of the data acquisition system involves implementing a

suite of sensors across the car, and the hardware required to support them, including a MoTec

racing datalogger.

Project Outline:

- Review of current Electronics system and developed hardware.

- Design of a new wiring loom for the 2016 FSAE car.

- Work together with design members from various fields to implement the required

sensors and systems.

Research Topics:

Aerodynamics Research:

Aerodynamics is the other area to have significant gain that the team has yet to fully exploit. The

aerodynamics of a FSAE car is one of the more interesting subject in the race car engineering

world in that it mainly concerns about downforce without worrying too much about drag due to

the nature of the dynamic events. The aerodynamics devices of interest include: nosecone, front

and rear wing, rear diffuser, and radiator sidepod. Computational analysis and real-life testing

need to be conducted in order to validate design as well as rule compliance.

FSAE thesis topics 2017

Our 2013 car modified to

carry a test aero package

Project Outline:

- Review relevant theses on previous bodywork and prototype wing package.

- Design and manufacture of aforementioned aerodynamics devices using computational

fluid dynamic package.

- Real-life testing to validate CFD results.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing as per FSAE rule for wing

section strength and front wing mount impact attenuation.

Sheet Wheel Centres:

Our FSAE car currently runs on a set of three-piece split wheels with machined aluminium wheel

centres. They are sufficiently light and stiff but difficult and expensive to manufacture. One of

the solution to this issue is to design and manufacture wheel centres out of aluminium sheet,

which requires less costly raw material and do not require a CNC mill to produce.

Sheet aluminium

wheel centres

Project Outline:

- Review previous attempt on sheet wheel centres.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing to validate new sheet

wheel centre design and FEA results.

- Manufacture new sheet wheel centres.

Some possible research topics:

Electric Hub Motors.

Electrically actuated Four Wheel Steering.

Electronic Clutch Control.

Slip Angle Sensor:

Top: EHD-Spray Injector. Bottom: Typical EHD-generated sprays highlighting, from left to right, the effect of increasing the electrical charge on atomization.

UG Thesis topics for 2017 A R Masri Thesis only Project 1: Spray Injectors for Micro-Propulsion (one student) Electro-hydrodynamics (EHD) deals with the interaction between electric fields, electric charge and fluid flow. EHD is a possible route to the realisation of thermally efficient liquid fuelled micro-engines and micro-thrusters for very small UAVs, given that the technology can be used to generate fuel sprays with less than 2milli-Watts of electrical power. To date, there has been no repeatable or viable pulsed electrostatic (EHD) fuel injector for combustion or propulsion applications, largely due to the lack of understanding of how electrostatic atomization works (see photo). In this project, you will design a pulsed electrostatic fuel injection system, whilst in parallel experimentally characterise a conventional (non-pulsed) EHD atomizer running on both conventional and renewable bio-fuels. Thesis only Project 2: Biofuel sprays (one student) Combustion of biofuels (or biofuel blends) in the form of sprays will be more common in the future of many industrial applications such as diesel engines, direct injection spark ignition engines, jet propulsion units, furnaces and incinerators. The opposite burner is designed to study spray flows in a controlled environment in order to resolve controlling physical processes such the interaction between droplets and turbulence. The atomization, evaporation, mixing, and combustion characteristics of spray jets and flames are important stages which remain only vaguely understood. Laser diagnostic tools will be used to measure the velocity and composition fields as well as the droplet number density and size distribution in controlled spray flows. A duplicate of this burner was taken to Purdue University to perform novel laser-based measurements of temperature in turbulent spray flames.

Thesis only Project 3: Stratified and Inhomogeneous Turbulent Combustion (one student) This project is aimed at studying the characteristics of stratified and inhomogeneous combustion under conditions of high shear rates. This mode of combustion is highly relevant in modern engines and common in gas turbines but remains vaguely understood particularly at high turbulence levels. A new burner, consisting of two concentric tubes feeding premixed fuel-air mixtures at different equivalence ratios has been developed. Both tubes are centred in a hot co-flowing stream of combustion products. A schematic of this burner is shown here. The project will study the stability features of this burner under different levels of stratification. Thesis only Project 4: Micro-combustion (up to two students) Micro-combustion is a relatively new field of research that is fast evolving due to interest in micro-power generation systems. Hydrocarbon fuels are particularly useful here due to their huge specific energy which is about two orders of magnitude higher than the best battery available. The most difficult problem is loss of flame stability due to thermal and radical quenching. This project studies the interaction between surface and gas chemistries using configuration shown here. Measurements are made for a variety of fuels and catalysts. Parallel calculations are also conducted using detailed chemical kinetics for the surface as well gaseous reactions. These will be validated against measurements performed using gas sampling and analysis. Thesis only Project 5a: Turbulent Propagating Flames (one student) This project is relevant for industrial safety, explosion risk and internal combustion engines. The burning rate of turbulent propagating flames is strongly affected by turbulence which changes the structure of the flame front. The combustion chamber shown here is built to study flames propagating from rest past baffle plates that generate significant turbulence. Fast video images, velocity measurements and laser induced fluorescence of hydroxyl radicals (LIF-OH) will be made at various stages of flame

propagation. Processing the images to obtain an estimate of dimensionless numbers and turbulence levels will be a focus of the project. Project 5b: Turbulent Propagating Flames with stratification (one student) This is a modified version of the combustion chamber sown here which is extended to include a secondary downstream chamber containing air. The mixture from the primary chamber stratifies the flow into the secondary chamber while combustion is occurring. The presence of obstacles will lead to further turbulence generation. The project involves the construction of the chamber along with initial testing and high-speed imaging of the propagating flames (using LIF-OH) at varying degrees of stratification. Thesis only Project 6: Transition from auto-ignition to premixed flame propagation. This project is aimed at studying the temperature regime over which fluid mixtures undergo a transition from auto-ignition to premixed flame propagation. Auto-ignition is a critical process in diesel and homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines while premixed flame propagation dominates processes in standard spark ignition engines. Both processes may exist in modern engines. The model burner involves a fluid mixture issuing in a co-flow of varying temperature as shown in the opposite image. Measurements of temperature and species concentration will be performed at various experimental conditions. Thesis only Project 7a: Swirl stabilised flames (one student) This mode of flame stabilisation is common in industrial burners but the resulting turbulent flow is very complex and difficult to calculate even in the absence heat release. Large eddy simulation (LES) techniques are making significant advances in this area but the preliminary finding point to significant sensitivity of the calculations to the condition in the boundary layers at the burner’s surface. This project aims at studying experimentally the effects of boundary layers on flames stabilised on swirl burners similar to that shown here. Measurements of the velocity and turbulence fields in the boundary layers of this burner will be made.

Project 7b: Swirl stabilised spray jets and flames (one student) These complex flows are highly relevant in industrial applications such as boilers and furnaces and may involve significant instabilities which affect the combustor’s performance. A spray injector will be positioned in the central part of the burner and swirl is applied to the surrounding air. High swirl numbers can be generated. The flow and droplet fields will be measured for various levels of spray loadings. Flame stability characteristics will also be determined for the selection of flames for further investigations. Thesis only Project 8: Three Dimensional Imaging of Atomizing Sprays (one student) This is a new project aimed at enabling three-dimensional imaging of fluid structures that are shed from the core of an atomizing spray jet. Such diagnostics capability does not currently exist. Recently, two shadowgraph, planar images of spray fragments were taken at 90 degrees (see opposite sample). The method of multiple ellipsoids was used to reconstruct the original three-dimensional shape of the fluid fragment. The objective of this project is to extend such capabilities from two to three imaging planes. This adds a significant level of complexity due to the additional of a third camera as well as the processing of the images. The student will be involved in both the setting of the imaging system as well as data collection and imaging processing. Thesis only Project 9: Droplets/Particles in flows with temperature gradients (one student) This is a new project aimed at studying the dynamics of droplets and particles in turbulent flows where a temperature gradient is imposed. It is envisaged that the local fluctuations in temperature will affect the local dissipation as well as evaporation rate of particles. A simple rig will be constructed for this experiment where measurements of velocity and temperature fields will be performed.

Projects with Professor Simon Ringer simon.ringer@sydney.edu.au Theme: Materials Science and Engineering Project Locations: Engineering Link Building, Sydney Nanoscience Hub, Madsen Building, Charles Perkins Hub General Project Attributes: My research is about atomic-scale design of materials to access extraordinary structural and/or functional properties. You will be working in a team that includes Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers, and undertake experiments and calculations.

A Key Technique in Many of these Projects: Atom Probe Microscopy The University of Sydney has a world-class capability in atom probe microscopy [1]. The principles by which the instrument operates are shown schematically below. Surface atoms are ionised and evaporated from a needle-shaped specimen due to stimulation from either a voltage pulse (electric field evaporation), or ultra-short laser pulses (thermally-activated field evaporation). Time-of-flight measurements precisely indicate the mass-to-charge ratio and, thus, the chemical identity of each individual evaporated ion. The ions are collected on a position-sensitive detector, and the positional information is used to build-up a tomographic reconstruction of the specimen, atomic-layer by atomic-layer, by means of a reverse-projection algorithm. The resulting images are truly striking, offering new and fundamental insights into the way that materials work, and enabling the design and development of new materials.

Adjacent to the instrument schematic is an image of an advanced magnetic alloy that has spinodally decomposed into nanoscale regions rich in, alternatively iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni). Below that is data from an Fe-As(K, Ba) based superconductor material – each elemental species can be imaged and these images serve as the platform for atomic scale materials design and development. Here, the role of clustering of K and Ba atoms was explored in detail. The three images at the top of this page are, respectively, field ion image, a field desorption image and an atom probe tomogram from an Al-Cu alloy showing the occurrence of Cu-rich precipitate particles in the microstructure. Below that is data from an ultra-high strength aluminium alloy and the individual grains are shown alongside data on the atomic-scale clustering of alloying elements [1] B. Gault, M. P. Moody, J. M. Cairney, and S. P. Ringer, Atom probe microscopy. New York: Springer, 2012.

Projects 2017

Re-Evaluating the Concept of Atomic-Scale Concentration of Very Dilute Materials Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Anna Ceguerra Materials such as semiconductors, and certain alloys including many magnetic materials exhibit engineering properties that depend critically on the presence of extremely dilute (ppm, or ppb) concentrations of dopant or alloying elements. When very dilute elemental concentrations are combined with a high level of spatial confinement—such as the region of source/drain region of a transistor or a particular crystal interface in an advanced high

strength steel, the very definition of concentration requires careful consideration. Moreover, the measurement of such subtle nanoscale microstructure is a great challenge. Atom probe microscopy is a powerful tool for gaining insights into atomic-scale structure and chemistry of materials and we operate a world-class facility at Sydney. Our experiments allow us to generate large ~100 million atom datasets in real-space and these can be analysed to understand the distribution functions around individual solute atoms. Those distribution functions can hold the key to critical engineering behaviour. In this project, you will use your knowledge of materials engineering, thermodynamics, computation and mathematics to investigate the nature of the distribution of individual atoms in advanced alloys and how that distribution can be rigorously described. Precipitate morphology using atom probe microscopy data Professor Simon Ringer, Dr. Anna Ceguerra and Dr. Suqin Zhu Precipitation strengthening is one of the most important mechanisms available for the strengthening of materials. It is widely prevalent in alloys, and modern industrial examples abound in space vehicles, aerospace, pan-continental pipeline projects, off-shore oil platforms and large pressure equipment. The most modern steels, and aluminium alloys available, and those currently under development use this important principle of materials science: that the process of deformation (crystallographic slip) is inhibited by the presence of second phase precipitate particles. To be effective, these particles will be nanoscale in size and distributed very finely and uniformly throughout the microstructure. A very important attribute of the precipitate dispersion in a given material is the particular shape of the precipitate, and the crystallographic plane system that they occur on. This has great influence on the resultant crystal plasticity—how the material responds to deformation. These crystallographic plane systems are termed the ‘habit planes’ of the particles. Atom probe microscopy generates atomic resolution images that enable investigations of the microstructure of materials. An example of this is nanoscale precipitates in Al-Cu alloys (see above). In this project, you will use some of the many existing experimental and computational techniques developed by the research team as a basis to build a new approach to the determination of crystal habit plane and precipitate shape so as to enable better microstructure-property relationships in materials. New Approaches to the Tomographic Reconstruction in Atom Probe Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Anna Ceguerra Our capacity to design and develop new materials is often limited by our ability to ‘see’ and measure their atomic-scale characteristics. Such information is essential in order to navigate the enormous design space available when we consider materials at the nanoscale. The reverse-projection algorithm used in atom probe microscopy has assumptions that we wish to thoroughly test in this project. The goal of this project is to develop a more physically correct reconstruction that represents the true process occurring when atoms leave the sample surface and drift along electric field lines towards the detector. In particular, we have developed a new tomographic algorithm and a project is available to devise tests to rigorously qualify the new algorithmic approach.

Optimization of the performance of low-dimensional nanostructures using electric-fields

Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Carl Cui

Nanotechnology holds enormous potential for breakthroughs in nanoelectronics, clean energy and other environmental technologies. Electric fields are an efficient tool for the manipulation of the nanostructure of materials, since field changes can invoke microstructural changes that “switch” the properties of certain materials. Based on first principles simulations using density functional theory, this project will explore the performance of several nanostructured materials using electric-fields. The following areas are of interest and one or more of these may serve as the foundation for a project: a) bond stretching or breaking in 2D graphene ribbon and graphene quantum dots. b) field evaporation of selected alloys and compare with atom probe experiments. c) selective graphene oxide reduction or removing. d) stabilising and creating of nanoholes in graphone (a partially hydrogenated form of graphene that is ferromagnetic). e) enhanced hydrogen/CO2 storage capacity in functionalised graphene sheet. Similar approaches can be readily expanded to other 2D materials. The successful implementation of this project is expected to lead to journal publications.

Calculation of local fields in atom probe microscopy

Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Carl Cui This project will apply density functional theory modelling approaches to explore the ionisation process on the sample tip since a better understanding of this process will lead to even better positioning resolution of the microscope.

Design of a new detector for atom probe microscopy Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Anna Ceguerra This aim of this project will be to explore candidate designs for a new detector concept for the atom probe (see above). You will use the world-class cleanroom facilities of the University’s Research & Prototype Foundry to build a new concept detector using a photolithography approach.

Design of a New Titanium Alloy

Professor Simon Ringer and Dr. Suqin Zhu We have recently achieved some striking preliminary experimental results for a new thermo-mechanical processing schedule that hold promise to extend the range of mechanical properties for titanium and its alloys. If viable industrially, this would extend the range of applications for titanium as a structural into entirely new application domians. This project will involve new experiments to explore the range and extent to which these new findings can be applied in titanium physical metallurgy.

Electron Beam Lithography for New Memory Applications in Ferroelectric Materials Professors Simon Ringer and Xiaozhou Liao Using the world-class electron beam lithography facilities in the cleanroom of the University’s Research and Prototype Foundry, this project aims to explore the limits of our recent findings for new concepts in computer memory using omnidirectional electric fields to control local microstructure of ferroelectric materials. Confocal Microscopy for Cancer Cell Diagnosis – Design of a Materials Scaffold Array Professors Simon Ringer and Andrew Ruys Approaches that combined diagnosis and therapy are receiving increasing attention in the area of oncology as the enormously diverse range of possible cancer types require particular therapeutic strategies. Moreover, the possibility of matching a particular therapy in a highly personalized manner to an individual patient genome is regarded as the frontier of research in this field. This project will design and build an array of cell scaffolds that enable the team to explore the behavior of certain cancer cells in these constrained environments with a view to understanding how a scaffold array could be used to determine the particular type of cancer. Design and Fabrication of a Nanoparticle Analysis Template Professors Simon Ringer, Julie Cairney and Dr. Alexandre La Fontaine Nanoparticles are set to have increasing impact on industrial technologies that range from catalysis, to medicine to agriculture. To properly unleash this enormous potential, methodologies must be developed to enable their characterisation. It is essential to obtain atomic-resolution images so as to discern the local structure and chemistry of the nanoparticles. In this way, the nanoparticles can be ‘designed’ so as to have particular chemical and/or other functional properties. Our team are working on the development of an atom probe microscopy approach to enable such studies of these intriguing materials. Using the world-class lithography facilities in the cleanroom of the University’s Research and Prototype Foundry, this project aims to design and fabricate a template structure that can be used to isolate nanoparticles out of reaction mixtures. If successful, this template structure will allow the nanoparticle to be picked up and introduced to a workflow that results in the fabrication of a needle-like sample such as is required for atom probe.

Dr Fatemeh Salehi

E: fatemeh.salehi@sydney.edu.au

T: +61(02) 90369518

Room S511, ME Bldg

Title: Computational fluid dynamics of high pressure spray in diesel engine

In the past few years, diesel engines have surged in popularity,

particularly in Australia since they offer high thermal

efficiencies and emit less CO2/km than petrol engines.

However, the formation of pollutants, particularly NOx,

remains the key challenge in these engines. In small doses, NOx

can cause irritation of the sinuses and lungs, fatigue, and

nausea, while higher doses of NOx can result in serious health

issues such as fast burning, spasms, and swelling of tissues in

the throat. Achieving low particulate matter and NOx emissions

from diesel engines are now of paramount concern to

regulators and manufacturers of conventional and biodiesel

engines as demonstrated by the recent Volkswagen direct

injection diesel engine scandal. The aim of this thesis is to

perform a CFD model of high pressure spray at diesel engine

conditions to provide a better understanding of the combustion

process in conditions relevant to low emission diesel engines

optimisations. The simulations will be compared with experimental data provided by Engine

Combustion Network (ECN) and explore flame structures.

Students are expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Title: Particles velocity and concentration distributions in turbulent flows

Transport of particles in turbulent flows occurs very often in

natural and industrial situations such as dispersion of pollutants

in the atmosphere, optimisation of chemical reactors and liquid

fuel spray in diesel engines and gas turbines. In these examples,

particles consist of liquid droplets or solid particles in the gas

and their mass density are, in general, vastly greater than that

of the carrier phase. Thus, their dynamics is not necessarily

following the carrier field, and effects of inertia are significant.

These effects are usually qualified using the Stokes number

defined as 𝑆𝑡 = 𝜏𝑝 𝜏𝑓⁄ where 𝜏𝑝 and 𝜏𝑓 are particle response

and flow characteristic times, respectively.

This project aims to model solid particles in turbulent flows to

study the influence of the Stokes number on the particle

concentration and velocity.

Students are expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Arteriovenous Malformation, a Computational Study (Continuation)

Supervisor: K Srinivas*

Co-supervisors: Qing Lee*, Casikar Vidyasagar** and Itsu Sen***

(* AMME, University of Sydney, ** Neuro Surgeon, Nepean Hospital, *** Australian School of

Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University)

Arteriovenous Malfunction denotes a tangle in the blood

vessels where the blood from the arteries is bypassed to

the veins. This can happen in the brain leading to what are

called Brain AVMs. The consequences of AVM could be

intracranial haemorrhage, seizures, headache and difficulty

with movement, speech and vision. There is also a 25%

chance of brain damage and stroke.

The flow of blood from arteries to veins, bypassing the

intervening capillary network, occurs because of the

fistulous connections established. Though the medical

community is trying to gain an understanding of the AVMs

many fundamental questions remain unanswered. One of

these is - when does a clinically silent lesion declare its

presence? Is it by haemorrhage? Or is it by a neurological manifestation suggestive of deprivation of

blood to normal areas of brain (called Steal Phenomenon)?

It is observed that the consequences of AVM cannot be explained adequately in terms of pressures

and flow rates alone. Sizes of fistulas seem to have considerable influence, which are not easily

determined.

It is proposed to search for answers to these questions using the computational techniques.

Available software ANSYS will be employed for the purpose. Participating student will be using this

software extensively.

The challenge exists in the generation of a suitable mesh for real patient geometries. Some

modifications and simplifications of the geometry may have to be made. Application of the software

then will generate vast amounts of data which are to be analysed.

The project will be an ideal one for any enterprising student who wishes to expand his learning

experience into biomedical engineering.

AVM in the brain

Professor Grant Steven grant.steven@sydney.edu.au

grant.steven@strand7.com

Dr K C Wong kc.wong@sydney.edu.au

e-mail for more information

Design Software for Extreme UAVs

As you are aware UAVs are of great interest at the moment. The Aeronautics group at Sydney University has a long history of design and build experience in this field. Recent survey work has revealed that there is much interest in UAVs with a great variety of extreme performance. Rather than select one part of this design space we would like to start to create computational design tools that can facilitate a wide range of activity and performance. This software would include flight performance, control, aerodynamics and structural modules. For some of these the data is incomplete but we would nevertheless like to make a start. The task would involve scripting in Matlab or VB with as much data and analysis as we can get included.

Software to aid understanding of Structural Analysis in the High School Design and Technology curriculum Professor Grant Steven grant.steven@sydney.edu.au grant.steven@strand7.com e-mail for more information

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) have developed a very popular experimental laboratory in the renewable energy area which tours about 500 high schools each year. The STELR (www.stelr.org.au) Program is a hands-on, inquiry-based, in-curriculum program designed for Year 9 or Year 10 students, on the theme of global warming. They wish to develop material in the structural analysis area that aids students in the appreciation and understanding of this important subject in the area of design.

The research would comprise of looking at the High School curriculum and developing software that drives the Strand7 FEA engine to engender appreciation and encourage enquiry about how to make designs perform better.

The work would involving writing VB or Matlab script that generates GUIs and builds structures and examines the results. The Application Programming Interface (API) drives the Strand7 engine.

To undertake this important task you must enjoy programming and be interesting in the training of future engineers.

Design optimization for wing type structures that targets the ratio of bending to torsional stiffness (Honors project) Professor Grant Steven grant.steven@sydney.edu.au grant.steven@strand7.com Dr Gareth Vio gareth.vio@sydney.edu.au e-mail for more information

There are many strong reasons that the structure of a wing box is such that the ratio of the bending to the torsional stiffness achieve certain values. Traditionally this has never been studied from an optimization perspective and normally the bending stiffness is optimized and the torsional stiffness follows form this. In the past work has been done in the department that uses a process called Group Evolutionary Structural Optimization to maximize only the specific stiffness of structures, see some examples below. In the present research the same techniques will be used but with the very different objective as described in the title. There will be a significant coding activity in this project in the Matlab or VB driving an API for the Strand7 FEA code.

Simulating the Action of Sporting Equipment for Maximum Performance (Several potential honors projects) Professor Grant Steven grant.steven@sydney.edu.au grant.steven@strand7.com e-mail for more information

Long before Finite Element Analysis was developed, people were participating in sports and as competition intensified is became clear that for many sports, the equipment used played as important a part in performance as did the athlete. With the use of modern materials and manufacturing processes there is always scope for maximizing the performance of sporting equipment. Traditionally improvements were incremental, as athletes fed-back suggestions to manufacturers and new prototypes were built and tested. Given the cost of tooling for many of the

current manufacturing methods, carbon fibre with resin infusion to mention one, it is clear that such build and test iterations are not as preferable given the potential of limited success and high cost. Modern simulation techniques are capable of examining a “day–in–the-life” of an object and from an examination of the envelope of response the most sensitive regions can be detected. Iteration on the design variables, provided they remain within any constraints, physical or otherwise, can be incorporated to investigate their effect on performance. Methods such as Design of Experiments (DOE) and Response Surface Analysis (RSA), genetic algorithms (GA) and Monte-Carlo Methods are being increasingly applied to achieve optimisation goals For many sports the outcome depends in the interaction between the sportsperson and the equipment; boot with ball; bat with ball; bow and arrow, and so on. Previous research by my students has looked at tennis, cricket, and soccer. Although interesting results were obtained and valuable learning took place there are still many unanswered questions.

Pictures of ball impact in centre of tennis racquet and off-centre strike of cricket ball on bat.

Selecting this area for a project will involve selection of a sport, identification of desired improvements, leaning non-linear transient Finite Element Analysis with contact and other simulation skills.

Optimization of Shear Centre Location

Project/thesis topic

Supervisor Prof Grant Steven (grant.steven@sydney.edu.au)

The shear centre plays an important role in the analysis and design of aircraft structures. It is a

difficult quantity to calculate and on a long slender wing structure it can be very important to have a

certain quite precise relationship between the location of the shear centre, the centre of

aerodynamic pressure and the flexural centre

This thesis/project will look at the process for the determination of the shear centre for complex

aircraft type structures and methods for prescribing its position relative to other geometric aspects.

A kind of evolutionary algorithm will be used for this.

Pressure distribution on the cover of coal wagons. Project/thesis topic

Supervisor Prof Grant Steven (grant.steven@sydney.edu.au)

There is a move globally to have covers on coal wagons and possibly also on iron ore and grains railcars. These will be to stop small losses of the product, prevent dust and also eliminate the need to spray water on the coal to reduce dust. What is not known is the pressure distribution on such covers which is needed for the purposes of the structural design. The project will involve wind tunnel testing and possibly CFD.

Numerical study of strengthening/ toughening mechanisms in nano/micro–composites

based on soft matrix materials

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Tania Vodenitcharova

Soft materials, such as polymers and resins, are commonly used as matrices in nano– and

micro– composites. The filler particles enhance the strength, stiffness, fracture toughness and

wear resistance of the matrices, and thus the load bearing capacity and serviceability of the

composites.

This project aims to understand the strengthening and toughening mechanisms in polymer-

based micro/nano– composites under standard strength and fracture toughness loading

conditions. Composite preparation and standard strength and fracture toughness tests will be

conducted in parallel on another project.

FEA will be utilized to develop a numerical model for the representative sample of the

composite, and the response of that sample will be studied to standard strength and fracture

toughness loadings. An input code will be prepared in a parametric form which will allow

optimization of strength and performance for varying %volume and mechanical properties of

the filler material.

The project will improve the students analytical and numerical skills and provide them with

the opportunity to develop useful design skills. A sound background in solid mechanics and

analytical skills are required, as well as some basic knowledge of an FEA code.

FEA simulations of cutting process in nano/micro–composites based on soft matrix

materials

Supervisors: Dr Li Chang, Dr Tania Vodenitcharova

Cutting is a common process applied to fabrication of products with required size and surface

furnish. Although it has been used for a long time in manufacturing, it is still under-

researched, especially in the case of soft materials and composites based on soft matrices.

This project will study the cutting mechanism in soft materials and soft-material-based

nano/micro–composites by means of numerical simulation of the cutting process using an

FEA code. Sample preparation and standard cutting tests will be conducted in parallel on

another project. A representative sample will be first modelled using the FEA code and then

subjected to the cutting conditions employed in the experiments. The numerical results will

be compared with the experiments, and thus the model will be validated. A valid model will

then allow predictions to be made and parameters be set to achieve optimized results in terms

of cutting force and surface finish.

The project will enhance the problem solving ability of the student in analysis and design of

new materials, and expose them to the area of product development of contemporary and

future significance. The student is expected to have sound knowledge in solid mechanics and

an FEA code.

Supervisor: Nicholas Williamson Room S411, Mechanical Engineering Building email: nicholas.williamson@sydney.edu.au Thesis projects offered in: Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Numerical Modelling, Heat Transfer, Bio-fluid dynamics. Computational Fluid Dynamics Projects 1) Transition from Laminar to Turbulent Flow in a Natural Convection Boundary Layer. When a vertical wall is heated/cooled, the changing buoyancy of the fluid adjacent to the wall induces convective flow. This project would aim to improve understanding of the properties of this flow using large-scale numerical simulation: CFD. This challenging project would require the student to work with a research code, run the large simulations required to resolve the flow properly. You would then be required to analyze the data set and compare with existing experimental data. The long-term outcome of this research would be improved prediction and control of boundary layer flows and perhaps heat transfer enhancement via manipulation of the wall surface e.g turbulence trips etc. Students should have taken AMME3060 Engineering Methods or intend to enrol in AMME5202 Computational Fluid Dynamics to undertake this project. 2) Turbulent entrainment of a stratified mixing layer. When a light fluid flows parallel to a more dense fluid, the two fluids mix. The rate of mixing is a key parameter in many engineering models. The effect of density on this rate of mixing is not well understood. The effect of many flow characteristics, such as background turbulence, are not well quantified. Numerical simulations allow us to control these characteristics very well. This project would aim to improve understanding of the properties of this flow using large-scale numerical simulation: CFD. This challenging project would require the student to work with a research code, run the large simulations required to resolve the flow properly and then analyse the flow. You would then be required to analyze the data set and compare with existing experimental data. The long-term outcome of this research would be improved prediction of the mixing rate in stratified shear flows.

(Experimental result of stratified shear flow obtained in our fluids laboratory) Students should have taken AMME3060 Engineering Methods or intend to enrol in AMME5202 Computational Fluid Dynamics to undertake this project. 3) Solve a Computational Fluid Dynamics problem of your choice. If you have an interesting idea write a 500-word proposal and I will assess if it is feasible. Students should intend to enrol in AMME5202 Computational Fluid Dynamics to undertake this project.

Laboratory Based Fluid Dynamics Projects We have laboratory space for three student projects in our fluid dynamics laboratory. These projects typically involve a student designing and building a laboratory rig (or use an existing one), developing an experimental procedure, conducting the experiments and analysing the results. We have projects based around our research program and also projects which have appealed to students in the past. If you have an idea, write a 500-word proposal and I will determine if it is feasible. 4) Laboratory Investigation of the Natural Ventilation Heating and Cooling in a Building The heating ventilation and cooling of a building can be modelled in a laboratory setting using sources/sinks of fresh and saline water as a proxy for thermal heat flux. The aim of this project is to produce a simple experimental rig representing ventilation flow in a model building. The student would be able to use dye visualisation and image capturing techniques to obtain estimates of the temperature distribution in the model building and use these measurements to validate a simple mathematical model of the flow.

(You will gain skills in: Fluid Mechanics / HVAC / Design and Commissioning of Experimental Rigs/ Experimental Methods / Data Analysis and Processing/ simple numerical modelling)

5) Laboratory Investigation of Mixing in Displacement Air-Conditioning- Negatively Buoyant Jets In displacement air-conditioning a situation can arise where a hot air jet is directed vertically downwards into a cool room or a cool jet upwards into a warm room. In these situations buoyancy forces oppose the inflow forming a kind of fountain like flow. If we understand the mixing between the fountain and the ambient environment we can estimate the temperature distribution in the room and the turnover time for ventilation. At present these attributes are poorly understood. This project will use an existing laboratory rig to investigate these types of flows and aim to provide fundamental understanding of the flow regimes.

These flows are also important in other contexts. Erupting volcanoes also behave like a fountain flow initially, and the mixing between the rising plume and the ambient determines whether the eruption collapses as a pyroclastic flow. The rejection of hyper saline water from desalination plants often takes place in ocean outfalls. These outfalls have the characteristics of a fountain flow. Designers must ensure there is sufficient mixing at the source to provide dilution of the saline flow.

(You will gain skills in: Fluid Mechanics / Experimental Methods / Data Analysis and Processing)

6) Design and build a natural convection boundary layer visualisation rig. Boundary layers are one of the most important flows to engineers, but many aspects of these flows are still poorly understood. In this project the student would design and build a new laboratory rig that could be used for investigation of natural convection boundary layers. The rig would use saline fluid as a proxy for heat. The rig would be used to visualise boundary layer development and the transition to turbulence. If successful the rig could be used to undertake initial research into entrainment/mixing in natural convection boundary layers. The results could be compared with existing measurements. 7) Purging Cavity Problem In NSW, saline ground water leaches into the base of some rivers, forming stable saline ponds at the base of the rivers. The stability of these ponds prevents mixing with the fresh oxygenated water. This environmental problem is often controlled by environmental release of water from upstream, increasing the flow such that the saline fluid is purged. This project would use an existing laboratory model to determine the rate of mixing of the saline water under different flushing conditions.

Heat Transfer Projects 8) Develop a thermal model of an Australian river system This project work will help the NSW Office of Water understand the thermal stress on riverine biota and develop weir release control strategies. A model of heat transfer along the river would be developed and include solar heat inputs, thermal load from sources along the river and heat losses to the ambient environment. A successful project will produce a stand alone software tool for catchment managers or a plugin to existing hydraulic modelling software. Data from the NSW Office of Water is available for calibration/testing of the model.

Bio-fluid dynamics 9) Investigate the turbulent stress on algae in Australian rivers. This project work will help the NSW Office of Water understand the survival blue green algal cells in rivers. The turbulence in some steep rapid flowing rivers are thought to act of the algal cells, causing the cells to die very short distances downstream from their origins in dams/reservoirs. In more gentle flowing rivers, the algal cells have been show to survive many hundreds of kilometres downstream. This project would develop a simple criterion that could be used to differentiate between these river systems. Data from industrial partners is available for calibration/testing of the model. (You will gain skills in: Fluid Mechanics / Data Analysis and Processing)