Our group at IIT Roorkee investigates the fundamental principles and practical applications of multiphase flows through advanced numerical simulations. Our research encompasses an array of investigations, ranging from the intricate dynamics of fluid flow around rigid structures to the adaptive behaviors exhibited by fluids interacting with flexible bodies.
Please note that I am not currently taking interns or project staff. Interested students who want to work in the field of computational modeling, biofluid mechanics, and AI/ML applications in Engineering, can apply to the PhD program at the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee. Apply here https://iitr.ac.in/Academics/Admission%20To%20Doctoral%20Programmes.html
PhD Topic: Surfactant-Mediated Droplet Self-Propulsion
Focus: DNS + Experiments + Mathematical Modeling
Motivation:
Self-propelling droplets due to surfactant effects on the interfacial waves, Marangoni stresses are unexplored.
Objectives:
Develop a DNS framework coupling Navier–Stokes and surfactant transport with dynamic interface conditions.
Conduct table-top experiments using controllable surfactant concentrations and droplet viscosities.
Derive reduced-order models capturing surfactant–wave coupling mechanisms.
Expected Outcome:
A unified understanding of surfactant-controlled pilot-wave dynamics with implications for droplet logic, energy harvesting, and interfacial pattern formation.
PhD Topic: Multiphase Flow and Reactive Transport in Bio-Inspired Porous or Ribbed Surfaces
Focus: Simulations + Bio-Inspired Design + Experiments
Motivation:
Natural surfaces (lotus leaf, shark skin, mangrove roots) achieve drag reduction, antifouling, and selective transport. Understanding multiphase transport in such textures can inspire sustainable industrial and environmental designs.
Objectives:
Perform DNS of liquid–gas/solid interactions in ribbed and porous surfaces under reactive or multiphase conditions.
Model heat, mass, and momentum transfer within these complex geometries.
Validate using small-scale flow visualization and contact-angle–controlled experiments.
Expected Outcome:
Design principles for textured or reactive surfaces with controlled wettability, enhanced transfer rates, and reduced drag for engineering and environmental applications.