The major interest of our group is to understand the transport phenomena in industrially relevant equipments. The group is well-equipped with the advanced experimental facilities such as hot film anemometry, laser Doppler anemometry, ultrasound velocimetry, particle image velocimetry and tomographic techniques. However, experiments over a wide range of geometric and operating parameters are not economical in terms of time and money. As an alternative, Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is emerging as a promising tool in research. Our group is actively involved in developing and modifying the inhouse codes. At present, group have RANS based codes for stirred tanks for different impeller configurations, jet reactors, bubble column. We also have an access to DNS code of flow in multiparticle systems in collaboration with University of Alberta. We have examined several numerical schemes and the turbulence model parameters have been optimized for chemical process equipments.
 
Our group is also getting a useful support from leading CFD software provider   

The ANSYS products, FLUENT and CFX, are also used to study the flow pattern, heat transfer in different equipments. From the CFD simulations, the design parameters such as, the mixing time, residence time distribution, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate profiles, hold-up profiles, interfacial area and heat and mass transfer in the reactors etc. are obtained. The flow information obtained from CFD has already been implemented in the industry for energy efficient designs.

Some Research Publications:

1. Simulation of Flow in Stirred Vessel with Axial Flow Impeller: Zonal Modelling and Optimization of Parameters. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37, 2116-2130 1998.
2. CFD Modeling and mixing in Stirred Tanks. Chem. Eng. Sci., 54, 2285-2293 1999.
3. CFD Simulation of Flow in Bubble Column Reactors Importance of Drag Force Formulation. Chem. Eng. Sci., 54, 5055-5060 1999.
4. CFD Modeling of Flow, Macromixing & Axial Dispersion in a Bubble Column. Can. J. Chem. Engng. 77, 826-837 1999.
5. CFD Modeling of Heat Transfer in Turbulent Pipe Flow. A. I. Ch. E. J., 54, 5055-5060 2000.
6. Relative Importance of Turbulent Diffusion and Bulk Motion to Mixing in Bubble Columns. International Symposium on Fundamental and Engineering Concepts for Ozone Reactor Design, Institut National des Sciences Appliquees, Toulouse, France, 311-315 2000.
7. Prediction of flow pattern in stirred tanks: New constitutive equation for eddy viscosity. Ind. Eng. Chem Res. 40, 1755-1772 2001.
8. Reduction of Empiricism through flow visualization and computational fluid dynamics. Chem. Eng. Technol. 25. 321-328 2002.
9. Axial mixing in pipe flows: turbulent and transition regions. Chem. Eng. Sci. 58 2715-2724 2003.
10. Computational Fluid Dynamics for Designing Process Equipment: Expectations, Current Status & Path Forward. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 42, 1115-1128 2003.
11. CFD Simulation of Gas Chamber for Gas Distributor Design. Can. J. Chem. Engng. 81, 677-683 2003.
12. CFD Simulation of sparger design and height to diameter ratio on gas hold-up profiles in bubble column reactors. Exper. Therm & Fluid Sci., 28, 407-421, 2004.
13. CFD simulation of mixing in tall gas-liquid stirred vessel: Role of local flow patterns, Chem. Eng. Sci. 61(9), 2921-29, 2006.
14. Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of the Solid Suspension in a Stirred Slurry Reactor, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 45(12), 4416-28, 2006.
15. Characterization of flow phenomena induced by ultrasonic horn, Chem. Eng. Sci. 61(22), 7410-7420, 2006.
16. Two dimensional CFD model for flow pattern, heat transfer and pressure drop in bubble column reactor. Trans. Instn. Chem. Engrs: Chem. Eng.Res.Des., 82 A6., 689-707 2004.
17. Optimization of gas-liquid reactor using computational fluid dynamics. Chem. Engg. Sci., 60, 3081-3089 2005.
18. CFD simulations of bubble column reactors: 1D, 2D and 3D approach. Chem. Engg. Sci., 60, 6733-6746 2005.
19. CFD Simulation of Steady State Heat Transfer in Bubble Column. Chem. Eng. Journal., 108, 117-125 2005.
20. CFD Simulation of Homogeneous Reactions in Turbulent Pipe Flows- Tubular Non-Catalytic Reactors. Chem. Eng. Journal, 117, 23-29 2006.
21. Three-Dimensional CFD Simulation of Rayleigh-Benard Convection for Low Prandtl Number Fluids. Trans. Instn. Chem. Engrs - A: Chem. Eng. Res. and Des., 84, 29-37 2006.
22. Modeling Flow Pattern Induced by Ultrasound: The Influence of Modeling Approach and Turbulence Models, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 46 (10), 2936-2950, 2007
23. Numerical predictions of flow patterns due to natural convection in a vertical slot, Chem. Eng. Sci. 62(16), 4479-95, 2007
24. Modeling Flow Pattern Induced by Ultrasound: The Influence of Modeling Approach and Turbulence Models. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 2936-2950, 2007
25. Hollow Self Inducing Impeller: Flow Visualisation and CFD Simulation. Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 3839-3848, 2007
26. Pressure and Flow Distribution in Pipe and Ring Sparger: Experimental Measurements and CFD Simulation. Chem. Eng. Journal., 133, 173-186, 2007
27. CFD Simulations of Gas-Liquid-Solid Stirred Reactor: Prediction of Critical Impeller Speed for Solid Suspension. Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 7184-7195, 2007.
28. Insight into Theories of Heat and Mass Transfer at Solid-Fluid Interface Using Direct Numerical Simulation and Large Eddy Simulation. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46 (25), 8525-8557, 2007.
29. Pressure and Flow Distribution in Pipe and Ring Sparger: Experimental Measurements and CFD Simulation. Chem. Eng. Journal., 133, 173-186 2007.
30. On the Development of Flow Pattern in a Bubble Column Reactor: Experiments and CFD. Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 1049-1079, 2007.
31. Population Balance Modeling for Bubble Column Operating in the Homogeneous Regime. A. I. Ch. E. J., 53, 750-756, 2007.
32. CFD Simulation of the Flow Pattern for Drag Reducing Fluids in Turbulent Pipe Flows. J. Chem. Eng. Japan., 404, 304-311, 2007.
33. Submerged Gas Jet Into a Liquid Bath: A Review. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 3188-3218, 2007.
34. Modelling gas hold-up in flotation column froths. Can. J. Chem. Engg., 85, 369-373, 2007.
35. Computational Flow Modeling and Visualization in the Annular Region of Annular Centrifugal Extractor. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 8343-8354, 2007.
36. Effect of Nozzle Diameter and its Orientation on the Flow Pattern and Plume Dimensions in Gas-Liquid Jet Reactors. Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 7471-7483, 2007.
37. CFD simulation of bubble columns incorporating population balance modeling. Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 2267-2282, 2008.
38. CFD simulation of flow pattern and plume dimensions in submerged condensation and reactive gas jets into a liquid bath. Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 2420-2435, 2008.
39. Hollow self-inducing impellers: Flow visualization and CFD simulation-II. Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 4031-4032, 2008.
40. Assessment of standard k-?, RSM and LES turbulence models in a baffled stirred vessel agitated by various impeller designs. Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 5468-5495, 2008.
41. Flow Visualization and 3D CFD simulations of Annular Region of Annular Centrifugal Extractor. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 47, 3677-3686, 2008.
42. Hydrodynamic and Mass Transfer Characteristics of Single and Multiple Impeller Hollow Self-Inducing Reactors. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 47, 2829-2841, 2008.
43. CFD Simulation of Bubble Column Reactor Using Population Balance. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 47, 8505-8516, 2008.
44. Residence Time Distribution and Flow Patterns in the Single Phase Annular Region of Annular Centrifugal Extractor. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 48, 37-46, 2009.
45. CFD simulations of pressure drop and drag coefficient in fixed and expanded beds. Trans. Instn. Chem. Engrs - A: Chem. Eng. Res. and Des., 86, 233-244, 2008.
46. CFD Simulation of Bubble Column: an analysis of interphase force and turbulence models. Chem. Eng. Journal., 139, 589-614, 2008.
47. Hollow Self Inducing Impeller for Gas-Liquid-Solid Dispersion: Experimental and Computational study. Chem. Eng. Journal., 141, 332-345, 2008.
48. CFD study of mixing characteristics of bubble column and external loop airlift reactor. Asia-Pacific Journal of Chem. Engg., 3, 97-105, 2008.
49. CFD Simulation of Heat Transfer in a Two-Dimensional Vertical Enclosure. Trans. Instn. Chem. Engrs - A: Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 87, 711-727, 2009.