Postgraduate research opportunities Mathematical Modelling & Analysis of Thin-Film Flows

Not only are thin-film flows ubiquitous in nature, industry and biology (where they appear as, for example, lava and mud flows, coating flows, microfluidics, and biofilms and other mucus linings within the human body, respectively), but they also provide an endlessly fascinating "playground" in which to investigate a wide range of nonlinear and dynamical phenomena. In particular, the flow of rivulets and droplets and the interaction between thin films of fluid and the external environment (such as, for example, the airflow over a car windscreen on a rainy day or the evaporation of a fluid droplet) display complex and unexpected phenomena who understanding often necessitates an insightful combination of asymptotic and numerical methods.

The proposed project will use a variety of analytical and numerical methods to bring new understanding into a range of real-world problems involving thin films of both simple and complex fluids. In particular, while the details are open to discussion with the student, we plan to build on the supervisor’s previous work in rivulet flow [see, for example, Al Mukahal et al. Proc. Roy. Soc. A 473 (2207) 20170524 (2017)] and droplet evaporation [see, for example, Stauber et al. Phys. Fluids 27 122101 (2015)] and will hopefully involve collaboration with experimentalists. 

Further information

For further information, please contact Professor Wilson.