Thermofluids team

Thermofluidics

Thermofluidics research is the application of experimental and/or modelling techniques with the aim of understanding the interactions between thermodynamics, heat transfer and fluids. It is the basis for many everyday technologies and physical phenomena and governs numerous activities where energy is converted, exchanged or changes form. Through multi-disciplined areas of expertise for group members, our research interests include energy conversion systems, alternate fuels, fluidic behaviour as well as physical process modelling and optimisation.

Numerical Simulation

Physiological models are mathematical models characterized by a physiologically consistent mathematical structure (defined by the set of equations being used) and a set of model parameters to be estimated in the most precise and accurate way. In our research group, we have developed physiological models to better describe human systems physiology. This allows us to better understand patient’s condition, providing opportunities to guide medical treatment.

Numerical simulations which use the RANS approach utilises the discretised Navier-Stokes Equations (NSE) coupled with a turbulence modelling function to perform fluid flow simulations for a given domain. This tool is used to predict both the fluid flow and temperature at any point within a domain of interest. The usage of Numerical simulations allows us to rapidly test different conduit designs without the need for prototyping, thus incurring cost and material savings when conducting experiments.

Figure: Modelled conduit section from an annular geometry.

Figure: Conduit section analysed post simulation. The image also shows the grid used for the simulation.

Experimental Investigation

The experimental approach to investigate a given conduit’s ability to enhance heat transfer serves to validate the findings from the numerical simulation. The experiment is carried out from the optimal conduit designs identified by the numerical simulations. Experimental methods are also used to test the ability of different thermofluids derived from the use of colloidal suspensions at varying types and concentrations for heat transfer performance.

Figure: The schematic of an experimental test rig which would be used to validate the numerical simulation for 3 conduit types.

Fouling / Anti-fouling

The investigation on the effects of fouling from the usage of a combination of conduit design as well as colloidal suspension is important for thermofluids. The usage of certain additives and its effect on the fouling process, especially the organic/inorganic fouling via the nanoparticles has to be accounted for. Ideally, the colloidal particles should remain as a stable suspension and not deposit along the walls nor should it react with the walls of the conduit for an extended period of time to minimise the frequency of maintenance.

Figure: An example of corrosive fouling undergone by a brass tube in a condenser.




 

Ir Dr Oon Cheen Sean

Dr. Oon heads the Thermofluids team of the Thermofluidics group. His work mainly focuses on the enhancement of heat transfer media to improve the turbulent convective heat transfer performance. His secondary research interests are to use mathematical and computational modelling to investigate the heat transfer enhancement and application in heat exchanger. He also worked on fouling/anti-fouling research of heat exchanger using carbon-based materials.

Current GRS



 

Mr Sayshar Ram Nair

Mr. Sayshar Ram Nair received his B Eng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in 2018. He then received his Master’s in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in 2020 from Cranfield University. He is now pursuing a PhD degree in Monash University Malaysia, where he is working on the investigation of heat transfer performance of different conduit geometries into colloidal suspension via convective heat transfer.

 

Ms Wang Yanru

Ms. Wang Yanru received her B.Eng in Mechanical Engineering from Ningxia University, China in 2016. Then, she completed her M.Eng (Hons) in University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia in 2018. She joined Monash University Malaysia in January 2021 to pursue her PHD degree and her current research focusing on the heat transfer enhancement by developing colloidal suspensions and conduit geometry optimization.

 

Mr. Michael Luke Ho Gwanjie

Mr. Michael Ho received his B.Eng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from Curtin University Malaysia in 2021. He joined Monash University Malaysia in June 2022 to initially pursue his Master's in Engineering. However, he transitioned from Master's to a PhD in February 2023, under the same supervisor. He is currently investigating the effects of optimized swirl flows and magnetic hybrid nanofluids on convective heat transfer and their respective thermodynamics and hydraulic implications.

 
Mr. Ng Jian Yew

Mr. Ng Jian Yew received his B.Eng (Hons) Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering from Swinburne University in 2022. He joined Monash in May 2024 to pursue his Master's, with plans to convert to a PhD program. His research focuses on developing a novel offshore energy storage that uses buoyancy to store and discharge energy.

Recent Publications

  • Ahmed, Waqar, Chowdhury, Z.Z, Kazi, S.N, Johan, MR, Akram, Naveed, Oon, C.S, & Abdelrazek, Ali H. (2021). Characteristics investigation on heat transfer growth of sonochemically synthesized ZnO-DW based nanofluids inside square heat exchanger. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry.
  • Kumar, L.H, Kazi, S.N, Masjuki, H.H, Zubir, M.N.M, Jahan, A, & Oon, C.S. (2021). Experimental study on the effect of bio-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets on the thermal performance of liquid flat plate solar collector. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry.
  • Mallah, A.R, Zubir, M.N.M, Alawi, O.A, Kazi, S.N, Ahmed, S.M, Oon, C.S, & Mohamad, Ahmad Badarudin. (2020). An innovative, high‐efficiency silver/silica nanocomposites for direct absorption concentrating solar thermal power. International Journal of Energy Research, 44(12), 9438–9453.
  • Oon, C.S, Kazi, S.N, Hakimin, M.A, Abdelrazek, A.H, Mallah, A.R, Low, F.W, Tiong, S.K, Badruddin, Irfan Anjum, & Kamanger, Sarfaraz. (2020). Heat transfer and fouling deposition investigation on the titanium coated heat exchanger surface. Powder Technology, 373, 671–680.
  • Oon, C.S, Kazi, S.N, Zubir, N, Badruddin, Irfan Anjum, Kamangar, Sarfaraz, Heah, C. Y, Alnaimat, Fadi, Mathew, Boby, & Husain, A. (2020). Fouling and fouling mitigation of mineral salt using bio-based functionalized graphene nano-plates. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry.
  • Samsudin, Nurul Asma, Low, Foo Wah, Yusoff, Yulisa, Shakeri, Mohammad, Tan, Xiao Yun, Lai, Chin Wei, Asim, Nilofar, Oon, C.S, Newaz, Kazi Salim, Tiong, Sieh Kiong, & Amin, Nowshad. (2020). Effect of temperature on synthesis of cellulose nanoparticles via ionic liquid hydrolysis process. Journal of Molecular Liquids, 308, 113030.
  • Ahmed, Waqar, Chowdhury, Z.Z, Kazi, S.N, Johan, MR, Akram, Naveed, & Oon, C.S. (2020). Effect of ZnO-water based nanofluids from sonochemical synthesis method on heat transfer in a circular flow passage. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 114, 104591.
  • Almatar AbdRabbuh, O, Oon, C.S, Kazi, S.N, Abdelrazek, A.H, Ahmed, Waqar, Mallah, A.R, Badarudin, A, Badruddin, Irfan Anjum, & Kamangar, Sarfaraz. (2020). An experimental investigation of eco-friendly treated GNP heat transfer growth: circular and square conduit comparison. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry.
  • Ahmed, Waqar, Kazi, S.N, Chowdhury, Z.Z, Johan, M.R.B, Akram, Naveed, Mujtaba, M. A, Gul, M, & Oon, C.S. (2021). Experimental investigation of convective heat transfer growth on ZnO@TiO2/DW binary composites/hybrid nanofluids in a circular heat exchanger. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 143(2), 879–898.
  • Abdelrazek, Ali H, Kazi, S.N, Alawi, Omer A, Yusoff, Nukman, Oon, C.S, & Ali, Hafiz Muhammad. (2020). Heat transfer and pressure drop investigation through pipe with different shapes using different types of nanofluids. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 139(3), 1637–1653.
  • Oon, C.S and Amiri, Ahmad and Chew, Bee Teng and Kazi, Salim Newaz and Shaw, Andy and Al-Shamma'a, Ahmed (2018) Increase in convective heat transfer over a backward-facing step immersed in a water-based TiO2 nanofluid. Heat Transfer Research, 49 (15). pp. 1419-1429. ISSN 1064-2285
  • Oon, C.S, Ateeq, Muhammad, Shaw, Andy, Wylie, Stephen, Al-Shamma'a, Ahmed, & Kazi, Salim Newaz. (2016). Detection of the gas-liquid two-phase flow regimes using non-intrusive microwave cylindrical cavity sensor. Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, 30(17), 2241–2255.
  • Zubir, Mohd Nashrul Mohd, Muhamad, Mohd Ridha, Amiri, Ahmad, Badarudin, A, Kazi, S.N, Oon, C.S, Abdullah, Hussein Togun, Gharehkhani, Samira, & Yarmand, Hooman. (2016). Heat transfer performance of closed conduit turbulent flow: Constant mean velocity and temperature do matter. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 64, 285–298.
  • Oon, C.S, Ateeq, M, Shaw, A, Al-Shamma’a, A, Kazi, S.N, & Badarudin, A. (2016). Experimental study on a feasibility of using electromagnetic wave cylindrical cavity sensor to monitor the percentage of water fraction in a two phase system. Sensors and Actuators. A. Physical., 245, 140–149.
  • Oon, C.S, Yew, Sin Nee, Chew, Bee Teng, Newaz, Kazi Md Salim, Al-Shamma'a, Ahmed, Shaw, Andy, & Amiri, Ahmad. (2015). Numerical simulation of heat transfer to separation TiO2/water nanofluids flow in an asymmetric abrupt expansion. EPJ Web of Conferences, 92, 2056.
  • Oon, C.S, Nordin, H, Al-Shamma’a, A, Kazi, S.N, Badarudin, A, & Chew, B.T. (n.d.). Numerical Simulation of Heat Transfer to TiO2-Water Nanofluid Flow in a Double-Tube Counter Flow Heat Exchanger. In Progress in Clean Energy, Volume 1 (pp. 413–422). Springer International Publishing.
  • Oon, C.S, Al-Shamma’a, A, Kazi, S.N, Chew, B.T, Badarudin, A, & Sadeghinezhad, E. (2014). Simulation of heat transfer to separation Air flow in a concentric pipe. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 57, 48–52.
  • Sadeghinezhad, Emad, Mehrali, Mohammad, Tahan Latibari, Sara, Mehrali, Mehdi, Kazi, S.N, Oon, C.S, & Metselaar, Hendrik Simon Cornelis. (2014). Experimental Investigation of Convective Heat Transfer Using Graphene Nanoplatelet Based Nanofluids under Turbulent Flow Conditions. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 53(31), 12455–12465.
  • Oon, C.S, A Al-Shamma’a, S Wylie, M Ateeq, Kazi, S.N, A Badarudin. (2014). Electromagnetic wave sensor for multiphase flow measurement in the oil and gas industry. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 53 (31), 12455-12465, 2014.
  • Sadeghinezhad, E, Kazi, S.N, Badarudin, A, Togun, H, Zubir, M.N.M, Oon, C.S, & Gharehkhani, S. (2014). Sustainability and environmental impact of ethanol as a biofuel. Coleopterists Bulletin.
  • Kazi, S.N, Badarudin, A, Fadhli, M, & Oon, C.S. (2014). Simulation of Heat Transfer to Turbulent Nanofluid Flow in an Annular Passage. Advanced Materials Research, 925, 625–629.
  • University of Malaya, Malaysia
  • University Malaysia Perlis, Malaysia
  • Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia
  • Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom
  • Rangsit University, Thailand
  • Lakehead University, Canada

Masters and PhD positions are available on the following topics:

1. Simulation of heat transfer enhancement in an unique conduit using functionalized GNP colloidal suspension.

2. Experimental investigation of heat transfer performance utilizing distinct geometry conduit.

3. Fouling/anti-fouling using carbon based materials.

Interested candidates may send their CV to Dr Oon Cheen Sean (oon.cheensean@monash.edu)

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