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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/L62160/01
Title: THE EFFECT OF VISCOELASTICITY ON CAVITATION AND RELATED PHENOMENA
Principal Investigator: Williams, Professor R
Other Investigators:
Walters, Professor K
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Chemical & Biological Process Eng
Organisation: Swansea University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 February 1998 Ends: 31 January 2001 Value (£): 251,754
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Rheology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The non-Newtonian rheology conferred upon liquids by polymer additives can improve their performance in engineering applications, e.g. in lubrication, atomisation. Recent provocative findings regarding cavitation damage have speculated on the mitigating effects of viscoelasticity on cavitation resulting from dynamic stressing. In this project we propose to exploit our recent development in techniques for the dynamic stressing of liquids to study the influence of polymer additives on cavitation and extensional viscocity, a key related rheological parameter which has significance on both fundamental studies of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics and numerous flows of process engineering concern and manufacturing importance. Our preliminary work within the UWINNFM has established a unique link between rheological and cavitation experiments involving the extensional properties of liquid jets, a factor implicated in cavitation damage and whose destructive action is enhanced by cavity-shockwave interaction. We propose to exploit that link to elucidate the effect(s) of viscoelasticity on this, and other, complex and striking phenomena associated with non-Newtonian flows and cavitation.
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Organisation Website: http://www.swan.ac.uk