504C Chemical and Materials Engineering Building
(780) 492-5810
Fax: (780) 492-2881
kumar.Nandakumar@Ualberta.ca

Here is my appointment calendar.

Research Areas: CFD modelling, multiphase transport processes

My research interests center around computational aspects of fluid mechanics and transport phenomena. The series of structured transitions exhibited in a class of hydrodynamic stability problems are being investigated using recent algorithms from bifurcation theory and are also being verified in experiments using Laser Doppler anemometer.

In collaboration with Prof. Minev, we are developing next generation algorithms for direct simulation of multiphase flows with many particles using fictitious domain methods and deformable bubbles and droplets.

In another area, we are learning about issues related to modeling multiphase flows in industrially important flows. These include modeling the tray hydraulics of a distillation column, flow in packed towers, design of structured packings, erosion/corrosion in pipelines, SOFC fuel cells, sedimentation, bubble column dynamics, polymeric flows in twin-screw extruders  etc.

Sample Publications

Weixing Wang, Zhiang Zhou, K. Nandakumar, Zhenghe Xu and Jacob H. Masliyah, Effect of surface mobility on the particle sliding along a bubble or a solid sphere, J. Colloid and Interface Science 259  (2003) pp81-88.

Minev, P. D., T. Chen and K. Nandakumar, A finite element technique for multifluid incompressible flow using Eulerian grids, J. Comp. Physics 187 (2003) pp255–273.

Chen, H., U. Sundararaj and K. Nandakumar, Experimental and simulation studies of heat transfer in polymer melts, AIChEJ. 49 (2003) pp1372-1382.

Getye Gesit, K. Nandakumar and Karl T. Chuang, CFD modelling of the flow patterns and hydraulics of commercial scale sieve trays, AIChEJ. 49 (2003) pp910-924.

F. H. Yin, M. Song, A. Afacan, K. Nandakumar and K. T. Chuang,  CFD Modeling of Mass Transfer in Randomly Packed Distillation Columns, Ind Eng Chem Res. 39:(5) (2000) pp1369-1380

Nandakumar, K., Y. Shu and K .T. Chuang  Predicting geometrical properties of randomly packed beds from computer simulation, AIChEJ, 45  (1999) pp2286-2297.

Selmi, M. and K. Nandakumar, Bifurcation study of flow through rotating curved ducts, Phys. Fluids, 11 {1999} pp2030-2043.

Minev, P. D., U. Lange and K. Nandakumar, A comparative study of two-fluid models relevant to bubble column dynamics, J. Fluid Mech., 394 {1999} pp.73-96.

Lange, U.,  K. Nandakumar and H. Raszillier, Symbolic computation as a tool for high-order long-wave stability analysis of thin film flows with coupled transport processes, J. Comp. Phys. 150 {1999} pp.1-16.

Lakshminarayanan, S., Sirish L. Shah and K. Nandakumar, Modeling and control of multivariable processes: dynamic PLS approach, AIChEJ. 43 (1997) pp2307-2322.

Alleborn, N., K. Nandakumar, H. Raszillier and F. Durst, Further contributions on the two-dimensional flow in a sudden expansion, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 330 (1997) pp169–188.

Basu, S., K. Nandakumar and J. H. Masliyah, A study of oil displacement on model surfaces, J. Colloid and Interface Science 182 (1996) pp82-94.

A Panel discussion on ethics in Science & Engineering

If you have a powerpoint viewer, you can view the slides that can help in providing some food for thought on such issues.

See also the Web site On Being A Scientist: Responsible Conduct In Research.

Courses:

  ChE 612 [Sept-Dec 2000], ChE 316 [Sept-Dec 2000], Lec Notes