Fluid Mechanics

Staff: Dr Eric Gillies, Dr Richard Green, Dr Marco Vezza

Fluid mechanics is a fascinating and important branch of science and engineering, and the division has diverse research interests in phenomena relevant to fixed and rotary wing aircraft; aeroelasticity; flow control; vortex dominated flows; turbomachinery; renewable energy devices including wind and marine turbines; fluid-structure interactions; and low Reynolds number fluid mechanics of swimming microorganisms. A range of industrial organisations and government agencies provides external support for these projects. Computer systems are available with

mature and diverse CFD codes (both in-house and commercial) for fluid flow simulation, and there is a range of equipment including a research microscope and wind tunnels equipped with diverse test rigs and state-of-the-art measurement technology to aid experimental investigations. The division staff have extensive experience in code development and application for CFD, development of experimental techniques and testing rigs, and theoretical analysis of diverse fluid dynamic problems. Research findings are communicated at international conferences, and the division contributes articles to a wide range of internationally

respected journals including the Journal of Fluid Mechanics; Experiments in Fluids; AIAA Journal and Journal of Aircraft; ASME Journal of Turbomachinery; Journal of Fluids and Structures; Journal of the American Helicopter Society; and International Journal of Numerical Methods in Fluids among others.