Interfacial Fluid Mechanics

About the Course :This course will introduce the student to the wonderful and beautiful world of interfacial fluid dynamics. These are fluid systems dominated by surface or interfacial tension. First half of the course will deal with many examples of fluid systems dominated by surface tension followed by a detailed discussion of the relevant governing equations and boundary conditions. Static systems – shape of a meniscus, shape of a drop, etc will also be discussed. Second half of the course will focus on specific fluid systems, viz. thin films, shape of a falling jet, coating flows, well-known instabilities like the Rayleigh-Taylor and Rayleigh-Plateau instabilities, Marangoni effects, contact lines, etc. Throughout the course, theoretical concepts will be related to real-world examples.PRE-REQUISITES :Students should have completed a basic course (UG or PG level) in fluid mechanics and should be comfortable with multivariable calculusINTENDED AUDIENCE:Students in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Physics; Industry personnel working in the broad area of multiphase flows.INDUSTRY SUPPORT :Industries specifically focusing on problems studied by Chemical Engineers such as problems involving two-phase flows, interfaces with surfactants, wettability of surfaces, etc. Example industries include Whirpool Corporation, Saint Gobain, Unilever, etc.

Week 1:Introduction to interfacial systems Week 2:Governing equations and boundary conditions Week 3:Capillary statics: part-1 Week 4:Capillary statics: part-2 Week 5:Capillary statics: part-3 Week 6:Capillary rise – dynamics of impregnation. Week 7:Dynamics of a thin film Week 8:Coating flows, sheets and jets Week 9:Instabilities Week 10:Marangoni effects Week 11:Hydrodynamics of a moving contact line Week 12:Advanced topics in interfacial systems