http://s.uconn.edu/meseminar11/19/21

Password: 1234

Abstract: I will provide an account of the interesting dynamics exhibited by droplets at multiple length and time scales in completely different domains, namely gas turbines and COVID-19. In the first part of my talk, I will provide some insights into the dynamics of spray-swirl interaction with particular focus on droplet transport, breakup and dispersion. I will show how the fundamental insights gained through such interactions can be used to design a new class of atomizers in gas turbines. In the second part of my talk, I will discuss how the spread of COVID can happen through respiratory droplets and fomites. In this part, I will provide a detailed exposition of how respiratory droplet dynamics can be combined with a pandemic model to provide a first principle insights into infection spread rates. We will show through experiments using surrogate fluids how such models can be experimentally verified rigorously. Subsequently, I will show how fomites form and how the virions are embedded in the crystal network using both contact free as well as sessile droplets.

 

Biographical Sketch: Prof. Saptarshi Basu is currently DRDO Chair Professor in the department of mechanical engineering at IISc. Prof. Basu primarily works on multiphase systems, especially droplets at multiple length and timescales across multiple application domains. He is a fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering, ASME, Institute of Physics, Royal Aeronautical Society and Royal Society of Chemistry. Prof. Basu is the recipient of DST Swarnajayanti Fellowship in engineering.   

---