October 30, 2023: Jesse Capecelatro

October 30, 2023
4:00 p.m.
Room: 2150 Torgersen Hall
Jesse Capecelatro, University of Michigan
Faculty Host:  Dr. Todd Lowe

"Recent progress in modeling gas-particle compressible flows with applications in spacecraft landings"

Abstract: High-speed flows made up of solid particles or liquid droplets often involve complex interactions between turbulence, shock waves, and particles. A striking example is during the powered descent of a spacecraft on lunar and planetary bodies, whereby rocket plumes fluidize the surface and eject loose granular matter, posing significant hazards to the lander and nearby equipment. This talk will focus on recent advancements in modeling gas-particle flows under such extreme conditions. An overview of existing Mach number-dependent drag laws will be presented, with origins from 18th-century cannon fire, and new insights from particle-resolved numerical simulations. A new drag law will be presented that spans well subsonic to supersonic flows made up of dilute to dense concentrations of particles. In addition, highly-resolved simulations of shock-particle interactions reveal unique turbulence transport mechanisms. A multiphase turbulence model is developed that shows promise for a wide class of high-speed two-phase flows.

Bio: Jesse Capecelatro is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan. He received a Ph.D. from Cornell in 2014 followed by a postdoc at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is a recipient of the NASA Early Stage Innovations Award, NSF CAREER Award, ONR Young Investigator Award, and the ASME Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal Award. His research is broadly under the realm of fluid mechanics, with an emphasis on multiphase flow, turbulence, and scientific computing. Specific areas include fluidization, propulsion, renewable energy, and disease transmission.