Multiphase Flow 2013          

7th International Conference on Computational and Experimental Methods in Multiphase and Complex Flow

pcr.jpg3 - 5 July 2013
A Coruña, Spain

 Overview

Multiphase Flow 2013

The 7th International Conference on Computational and Experimental Methods in Multiphase and Complex Flow has taken place in La Coruña, Spain, organised by the University of New Mexico, represented by Professor Peter Vorobieff and the Wessex Institute of Technology, represented by Professor Carlos A Brebbia, both Co-Chairs of the Meeting and Co-Editors of the book.

Fluid Dynamic processes in nature are mostly multiphased, ie they involve more than one phase or component such as liquid, gas or plasma. They also cover a wide scale range. Multiphase flows can be seen everywhere, from swirling clouds of cosmic dusty gas and plasma that span light years, to the blood flowing through micron-sized capillaries within the human body. The range of related problems of interest is equally vast; astrophysics, biology, geophysics, atmospheric processes and many others, including a whole variety of engineering applications.

Thus it is understandable that multiphase structures generate a great deal of interest. This interest is the motivation of experimental, analytical and numerical studies. While progress is being made in all three categories, work on numerical solutions has advanced rapidly, owing to the rapid improvements in computer power and software tools available to researchers. Progress in numerical methods has not only allowed for the solution of many practical problems, but also helped to advance our understanding of the physics involved. Many unresolved issues are inherent in the very definition of multiphase flow, where it is necessary to consider coupled problems in multiphase scales, not necessarily all of them characterized by the same physics.

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Prof. Brebbia

Close interaction between numerical modellers and other researchers is required to resolve many outstanding issues in multiphase flow. Experiments are essential for validation and verification of numerical solutions, with the latter providing new insights into the interpretation of experimental results and suggesting new directions of research.

The series of conferences on Multiphase Flow, organised by the Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT) since 2001 aims to further such initiatives and to develop knowledge transfer mechanisms, in particular between academics and industry professionals.

The Conference was opened by Professor Carlos A. Brebbia who spoke of the aims of WIT as a mechanism for the transfer of technology at an international level. The Institute, Carlos said, fulfils its objectives by a series of activities, including research, training, publications and services to industry. The organisation of international conferences such as Multiphase Flow is also an important way to promote cooperation between different institutions and scientists.

Carlos mentioned that WIT organises at present 25 or so conferences like Multiphase Flow every year, each of which produces a volume for WIT Transactions, in this case the one on Engineering Sciences (Vol 79, 2013). The papers are all archived in the eLibrary of the Institute (http://library.witpress.com) where they are permanently available to the international scientific community.

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Delegates at Multiphase Flow
The books are now sold in digital as well as hard cover format, with the former becoming more important all the time. WIT Press, the publishing arm of the Institute, is well positioned to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by digital publishing. It has developed a network of digital sellers which practically covers the whole world.

The Conference volumes are referenced by Crossref and regularly appear in notable reviews, publications and databases, including referencing and abstract services such as Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge, Proquest and others.

Carlos also explained that research at WIT continues to evolve in new directions, with a substantial amount of the new work supporting industry, in fields such as energy, aerospace, and mechanical engineering. The boundary element tools originated by Carlos’ group years ago have now given rise to software codes which are regularly used as analysis tools. This, Carlos said, is the best validation of the research carried out at WIT. Contact with industry also shapes the direction for future research and development.

Carlos ended by thanking the delegates for supporting WIT’s work and hoping that they will consider visiting the WIT Campus at Ashurst Lodge in the New Forest National Park. There they will have an occasion to judge better the direction of the Institute’s research.

 Keynote Addresses

The technical sessions were opened by a keynote address by Peter Vorobieff, the Co-Chair, who spoke of “Methodology of Shock-accelerated Multiphase Flow: Experiments and Modelling”.

In addition, there were other keynote addresses as follows:

  • “Modelling plasma flow with particle classes for different charge carriers and neutral particles” by Rodion Groll from University of Bremen, Germany
  • “Pore-scale observation of surfactant flooding for weekly water-wet porous media: the effect of gas injection to improve oil recovery” by Tetsuya Suekane, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
  • “Modelling capillary barriers” by Jiri Mls, Chalmers University, Czech Republic
  • “Assessment of static bed height and particle diameter on the hydrodynamic behavior of a spouted bed” by Nader Mahinpey, University of Calgary, Canada
  • “Rupture of thin liquid films under the influence of external heat flux” by Karl Meredith, FM Global, USA
  • “One-dimensional turbulent mass transfer at air-water interfaces: details of discontinuities of derivatives using the RSW method” by Harry E Schutz, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 Conference Topics

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Delegates during the conference

The papers were grouped together under the following topics:

  • Flow simulation
  • Interface behaviour
  • Bubble and drop dynamics
  • Flow in porous media
  • Oil and gas applications
  • Experimental measurements
  • Computational methods

 

 Special Session

A special session on Multiphase Flow Phenomena in Fire Suppression was organised by Karl Meredith of FM Global which in addition to his invited lecture, included the following presentations:

  • “Evaporation and heat transfer from thin water films on vertical panels in simulated fire conditions”
  • “Impact of non-uniform surface flows on fire suppression of an idealized commodity”
  • “Effect of water mist on temperature and burning velocity of stretched propane-air premixed flames”
  • “Experimental study of the impingement process of a liquid droplet upon a corrugated cardboard surface”
  • “Simplified modeling of sprinkler head fluid mechanics”

 Conference Dinners

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Music at the conference dinner
The Scientific Committee met over dinner to discuss ways to improve the Conference when it is reconvened in 2015. A series of new topics was proposed as well as where to hold the next meeting. The locations will be investigated by WIT’s Conference Department.

The Conference banquet took place in a well known restaurant from where the whole bay of A Coruña could be seen. The menu consisted of typical Galician dishes, including a selection of tapas, a seafood crepe and local beef, accompanied by the wines for which Galicia is renowned throughout the world. At the end of the dinner, the participants were entertained by a bagpipe ensemble. Bagpipe music is very much part of the local culture and is played at all important family and public events. Carlos thanked the delegates for coming to the Conference and in particular to Galicia which is from where part of his family came. He stressed the human dimensions of the Conference organised by WIT, which attracts delegates from all over the world. WIT Conferences, Carlos said, are living proof of how people from different backgrounds and cultures can get together when free of political manipulations. This is one of the most rewarding aspects of organising international scientific gatherings.

The Conference gave the participants ample opportunities to interact with each other in a friendly atmosphere. This led to many discussions, in addition to those held in the formal conference sessions.

 Closing of the Conference

Carlos closed the Conference by thanking the participants for coming to La Coruna, a unique part of Spain, unknown to many, with its own culture and traditions. He also expressed his gratitude for the delegates’ support of WIT’s work and hoped that they would consider visiting the Campus of Wessex Institute in the New Forest National Park, another beautiful part of the world.

 Conference Proceedings

The proceedings of Multiphase Flow 2013 - Computational Methods in Multiphase Flow VII, 556pp (Print ISBN: 978-1-84564-734-6; eISBN: 978-1-84564-735-3) are available from WIT Press. Orders can be placed on the WIT Press web site at www.witpress.com or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., telephone: +44 (0) 238 029 3223 or fax: +44 (0) 238 029 2853.

Papers from the conference will also be hosted online at the WIT eLibrary as Volume 79 of WIT Transactions on Engineering Sciences (ISSN: 1746-4471, Digital ISSN 1743-3533). For more details visit the WIT eLibrary at http://library.witpress.com

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