This PIRE project brings together two U.S. universities with six French and five Japanese institutions to focus on multiphase flows with technological applications. Multiphase flows are flowing streams of fluids that are mixtures of liquids with other liquids, gases, and/or solids; examples include oil and vinegar in salad dressing (liquid/liquid), water and air in soda (liquid/gas), or water and cement in concrete slurry (liquid/solid). Multiphase flows and their control play a vital role in many key technologies impacting the world economy, such as metallurgy, mineralogy, materials processing, devices for biological applications, and the automobile, pharmaceutical, aerospace, and energy industries. This project will advance materials engineering by investigating critical research challenges in multiphase flows - understanding and predicting the patterns, instabilities, and turbulence that arise - to develop and optimize materials and processes for industry. This PIRE team will integrate the results from across a related sets of experiments including: study of patterned flows and microfluidic mixing to improve micro-chip immunological assays; use of microactuators and microsensors to study instabilities and turbulence in multiphase systems; use of microgravity conditions to examine the role of fluid instabilities; experimental and computational study of dynamic flow of elongated particles/fibers; and expansion of current models of dispersed turbulent flow via large-scale simulation.

International collaboration is essential to advancing our understanding of multiphase flows. Complex multiphase flow research requires high speed computation and high-level laboratory experimentation in which all three PIRE partner countries have substantial complementary resources. The University of Florida is internationally recognized for its programs in multiphase thermo-fluid mechanics and flow control. Both Japan and France sustain strong research emphases in thermal-fluid mechanics with key centers of excellence in multiphase flow. Japan emphasizes technology in areas such as materials science, microgravity science, bioassays and aeropropulsion while France emphasizes technology in nuclear energy, environment, bio-sensors, and flow control. This award leverages strong existing research collaborations and reciprocated access for U.S. scientists and students to facilities and expertise not available in the U.S. The international collaboration will also help industries in all three countries to engage highly-trained personnel in fields involving applications of multiphase science and technologies.

The strength of this PIRE's educational program is its plan to train U.S. students as global professionals with versatility in professional abilities and attitudes that make them competitive in the global marketplace. U.S. graduate students will be supported to work in an international setting with foreign collaborators and advisors, functioning and communicating in a multi-cultural atmosphere. Unique educational opportunities include industry-relevant short courses, training in cutting-edge research, cultural awareness workshops, and international symposia and conferences. Internships in industrial research laboratories will give them access to networking opportunities with industry within an international context. Active recruitment of students from underrepresented groups will contribute to diversifying and internationalizing the body of U.S. students earning STEM graduate degrees. A certificate program in Multiphase Science and Technology will be developed and offered through online distance learning modules, thus making it available to international partners and their students, interested students at other U.S. universities, and as continuing education for industrial partners. U.S. researchers will also build skill sets needed for research in international contexts via cross-collaboration with international partners and co-advising foreign students.

This PIRE project is likely to have significant institutional impacts. It will strengthen and internationalize research networks that address complicated multiphase technological problems. It will help to build up an international engineering research center of excellence in complex fluids and multiphase flows with partnerships between international industry and academe that yield long-term benefit to the U.S. economy. Such partnerships will also encourage industry participation in education, international research cooperation, and student internships. The partner institutions are committed to exploring joint and dual degree programs, which would further internationalize the U.S. institutions and enrich collaborative opportunities for future students and faculty alike. Through these multifaceted initiatives and activities, this PIRE project will serve as a model for both U.S. and international partner institutions as they work to internationalize their own research and education portfolios.

U.S. partners include the University of Florida and Florida State University. French partners include Université de Poitiers, Université Lille 1 Sciences et Technologies, Université Paris-Sud 11, Institut de Mécanique des Fluides de Toulouse (IMFT), and Université de Provence Aix-Marseille 1, and Université Bordeaux 1. Japanese partners include the University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of Science, Kyoto University, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Tohoku University.

This PIRE project is cofunded by NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering and the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems. NSF's support of this PIRE project leverages existing funding from the Embassy of France's Partner University Fund and Chateaubriand Fellowship, the University of Florida (UF), the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP), fellowships from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the facilities of UF's Paris Research Center (France) and its Particle Engineering Research Center.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Office of International and Integrative Activities (IIA)
Application #
0968313
Program Officer
R. Clive Woods
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2010-07-01
Budget End
2015-06-30
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$2,453,210
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Florida
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Gainesville
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32611