MSOE -Multiphysics Simulation, Optimisation and Experimentation
The MSOE group focuses on gaining further understanding in complex multiphysics problems through simulation, optimisation, and experimentation. Simulations are used to gain deeper understanding of the physics for a given problem, through advanced numerical models. Topology optimisation is used to automatically generate designs through computational morphogenesis. Lastly, experiments provide validation of our models and numerical tools.
The focus areas are multiphysics interactions between mechanical, thermal, and fluid fields, e.g. conjugate heat transfer, fluid-structure-interaction and thermomechanics. We are also looking into reactive flows and electromagnetic-structure interactions. Application areas include electronics cooling, thermal management, heat exchangers, microfluidic devices, fusion energy, and thermomechanical manufacturing processes such as casting, welding, and additive manufacturing.For simulation and optimisation, we use frameworks at multiple levels: commercial software is used to analyse existing devices and to prototype optimisation formulations; open-source codes like Firedrake and FreeFEM are used when programming freedom and computational performance is important; and in-house parallel computing codes are run on supercomputers for large-scale problems up to billions of degrees-of-freedom.
For experimentation, we have several setups for electronics cooling and conjugate heat transfer. We work very closely with Fluid Mechanics to carry out experimental campaigns.