Fluid Mechanics Group

FM01 Flow investigation in micromixer Chew Yong Tian The mixing of fluids in micro devices such as micro-reactor, micro-DNA extractor, labon-chip etc is becoming important due to the emergence of life science and MEMS technology. However turbulence cannot be generated at micro scale to promote mixing because of the viscous force dominated low Reynolds number flow. Thus the design of an efficient micromixer remains a challenging task. In the present project, the student will investigate the behaviour of chaotic unsteady flow and its application to the design of an efficient micromixer. FM02 Flow investigation in microtube at very low pressure Chew Yong Tian The behaviour of flow in a pipe under normal condition is well established. However under extremely low pressure where the mean free path of gas molecules is large and continuum assumption cannot be applied, the flow rate in a tube cannot be calculated by conventional means. Continuum assumption can also break down when the tube diameter is of the order of the mean free path which often occurs in micro devices. In the present project, the student will devise a more accurate means of measuring the flow rate at very low pressure and investigate the flow behaviour. FM03 Characterisation of the response of the hot-wire system using a pulse laser for measurement of turbulence characteristic on the sloping flat plate Khoo Boo Cheong The response of a hot-wire system is traditionally determined by the electronic perturbation tests. It has been found in our Fluid Mechanics Laboratory that this is not necessarily so. In this project, the student will use the pulse laser to perturb the hot-wire system and to elicit the response for correlation to the usual electronic perturbation test. Upon determining the response of the hot-wire system, the student will carry out a series of near-wall measurements for the sloping flat palate. The preliminary experimental set up. The turbulence statistics in terms of rms value, skewness and flatness will be evaluated for comparison to the horizontal flat plate flow At the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, we have developed a new near-wall hot-wire anemometer for velocity and wall shear stress measurements. FM04 Investigation of possible drag reduction devices based on the dimples and surface trapping air (superhydrophobic) design Khoo Boo Cheong Drag reduction of flow over a surface is the holy grail of the fluid dynamcists and its (successful) implication is only too pervasive affecting practically all aspects with the presence of flow. In this work, the student will investigate the effect of (i) dimple surface (ii) air-trapping (superhydrophobic) surface not unlike the duck feathers where air is trapped between the fibres which will lead to drag reduction when the duck dives and swims beneath the water surface.

There is already the set up for the dimple plates for flow visualisation. For the airtrapping plate, it will be machined and likewise a flow visualisation experiments be carried out. The novel surfaces if successful for drag reduction will have far-surpassing implications. FM05 Use of the Boundary Element Method as Applied to Bubble Dynamics Khoo Boo Cheong Theory of Bubble Dynamics Problem formulation in the Boundary Element Method (BEM) Numerical Implementation Stability Considerations (Current implementations require smoothing at each time step) o Use of regularization for discrete ill-posed problems Application to fluid-solid interactions (Underwater explosions, MEMS pumps, etc.)

Student already allocated. FM06 Bubbles interacting with ultrasound near boundaries Khoo Boo Cheong / Klaseboer Evert (IHPC) It is known that in many biomedical treatments jets are induced in bubbles when they oscillate nearby (bio) materials. In some cases the jet is directed away from this material, in others towards it. In this project, the student will try to develop an experimental method to study the behaviour of a bubble in an ultrasound field nearby several interfaces with different properties (density, elasticity etc.). A literature review will be conducted first to establish the best way to do so. Since the motion of the bubble is very rapid, a high-speed camera will be used to record the phenomena. FM07 Pressure Surges in Fluid System with different type of air vessels/ surge tanks Lee Thong See The purpose of the project is to study the abilities of different type of air vessels/ surge tanks suitable for the suppression of the extreme pressure variations due to the failure of pumps with different mode of operations. A computer programme is available for modifications. The student is expected to work within the Fluid Transients research Group. FM08 Pressure Surges in Fluid System with different type of system profiles and materials Lee Thong See The purpose of the project is to study the transient pressure responses in a fluid system with different type system profiles and pipeline materials. A computer programme is available for modifications to include the various surge suppression devices. The student is expected to work within the Fluid Transients research Group. FM09 Experimental Study of Check Valves Responses in Multiple Pump Operations Lee Thong See The purpose of this project is to investigate the pressure surges and slamming problems caused by check valves in a fluid system under multiple pumps operating conditions. An experimental test rig in the Fluid Laboratory is available for modification in this study. The student is expected to work within the Fluid Transients research

Group. FM10 Fluid Flow through Multiple non-symmetrical Constrictions in Tubes Lee Thong See In vitro stent-induced thromboembolism was altered by the presence of residual stenoses placed upstream or placed upstream and downstream of the stent. Computational flow visualisation model thrombi (multiple constrictions in tubes) shall be used in the present study. A computer programme is available for modifications. The student is expected to work closely with MEng/ PhD researchers in this work. FM11 Mixing of Fluids with Two Eccentric Rotating Cylinders Lee Thong See An efficient mixing of fluids is attained if two eccentric cylinders are rotated alternatively so that each fluid particle moves chaotically. This is call chaos mixing. A computer programme is available for modification in this study. Only laminar flow will be considered in the present study. The student is expected to work closely with MEng & PhD students for this work. FM12 Submerged Vortices and Swirl Angle of Flow at Intakes Lee Thong See Vortices cause some concerned in interpreting of the model results of flow at intakes In many applications, submerged vortices cause more damages than attached surface vortices. An experimental investigation is to be carried out here to investigate the co-relationship between the occurrence of submerged vortex and the swirl angle of the flow. The student is expected to visit a pump manufacturer and work with MEng / PhD researchers during the course of this work. FM13 Flow in an S-Shaped Duct: Application of flow control devices Lim Tee Tai For an S-Shaped duct of sufficient curvature, the combined effects of centrifugal force, transverse pressure gradient, and flow separation result in total pressure distortion at the duct exit. Flow distortion is one of the most troublesome problems associated with aircraft intake, and different efforts have been proposed to minimize them. In this project, the student is required to conduct experimental investigation on the development of secondary flow in a square cross-sectioned S-shaped duct, and to investigate the effectiveness of passive flow control devices, such as vortex generators and piezo-electric actuators in suppressing flow separation. FM14 Stability studies of vortex breakdown in a confined cylinder: Part 1 Without Forcing Lim Tee Tai This project is related to the vortex breakdown on a delta wing, except that the vortex breakdown is generated in an enclosed cylindrical container with one rotating endwall. Since the experimental set-up is confined with nothing entering or leaving the system, it is a good test-bed for instability studies. In this project, the student is required to conduct experiments to detect how the flow transit from the basic to unsteady state using flow visualization and flow field measurement techniques. Concurrent with this, he/she is also required to conduct numerical simulation of the phenomenon of flow transit (bifurcation) using available code. FM15 Stability studies of vortex breakdown in a confined cylinder: Part 2 With Forcing Lim Tee Tai

This project is related to FM 14, except for the forcing of predetermined frequency and amplitude applied to the flowfield. Here, the student is required to investigate the generation and response of vortex breakdown to such a forcing by obtaining velocity signatures using hot-film or hot-wire anemometry. FM16 Control of vortex breakdown over a delta wing Lim Tee Tai Vortex breakdown is characterized by an abrupt change in the structure of the vortex core following a sudden deceleration of its axial velocity component, and hence it affects greatly the surrounding flow field. This phenomenon, which was first reported by Peckham & Atkinson (1957) above a delta wing, has attracted extensive theoretical and experimental research for decades, partly due to its intrinsic interest and partly due to its practical importance and applications, such as aerodynamics, combustion system, fuel/oxidant mixing, etc. To date, there is still no generally accepted explanations and effective way to control vortex breakdown. The objective of this project is to further understand the mechanism leading to vortex breakdown and to explore means of controlling it. Student already allocated. FM17 On the Aerodynamic Performance of Three-Dimensional Flapping Wings Lim Tee Tai This is part of the micro-air vehicles (MAVs) project conducted at NUS. Here, our attention is focused on the forces acting on a three-dimensional flapping wing. To do this, a three-dimensional flapping mechanism capable of mimicking the motion of insect wings has been designed and fabricated. The motion of the two wings is controlled by six stepper motors through gearboxes, timing belts and coaxial drive shafts. Force sensors are installed at the base of one of the wings to measure unsteady aerodynamic forces and moments. The project will also involve determining the power and efficiency, and assessing the aerodynamic performance of the flapping wings (with A/Prof. Yeo Khoon Seng). FM18 Flow field measurements of two-dimensional flapping wings Lim Tee Tai Tiny aerial robots or micro air vehicles (MAV) capable of flying inside buildings and confined spaces like insects have attracted interests from industry and the military, as they can play important roles for mission or venture in places hostile to human presence. Unsteady aerodynamics is the basis of micro-air vehicle technology. In fact, insects make extensive use of unsteady high-lift mechanisms from the wing's acceleration, twisting and reversal during the flapping cycle. The conventional aerodynamic theory developed for aircraft with fix wings in a steady airflow is not practical and insufficient when applied to a MAV with flapping wings. In this project, we will conduct fundamental studies, using Particle Image Velocimetry Technique (or PIV) on two-dimensional flapping wing to investigate the effects of flapping frequency, amplitude and wing twisting on lift generation (with A/Prof. Yeo Khoon Seng).

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Effects of end conditions on the aerodynamics of a wing Luo Siao Chung It is well known that the conditions of the flow at the ends of a slender object (wings, cylinder etc) affect the flow over the entire span of that object. In this project, the effects of different end plates inclination angle on the aerodynamics (forces and

moments) of a wing will be investigated via force balance and hot wire measurements in a wind tunnel FM20 Effects of testing technique on the aerodynamics of a vehicle like object Luo Siao Chung It is known that to carry out proper measurements involving a road vehicle, a wind tunnel with a moving floor is highly desirable. Unfortunately, a moving floor wind tunnel is costly and usually not readily available. This project investigates and evaluates known alternative methods (symmetric models, elevated ground plane and use of suction) to carry out wind tunnel test on a vehicle like object. (Note: Student on this project is strongly encouraged to take ME4234 Experimental methods in fluid mechanics.) FM21 A study on low speed flow past a cavity Luo Siao Chung Flow past a cavity can be found in situations like when the undercarriage or bomb storage door of an aircraft is opened during flight. It is known that the presence of a cavity can significantly alter the aerodynamics of an aircraft. In ME/NUS, we are starting a new project to look at the problem concerning supersonic flow past a cavity. This project looks into a complimentary problem, that of low speed flow past a cavity of different depth/width ratio. This project will be carried out in a water tunnel, and both PIV measurements and flow visualization will be conducted. FM22 A study on the effects of tunnel blockage and the various correction methods Luo Siao Chung When a model is tested inside a wind tunnel or water channel, flow squeezes past the passage between the model and the walls of the tunnel, resulting in changes to the flow/model data and the phenomenon is known as blockage. This project aims to systematically investigate the effects of blockage, and evaluate the effectiveness/accuracy of the various blockage correction methods. (Note: Student on this project is strongly encouraged to take ME4234 Experimental methods in fluid mechanics.) FM23 A study on the galloping of a slender cylinder Luo Siao Chung Transverse translational galloping is one of the known flow-induced vibration mechanisms, which causes the transfer of energy from the flow to the structure subjected to the flow, resulting in the vibration/oscillation of the latter. In past final year projects, a mechanism to freely float a slender cylinder in the wind tunnel test section had been designed and built. The objective of this project is to further improve the operation of the above-mentioned mechanism, and to acquire cylinder flowinduced vibration data. FM24 A study on flow in a S-shape duct Luo Siao Chung As the name suggests, a S-shape duct is a duct that executes two turns in a plane. In real engineering application, a S-shape or curved duct can be found in the intake of fighter aircrafts and F-1 cars, and in air-conditioning duct etc. The turns mentioned can result in centrifugal force on the flow, resulting in transverse pressure gradient, possible flow separation and subsequently rotating flow at the duct exit. This project aims to investigate the effects of centrifugal force on the flow within the duct. Two square-sectioned S-shape ducts of different curvature will be investigated. (Note: This

project will be co-supervised by Research Engineer Ng Yow Thye.) Student already allocated. FM25 Measurements in a pulsatile confined jet - with and without impinging wall Shah, Dilip A A set of equations have been established to quantify regurgitant volume from velocity measurements in the confined pulsatile jets. In this project, velocity measurements will be carried out in an confined jet issuing from a orifice under steady as well as pulsatile conditions and with and without the presence of inpinging wall at the exit. The data will be used to arrive at suitable equations to predict regurgitant volume to cater for these cases. FM26 Measurements on an airfoil at low Reynolds number Shah, Dilip A Due to growing interest in micro sized aircrafts or air vehicles (MAVs), it is necessary to develop and study the performance of airfoils suitable in Reynolds number of less than 100,000. In the ongoing work, suitable airfoil has been identified and fabricated and tested extensively. This project will involve measurements of lift and drag at different angles of attack using force balance amd some high lift devices will be employed to study the effects on lift and drag of the modified airfoil. FM27 Statistics of velocity derivatives in two interacting plane parallel turbulent jets Shah, Dilip A The project will investigate various regions of two interacting parallel plane jets using hot wire measurements. Non-isotropy will be quantified using velocity derivatives measurements and the related statistics of velocity derivatives of streamwise velocity component in y and z directions. The velocity derivatives will be measured with the help of two hotwires placed close to each other. FM28 Effects of Geometric Scales on Wind Induced Forces Shah, Dilip A / Belendra T (CE) The atmospheric boundary layer in a wind tunnel is simulated for a particular scale and this places restriction on the geometric scale to be used for model testing. Often it is necessary to test structures at a distorted scale with respect to the one used for simulation of wind. The effects of this on overall wind forces on buildings will be investigated using a wind tunnel and several models using different geometric scales. FM29 Effects of openings on internal pressures Shah, Dilip A / Belendra T (CE) Tall buildings with openings will be tested in a wind tunnel to determine the effects of openings on internal pressures. The simulation of atmospheric boundary layer has been achieved in the wind tunnel where these tests will be carried out. The internal pressures will be measured using pressure transducer and related equipment. The results will be compared with the Codes and empirical models available in the literature. Smoke visualization method will also be used to study the flow pattern qualitatively. FM30 Wind Induced Loads on Circular Towers Shah, Dilip A / Belendra T (CE)

Circular towers will be tested in a wind tunnel with a simulated atmospheric boundary layer profile. Force balance technique will be used to determine the wind induced loads. The vortex shedding phenomenon will be investigated using hot wire measurements in the wake to have an indepth understanding on flow around the structure and to investigate the mitigation measures. FM31 Simulation of Incompressible Flows by Using Lattice Boltzmann Method Shu Chang In recent years, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has become an efficient approach to simulate incompressible flows. Unlike Navier-Stokes solvers, LBM does not need to solve partial differential equations and their resultant algebraic equations. It only involves algebraic operation. The method is simple and easy for implementation. We have developed a new version of LBM, that is, Taylor series expansion and least square-based LBM. This new LBM has been applied to simulate many incompressible flows. In this project, you will use an existing code (written in FORTRAN 77) to do some case studies. FM32 Simulation of Micro Flows by Using Lattice Boltzmann Method Shu Chang During the past decade, there has been a great interest in the application of micro devices, called MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems). MEMS receives more and more attention due to its current and potential applications in a variety of engineering problems. Most of current research work concentrates on the fabrication techniques and has made significant progress. With the success of design and fabrication techniques, there is a demand of predicting their functionality and features before they are being manufactured. Fluid effects at micron scale in MEMS play an important role in determining the features of MEMS. It is important to investigate the flow in such a small scale. In this work, we will numerically investigate the flow in a micro scale by using lattice Boltzmann method. You need to use an existing program (written in FORTRAN 77) to do the simulation. FM33 Numerical Simulation of Flows past a Pair of Side-by-Side Cylinders Shu Chang The studies of flow around one or arrays of circular cylinders are of practical importance in engineering. In many areas of engineering, circular cylinders form the basic component of structures, for example, heat exchange tubes, cooling systems for nuclear power plants, offshore structures, cooling towers and transmission cables, etc. The engineering structures mentioned above are exposed to either air or water flow, and therefore experience flow-induced vibration, which could lead to the structure failure. To avoid the situation mentioned above, it is necessary to understand the flow structure behind the cylinders. In this project, you will use an existing code (written in FORTRAN 77) to simulate flows past a pair of side-by-side cylinders. FM34 Numerical Simulation of Flows past a Pair of Tandem Cylinders Shu Chang The studies of flow around one or arrays of circular cylinders are of practical importance in engineering. In many areas of engineering, circular cylinders form the basic component of structures, for example, heat exchange tubes, cooling systems for nuclear power plants, offshore structures, cooling towers and transmission cables, etc. The engineering structures mentioned above are exposed to either air or water flow, and therefore experience flow-induced vibration, which could lead to the

structure failure. To avoid the situation mentioned above, it is necessary to understand the flow structure behind the cylinders. In this project, you will use an existing code (written in FORTRAN 77) to simulate flows past a pair of tandem cylinders. FM35 Development of Windows-based Platform for Simulation of Fluid Flows by Using Mesh-free Methods Shu Chang As the development of new technology, the personal computer (PC) becomes more and more powerful and useful. Currently, many practical problems can be completely simulated on the PC. We have developed some computer codes to simulate incompressible viscous flows by using mesh-free methods. These computer codes were written in Fortran 77 and run on a DOS-based system. Their application is not so user-friendly when compared to the commercial software. In this project, you are required to develop a windows-based platform to run the existing codes written in Fortran 77 and then do some applications. FM36 Development of Windows-based Platform for Simulation of Fluid Flows by Lattice Boltzmann Method Shu Chang As the development of new technology, the personal computer (PC) becomes more and more powerful and useful. Currently, many practical problems can be completely simulated on the PC. We have developed some computer codes to simulate incompressible viscous flows by using Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). LBM is a particle-based method developed recently. Our computer codes were written in Fortran 77 and run on a DOS-based system. Their application is not so user-friendly when compared to the commercial software. In this project, you are required to develop a windows-based platform to run the existing codes written in Fortran 77 and then do some applications. FM37 Flow in a Hele-Shaw cell Thoroddsen, S. T. The flow of a highly viscous liquid between two glass plates will be studied. Such flow is known as Hele-Shaw flow and can be used to model potential flow, i.e. the irrotational flow of an inviscid fluid. This project constitutes fundamental work on instabilities in fluid flows. The flow will be imaged using a digital video camera. The images will be analyzed using Matlab. Minimum knowledge of Matlab is desirable. FM38 Instabilities in bubbly flow Thoroddsen, S. T. The two-phase flow of a liquid dispersed with bubbles occurs commonly in the chemical industry. In this project the two-dimensional flow of a bubbly liquid between two glass plates, will be studied. The motion of a bubbly liquid can lead to the segregation of differently sized bubbles, which may be of some practical importance. Here the influence of the hydrodynamic forces of viscosity, inertia and buoyancy will be studied from high-resolution images, for different liquids over a range of viscosities. The images will be analysed using Matlab. The experimental device has already been built and is ready for continuing experimentation. . Instabilities in Coating Flows Thoroddsen, S. T. The coating of solid surfaces, such as photographic film, is a delicate process, which

FM39

is susceptible to non-uniformities and localized flaws due to instabilities in the flow of the coating liquid. Here we study the basic flow instabilities occurring in an idealized coating configuration, i.e. inside a partially-filled horizontally rotating cylinder. The device is already built and some of the parameter space has been mapped out in a previous study. Here we will focus on identifying the bifurcation mechanisms marking the boundaries between different flow regimes. Flow visualization and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) will be used to study the flow field. FM40 Three-dimensional structure of foam Thoroddsen, S. T. Foamy materials are in wide use in everyday life, such as seat cushions and insulation, principally due to their light weight. They are also attractive materials for space-structures where weight has to be kept at a minimum. The manufacture of these materials often involves a stage of liquid foam. In the proposed experiment the three-dimensional structure of typical soap-foam will be investigated using simplified tomographic algorithms. High-resolution images taken from different angles will be analysed based on topological constraints of the foam to find the three-dimensional structure using Matlab. Prior knowledge of Matlab would be beneficial. FM41 Flow Visualization of Two Oscillating Wings Thoroddsen, S. T. / Lim Tee Tai The flight of insects is of particular interest to the designers of micro-fliers, which can be used for surveillance etc. Many insects have two pairs of wings. Here we will study the vortical interaction occurring in the flow around two oscillating wings. A miniature water tunnel has already been constructed with two wings in the test section. The two wings can be oscillated independently using two stepper motors and the vortex motions around the wings will be measured using Particle Image Velocimetry. The goal is to find particular oscillation frequencies and phase difference, where vortical interactions may increase the lift on the wings. FM42 Capillary Force Directed Self Assembly to Fabricate Microelectronic Devices Thoroddsen, S. T. / Subramanian Balakrishnan (IME) One of the commonly explored micro-self-assembly processes is fluidic self-assembly. In this approach, a large number of micro-components carried with the aid of fluid over a target substrate patterned with binding sites. The technique involves a method of coating selected faces of the self assembled monolayer (SAM) modified objects with thin lubricant films and agitating the objects in a water bath so that the hydrophobic face of the object binds with patterned substrate. Initial emphasis will be on self assembly of microscopic silicon part on patterned silicon substrate. The proposed work involves (i) fabrication of substrate and dies; (ii) SAM treatment on the substrate and dies; (iii) characterization; (iv) capillary force aided self-assembly formation. This is an industrial collaborative project with Institute of Microelectronics (IME). FM43 Study of liquid flow over horizontal tubular evaporators Thoroddsen, S. T. / Wijeysundera, N. E. Many practical designs of heat and mass exchangers involve the flow of a liquid film over horizontal tubes. Unlike a vertical plate, the falling liquid film undergoes major flow pattern transitions as flow takes place from one horizontal tube to the next. These flow regimes depend on the tube size, the tube spacing and the flow rate among other variables. In this project a flow-visualisation study will be carried out to identify the different flow regimes including, drop-flow, jet-flow and sheet-flow and quantify these in terms of suitable parameters. This project includes fundamental study of fluid

motions affected by surface tension and is also of practical importance for determining an optimal heat exchanger design. FM44 Two-phase flow in micro-channels Thoroddsen, S. T. / Winoto S. H. Many applications in the chemical and medical industry involve suspensions of small droplets in another liquid. It is often desirable to generate very small droplets of a uniform size. In this project we will use flow in a micro-channel to generate such suspensions. Various different immiscible liquids will be studied, to vary the surface tension between the two phases. The flow will be observed using a micro-scope with a fluorescent cube. Particle Image Velocimetry will also be applied to measure the flow-field in the liquid outside of the droplets. FM45 Performance of Tesla valve Winoto S. H. Tesla valve is a no-moving parts (NMP) valve. NMP valves are fluid channels with direction dependant flow resistances. Their advantages over moving-parts valves are reliability, ease of fabrication and not sensitive to particulates or contaminants. In this project, some models/prototypes of Tesla valve will be designed and constructed to study its performance. FM46 Stability analysis of air bearing system for micro devices Winoto S. H. / Zhang Q. D. (DSI) An air bearing plays an important role in micro devices. Due to very high rotational speed and small size of the air bearing system, the motion stability of the bearing devices is important in its application for micro devices. The aim of this project is to analyze the motion stability of such air bearing so to enable prediction of stable or unstable conditions. This is an industrial collaborative project with Data Storage Institute (DSI). FM47 Performance of air thrust bearings Winoto S. H. / Zhang Q. D. (DSI) Since air bearings are widely used in many applications including micro devices, knowledge of their dynamic characteristics is important. The aim of the project is to experimentally investigate the performance of air thrust bearing. As the first step of the investigation, the project will focus on the measurement of load capacity of the bearing. This is an industrial collaborative project with Data Storage Institute (DSI). FM48 Simulation of slider air bearings Winoto S. H. / Zhou W. (DSI) In magnetic storage disc drives, the air bearing slider provides a clearance that allows high recording performance while minimizing contact between the slider and disc surface. The air bearing slider surface works in combination with a thin lubricating air film to provide a reliable slider/disc interface. Improving disc drive performance is achieved by decreasing latency time (increasing rpm), decreasing seeking times and increasing areal density. Furthermore, increasing areal density is primarily accomplished by lowering the sliders flying height and maintaining a controlled clearance or profile across the disc.

The slider is designed to fly on the hard disk, so to allow the MR (magnetic recording) head to write and read through the disk. The slider air bearing surface is designed with shapes that provide desired flying characteristics. Nowadays, air bearings of significant complexity have appeared to meet the demanding design requirements. New features in air bearing designs included shaped rails, multiple etch depths and negative pressure pockets. The aim of this project is to evaluate different slider air bearing designs by using a commercial software. The effects of several key parameters such as slider length, width, rail profile and recess will be investigated and identified. The simulation results will also be compared with DSIs self-developed code (for details see: http://talkelab.ucsd.edu/head-disk/ ). FM49 Stability modes of some simple flows Yeo Khoon Seng This project is concerned with finding the stable and unstable modes of some simple flows, starting with inviscid flows (flows without viscosity). Unstable modes refers to oscillational modes that grow in time. The student will investigate methods that can facilitate the systematic search for stable and unstable modes instead of relying on traditional shooting procedures. FM50 Compact numerical schemes for flow problems Yeo Khoon Seng This project explores the use of a class of numerical schemes known as compact schemes. A compact scheme differs from the conventional finite difference scheme in that it involves derivatives at a number of neighbouring nodes. Compact schemes have high accuracy while preserving a very compact nodal template. In this project, the student will conduct a review of literature and explore the use of compact schemes for simple two-dimensional problems as well as flow problems. FM51 Fish Swimming Yeo Khoon Seng The undulatory waving action of a fish tail presents a mode of propulsion that differs from the conventional method of using a propeller or jet. In this project, the student will study flows produced by the waving action of a fish tail. This experimental study is part of a larger research programme on swimming and flying (with A/Prof Lim Tee Tai). FM52 Molecular dynamics simulation Yeo Khoon Seng Molecular dynamic model is used to simulate systems in which the discrete nature of the substance or matter involved becomes important. This occurs when changes take place on spatial scales close to the mean-free path, such as for gases in microsystems. Particles of the system are typically assumed to interact via LJ-type potential fields. The evolution of the particles is obtained by directly integrating Newtons second law in time. The focus of this project will be on heat transfer effects. FM53 Methods for stiff problems arising from study of flow stability Yeo Khoon Seng The Runge-Kutta methods are a popular class of integration method. However, these methods encounter some difficulties when applied to some problems arising from the study of flow stability, because of the stiff quality of the governing equations. The

present project will investigate a variety of alternative methods to solve such problems, such as parallel shooting and ortho-normalization etc. The simple planePoiseuille will be the initial subject of study. FM54 Effects of flow on culture of cells in a flat-bed bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on perfusion between flat-plates was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of the plate diameter, gap height and flow rate on cell growth will be investigated. Possibility of flow stimulation on stem cells to differentiate to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years finalyear project. It requires interest in culture of animal cells but prior biology background is not essential. FM55 Hydrodynamic effects on culture of cells in a grooved-bed bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on perfusion between grooved flat-plates was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of the groove height / width and flow rate on cell growth will be investigated. Possibility of flow stimulation on stem cells to differentiate to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years finalyear project. It requires interest in culture of animal cells but prior biology background is not essential. FM56 Hydrodynamic effects on cell growth in a hollow-fibre bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on a hollow-fibre dialyser was used for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The flow rates needed to sustain cell growth adhering to the fibres as well as on microcarriers will be investigated. Possibility of flow stimulation on stem cells to differentiate to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years final-year project. It requires interest in culture of animal cells but prior biology background is not essential. FM57 Hydrodynamics and cell growth in a stirred bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on a magnetically stirred vessel was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem on micro-carriers. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of stirring rate and micro-carrier sizes on cell growth will be investigated. Fluid- stress effects on stem cell differentiation to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years final-year project. It requires interest in culture of animal cell but prior biology background is not essential. FM58 Hydrodynamics and cell growth in a fluidized bioreactor

Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on fluidized micro-carriers in a vessel was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of micro-carrier size and inlet jet flow on cell growth will be investigated. Fluid-stress effects on stem cell differentiation to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years final-year project. It requires interest in culture of animal cell but prior biology background is not essential. FM59 Hydrodynamic effects on cell growth in a packed-bed bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on packed micro-carriers in a vessel was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of microcarrier size, bed height and flow rate on cell growth will be investigated. Fluidstress effects on stem cell differentiation to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years final-year project. It requires interest in culture of animal cells but prior biology background is not essential. FM60 Hydrodynamic effects on cell growth in a fibrous-bed bioreactor Low Hong Tong A small tissue-engineering bioreactor based on radial flow through fibrous-scaffolds in a vessel was developed for the culture of fibroblast and mysenchymal stem cells. The cell growth under dynamic and static culture conditions will be compared. The effects of scaffold thickness, vessel diameter and flow rate on cell growth will be investigated. Fluid-stress effects on stem cell differentiation to other cell types will be observed. The cell morphology will be observed by microscopic imaging and its metabolism determined by fluorescence-optics technique. This is a continuation of last years finalyear project. It requires interest in culture of animal cells but prior biology background is not essential.