Power is fundamental to the existance of modern society. Without power, you couldn't be reading this web page, for example. However, the environmental consequences of our current methods of power generation are unsustainable. We seek to improve the performance and reduce the emissions of modern power systems by better understanding of the multi-phase flows .
Our fields of research include sprays, cavitation, and other multiphase flows. These studies combine the intellectual challenge of multiple phenomena interacting at multiple scales, and provide the long-term benefits to society of cleaner and more efficient power. For diesel and jet engines, the spray quality has a tremendous impact on the emissions. We also simulate sprays in rockets, where there is a great difficulty predicting and controlling the combustion process.
Offshore wind energy is a particularly engaging research topic. The waters off the coast of New England offer good wind resource and close proximity to population centers. With our lab's emphasis on waves and fluid-structure interaction, we provide new predictive methods for the design process.