Density Currents Over Smooth and Rough Surfaces
Nic Johnson/Environmental Science/Senior/Local Utilities, Sustainable Development using
GIS
Dr. Kiran Bhaganagar, Raghib Chowdhury
Department of Mechanical Engineering
BACKGROUND:
• How does pollution infiltrate and disperse in a system?
• This depends on the properties of the components of the mixture and the
environment.
• Densities of the substance will effect how it disperses.
• How will this density current over the specific terrain or in the atmosphere of the
environment effect how the substance will spread?
MAIN TOPIC:
• How does density effect the flow of a substance in a system, over various rough
versus smooth surfaces?
APPLICATIONS:
• A better understanding of how rough surfaces effect density currents will help in
mitigating disasters such as marine chemical spills, transportation of pollution in
freshwater systems, and air pollution due to volcanic eruption or urban/rural fires.
Use of pictures, etc. to help get point across is encouraged!!!
METHODOLOGIES (as appropriate for your project)
• Simulations with the open-source Computational Fluid Dynamics software package
OpenFOAM are run and opened with Paraview, another open-source program used for
visualization and analysis.
• Output from OpenFOAM can be tweaked by the user for a desired ‘resolution’ of the
simulation. Greater accuracy is computationally complex and simulations can require
quite a bit of processing power. The lab is equipped with Himalaya, a supercomputer
which can be used as a resource for detailed simulations.
• Paraview is used to visualize the output from the OpenFOAM simulations and has the
capacity for 1-D plots, and 2-D & 3-D plots and renderings. Visualizations will have the
user defined parameters of the length of the current to be analyzed, the location of the
gate, as well as many other parameters which can be used to better understand the
behaviour of the current over the specific roughness, be it sparse or dense.
Use of pictures, etc. to help get point across is encouraged!!!
PROGRESS REPORT (for your project)
•
WHAT HAVE YOU COMPLETED TO DATE?
• Field research to find examples of density currents. (not nearly as simple as it sounds)
• Reading the literature on the subject.
• Some practice with OpenFOAM and Paraview, 1-D and 2-D plots.
•
WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO DO?
• Become more familiar with running my own simulations with the software, and use 3-D visualization.
• Determine how and why the phases and parameters are chosen.
•
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO PRESENT AT THE END OF THE SUMMER?
• My own visualizations using Paraview with simulations run on my own.
•
WHAT UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED?
• I have welcomed the challenge of working in a Linux environment, but there is a learning curve to be sure.
• Most of the actual Physics is a bit beyond my experience.
•
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ANOTHER UNDERGRADUATE EMBARKING ON A SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECT?
• Simply being passionate and interested in the research helps immensely.
• Ask questions, and get involved quickly.
•
HOW HAS THIS PROJECT (THUS FAR) CHANGED YOUR PERCEPTIONS OF RESEARCH AND POSSIBLE GRADUATE
SCHOOL OR CAREER PURSUITS?
• I have learned more, thus far, about the actual process/logistics of research than anything else. I’ve
understood the concept of how research is conducted in its respective disciplines, but on the whole, until
now the culture of research has been unknown to me.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROJECT OR SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM?
• I value the opportunity to be a part of this and look forward to learning more about the specific research I
have been assigned. It has thus far, turned out to be a great learning experience in a variety of areas.
•