Particle laden flow at higher volume fraction is difficult to model because manybody interactions between particles in an incompressible fluid do not have closed-form first-principles models. I will present a body of research in this area focusing on free surface flow under gravity in the regime where particle interactions and gravity are dominant effects. This talk is a blend of physical modeling, mathematical analysis of systems of conservation laws, and laboratory experiments. I will also speak about spiral separators, used in the mining industry, and how a simple system of flow under gravity in a helical trough can lead to separation of species of particles in a slurry.
Department of Mathematics