Fluid Dynamics (347020)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Deadline: Rolling

Grant amount: Up to US $9,175,000

Funding uses: Research

Location of project: United States

Location of residency: United States

Overview:

NOTE: Proposals for this program will be accepted throughout the year.

The Fluid Dynamics program is part of the Transport Phenomena cluster, which also includes:

• the Combustion and Fire Systems program;
• the Particulate and Multiphase Processes program; and
• the Thermal Transport Processes program.

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research toward gaining an understanding of the physics of various fluid dynamics phenomena. Proposed research should contribute to basic scientific understanding using and/or creating innovative experimental, theoretical, and/or computational methods.

Major areas of interest and activity in the program include:

• Turbulence and transition: High Reynolds number experiments; large eddy simulation; direct numerical simulation; transition to turbulence; 3-D boundary layers; separated flows; multi-phase turbulent flows; flow control and drag reduction. High-speed boundary layer transition and turbulence at Mach numbers greater than 5 to understand modal and/or non-modal interactions leading to boundary layer transition and the ensuing developing and fully developed turbulent boundary layer flows.Combined experiments and simulations are encouraged.
• Bio-fluid physics:Bio-inspired flows; biological flows with emphasis on flow physics.
• Non-Newtonian fluid mechanics:Single-phase viscoelastic flows; solutions of macro-molecules.
• Bubble dynamics: Bubbles related to cavitation and/or drag reduction or impacting the fluid viscosity (locally) or manipulation of bubbles with external excitation (acoustofluidics).
• Microfluidics and nanofluidics: Micro-and nano-scale flow physics.
• Wind and ocean energy harvesting: Focused on fundamental fluid dynamics associated with renewable energy. The NSF-DOE (Department of Energy) joint funding area is focused on high Reynolds number aerodynamics of thick airfoils (> 21% thickness/chord) operating in complex (3D) steady, unsteady, and separated flows. Impacts of blade surface quality/roughness rotor performance on the aerodynamic/aeroelastic performance of novel rotor geometries and supporting structures are also of interest. Air/sea interactions, including waves/currents, on the hydrodynamic loading for offshore wind turbines. Improved measurement techniques and sensing/control technologies required to characterize the metocean environment impact on performance. The DoE participates in this initiative through the Wind Energy Technologies Office (program manager Michael Derby, email: [email protected]).
• Fluid-structure interactions:General FSI applications across the low- to high-Reynolds number range are of interest to NSF. In addition, NSF-AFOSR (Air Force Office of Scientific Research) joint funding area is focused on theory, modeling and/or experiments for hypersonic applications. AFOSR participates in this initiative through the Aerothermodynamics program.
• Canonical configurations: Experimental research is encouraged to develop spatiotemporally resolved databases for canonical configurations to either confirm historical results or to provide data in an unexplored parameter region. Fidelity and completeness for theoretical/computational validation is a key attribute of the proposed experimental data.
• Artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning:Innovative AI ideas related to the use of machine learning and other AI approaches in fluid dynamics research to model and control the flows are encouraged.Verifying new models with canonical configurations, when appropriate, is encouraged for theComputational andData-Enabled Science & Engineering(CDS&E) program.
• Instrumentation and Flow Diagnostics: Instrument development for time-space resolved measurements; shear stress sensors; novel flow imaging; and velocimetry.

In addition, NSF-AFOSR (Air Force Office of Scientific Research) joint funding area is focused on theory, modeling and/or experiments for hypersonic applications. Proposals will be jointly reviewed by NSF and AFOSR using the NSF panel format. Actual funding format and agency split for an award will be determined after the proposal selection process. 

For more information, please see here.

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