Research and expertise
My research focuses on computationally modelling turbulent dynamics of environmental flows, with particular emphasis on the front of gravity currents. These flows arise in a variety of contexts, including density-driven currents along the ocean floor, atmospheric fronts, and industrial scenarios involving spills or leaks of hazardous liquids and gases.
My current approach involves utilising Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools to simulate and analyse the complex mixing processes that occur at the front of gravity currents. A key aspect of my work involves capturing the formation and evolution of instabilities at the front, which give rise to three-dimensional turbulent structures throughout the body of the flow. These instabilities and turbulent structures govern critical processes such as ambient fluid entrainment, particle deposition and erosion, and overall flow behaviour in these highly unsteady regions.
To address the characteristic challenges posed by the rapidly evolving flow front, I am developing a custom CFD solver with the flexibility to handle a wide range of flow regimes. It can be adapted to incorporate varying boundary conditions, sloping terrains, and different stratification profiles, making it suitable for both fundamental research, and as a robust foundation for the next phase of my project, which will focus on incorporating control systems theory to enable observation of the flow front in a statistically steady state.
Profile
I graduated from the University of Hull with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, followed by an MSc in Advanced Aerospace Engineering at the University of Liverpool, where I built upon my foundation in core engineering principles by specialising in fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, and related numerical methods.
Shifting from a broader background to a more focused area was a rewarding challenge. I particularly enjoyed expanding my knowledge in flight dynamics, aircraft testing, astrodynamics, and space mission design. Fluid dynamics, being central to many of these disciplines, further sparked my interest and led me to explore Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in greater depth. During this time, I gained experience working with various simulation tools and benchmark cases carefully selected to reflect real-world conditions and be applicable in both industrial and environmental contexts. These included studies involving fluid-structure interactions, as well as supersonic and hypersonic flow regimes. This experience extended to my Master’s thesis, where, as part of a group project, we conducted a comparative study of several CFD software packages—ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM, SU2, and CFL3D—to evaluate their capabilities and performance across different flow scenarios.
My current interests lie in the turbulent dynamics of environmental and geophysical flows, with a particular focus on gravity currents, which play a key role in a wide range of natural and industrial settings.