A Potpourri of Industrial and Visco-plastic Fluid Mechanics

Visco-plastic and yield stress effects occur in many industrial and naturally occurring fluids and flows, e.g. hair gel, mud and lava flows. In the first part of this talk we outline the key physical features of such fluids and explain how these fluids are modelled mathematically, why they are interesting and also give a historical perspective of developments in this area.

The second part of the talk describes, in varying depths, a range of problems under current investigation. These include: displacement of mud in oil wells, image processing, stability of shear flows, Taylor-Couette flows, bubble propagation, visco-plastic lubrication, melt pool natural convection, pulp and paper flows. These problems frequently involve modelling with visco-plastic fluid models and are being studied within the fluid mechanics laboratory, which has sprouted underneath the Maths building. An overview will be given of the fluids lab evolution and facilities.

Refreshments will be served at 2:45 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge, Math Annex (Room 1115).