Applications are invited for a number of Ph. D. and M.Sc. studentship in the School of Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. These research positions are for up to 3 years, commencing 1 st October 2007. Funding is provided from a number of Science Foundation Ireland Research Frontiers Programmes. The research topics range from thermal management of electronics to fluid mechanics of industrial heat exchangers. Postgraduate researchers are sought to work on the following projects:
- Synthetic Air Jet Cooling
- Investigation for Flow-induced Vibration in Tube Arrays
- The Mechanisms of Heat Transfer during Nucleate Pool Boiling
Contact: Prof. Darina B. Murray ( dmurray@tcd.ie )
1 x M.Sc. position (2 years), 1 x Ph.D. position (3 years)
The use of synthetic air jets is an emerging technology for effective electronics cooling applications. To enhance the cooling performance of synthetic air jets, it is proposed that a better understanding of the temporal nature of the flow velocity and heat flux is required. The planned experimental research will measure the heat transfer at various locations along the impingement surface and correlate this with measurements of the local flow velocity and temperature. Of particular interest are the thermal gradients in the jet flow due to vortices and the influence that "energy separation" has on the local and area averaged heat transfer.
Investigation for Flow-induced Vibration in Tube Arrays
Contact: Dr. Craig Meskell ( cmeskell@tcd.ie )
2 x Ph.D. positions (3 year)
Large scale industrial heat exchangers, typical of electricity generating plants or process plants, consist of a large array of tubes subject to cross flow which are prone to a particular type of flow-induced vibration referred to as fluidelastic instability (this phenomenon is distinctly different from vortex shedding, acoustic resonance or turbulent buffeting). In fluidelastic instability (FEI), the vibration occurs at the natural frequency of the structure which is usually <10hz.>
The basic issue is that the available data for fluidelastic critical velocity cannot be well described by a single correlation, nor is there a sound theoretical explanation of the phenomenon. This fundamental research project will investigate this problem with two closely related programmes of study: one experimental and the other numerical (CFD).
The Mechanisms of Heat Transfer during Nucleate Pool BoilingContact: Dr. Anthony Robinson ( arobins@tcd.ie )
1 x M.Sc. position (2 years), 1 x Ph.D. position (3 years)
A fundamental investigation of bubble growth during nucleate pool boiling will be performed. The growth of a single isolated bubble on a heated surface will be modelled and solved using CFD. The physical model will incorporate important aspects of boiling, such as thermocapillary convection, that have previously been ignored. The efficacy and accuracy of the physical model and solution technique will be assured by validation with new bubble growth measurements with spatially and temporally resolved surface measurements in the vicinity of the bubbles. The intricate coupling between the bubble growth and the mechanisms responsible for heat removal during boiling will be elucidated for different boiling conditions including terrestrial and microgravity environments.
The studentships include a maintenance grant of between €16,000 and €18,000 per annum, plus EU College fees and an allowance for consumables and travel. Applicants should have a good honors primary degree (preferably first class honors) in Mechanical Engineering or other relevant degree.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting:
• A Curriculum Vitae
• A Statement of your Research Interests, explaining why you want to do a Ph.D. and what you expect to gain from it (maximum two pages)
• Two Referees (at least one of whom should be an academic)
Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering
School of Engineering
Trinity College Dublin
We welcome applications by e-mail. Please note there is no application form to be completed.
Source: http://www.tcd.ie/vacancies/cd_nonaca_heat_april_07.php