Mechanical Engineering Graduate Seminar Series: Dr. Sheryl Grace, "The role of cavitation in shock-drop interaction"

Abstract: Hypersonic vehicles can sustain significant damage when they are impacted by atmospheric particles, including raindrops. Before colliding with the vehicle, these droplets interact with the vehicle’s shock wave, become deformed and can breakup. Many studies explore the role of interface instabilities in the droplet breakup and ignore internal drop mechanics. There is no consensus on which surface process dominates the breakup nor what initiates the instabilities. The internal droplet wave dynamics provide a conducive environment for cavitation and raindrops contain the nuclei necessary for cavitation. Therefore, this research focuses on the internal drop dynamics and seeks to determine if and when cavitation occurs. Further it seeks to understand the influence of cavitation on the overall drop evolution. Direct simulations of bubble dynamics inside of a drop, simulations of the shock-drop problem utilizing cavitation models, and shock-tube experiments are all being deployed to investigate this phenomenon. 

Bio: Professor Grace earned her undergrad from University of Akron in Ohio, MS from Oklahoma State University, PhD from Notre Dame and has been at Boston University heading the Unsteady Fluid Mechanics and Acoustics Lab for 29 years. Professor Grace’s primary research interests lie in the fields of unsteady aero/hydrodynamics and aero/hydro-acoustics. She founded the faculty focused Women in Science and Engineering at Boston University in 2004 and is continually active in promoting diversity in STEM. Recently, she oversaw the implementation of a NASA Downlink which engaged 400 targeted middle and high school students in aerospace related activities and introduced them to the BU alum on board the International Space Station.