Our research combines carefully controlled experiments, advanced diagnostics, and transport modeling to uncover the physical mechanisms governing transport across scales, from microscale interfaces to macroscopic aerothermal systems. These insights inform engineering applications in thermal management, energy conversion, propulsion, and emerging energy and water technologies. Our research is organized around three interconnected areas:
Transport in porous and functional materials
We investigate how pore geometry, interfaces, and material structure govern momentum, heat, and mass transport in porous and functional materials. Our activities span free-flow/porous interfaces, capillary transport, and the upscaling of functional nanoporous materials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for energy, environmental, and water technologies.
Interfacial and Multiphase Transport
Interfaces strongly influence momentum, heat, and mass transfer in multiphase systems. We study liquid sheets and sprays, droplet impact and wetting, evaporation, boiling, and related phase-change phenomena, with emphasis on how interfacial dynamics control transport at engineered surfaces.
Aerothermal and Energy Systems
We study coupled flow and heat transfer in aerothermal and energy systems, from confined convective flows to high-heat-flux thermal management. Our activities include jet impingement, internal and film cooling of turbomachinery blades, and spray cooling, with emphasis on connecting resolved flow structures to local heat-transfer performance and advanced cooling concepts.