Multi-physics modelling of deposition and coating of fluids onto flexible substrates
- Academic lead
- Prof Harvey Thompson (School of Mechanical Engineering)
- Industrial lead
- Dr Nick Solechnik, Coty Ltd
- Co-supervisor(s)
- Dr Mark Wilson (School of Mechanical Engineering), (Dr Andrew Sleigh) School of Civil Engineering
- Project themes
- Microflows & heat transfer
This is a combined experimental and flow modelling study of the deposition of fluids onto flexible substrates. It is in collaboration with Coty Ltd, a world-leading beauty products manufacturer, who are interested in understanding the fundamental flow mechanisms controlling the deposition of beauty products such as a mascara. The student would spend time down at Coty in Egham, Surrey, carrying out experimental investigations to generate data for validating the multi-physics model. The multi-physics model will be developed using the OpenFOAM Open Source CFD package and will incorporate two-phase flow modelling of free surfaces, flexible substrates and be used to explore the effect of surface topography and liquid rheology on the effectiveness of liquid transfer and deposition onto flexible surfaces. The final stage will be to use formal optimisation methods to develop meta-models of substrate coating effectiveness accounting for the most important 5-10 design variables.