Research Projects

1. Heat and mass transfer in tree-like network with fractal theory and CFD: derive macroscopic transport parameters such as thermal and flow resistance, heat conductivity, permeability of network; simulate convection heat transfer for application in electronic cooling with Fluent.

2. Fractal analysis of permeability in porous media: set up microscopic seepage flow model for homogenous and heterogeneous porous media, derive analytical permeability with fractal theory, modify Kozeny-Carman equation.

3. CFD model of hydrocyclone: simulate flow field and particle separation of hydrocyclone with Fluent; investigate erosion induced wear; optimize and design hydrocyclone with CFD taking energy cost, separation efficiency and erosion-induced wear together into account.

4. Drying of nanosuspension: experimentally investigate the mechanism in drying of nanosuspension coated on substrate and cracking phenomenon, study the effect of drying methods and conditions on the cracking, explore solutions for crack-free thin film.  
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Publication List  (Partial)

Peng Xu, B. Yu et al., Heat conduction in fractal tree-like  branched networks, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 49 (2006) 3746-3751.
Peng Xu, B. Yu et al., Analysis of permeability for the fractal-like tree network by parallel and series models, Physica A 369 (2006) 884-894.
Peng Xu, B. Yu et al., Permeability of the fractal disk-shaped branched network with tortuosity effect, Phys. Fluids 18 (2006) 078103.
Peng Xu and B. Yu, The scaling laws of transport properties for fractal-like tree network, J. Appl. Phys. 100 (2006) 104906.
Peng Xu and B. Yu, Developing a new form of permeability and Kozeny-Carman constant for homogeneous porous media by means of fractal geometry, Advances in Water Resources 34 (2008) 74-81.
Peng Xu, A.S. Mujumdar and B. Yu, Fractal theory on drying: A review, Drying Technology 26 (2008) 1-11.
Peng Xu and B. Yu et al., An analysis of the radial flow in the heterogeneous porous media based on fractal and constructal tree networks, Physica A, 387 (2008) 6471-6483.
Peng Xu, Z. Wu, A.S. Mujumdar and B. Yu, Innovative hydrocyclone inlet designs to reduce erosion-induced wear in mineral dewatering processes, Drying Technology, Vol. 27 (2), 2009 (accepted).
Peng Xu, A. S. Mujumdar and B. Yu, Cracking during drying of colloidal suspensions coated on a substrate, Drying Technology (under review).
Peng Xu, Xiangqi Wang, Arun S. Mujumdar, Thermal characteristics of tree-shaped microchannel nets with/without loops, Journal of Physics D (under review).

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