Current areas of research include fluid mechanics and separation technology 
with applications in:the investigation of the hydrodynamic stability of accelerating 
interfaces and hydrocyclone separation technology.  Research projects are focused on 
the formulation of new theories in the study of drop breakup in accelerating environ-
ments and the application of novel hydrocyclone designs in separation processes.


         In the area of hydrodynamic stability, we are interested in the application 
of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability to spherical interfaces (e.g., drops and bubbles) 
experiencing high Bond numbers.  It is the intent of our research to develop models 
based that will predict the onset of these instabilities that ultimately lead to the 
destruction of the interface.  Experimentation will be conducted using high speed 
photography of the surface of the accelerating drops and bubbles. 


         In the area of hydrocyclone separation technology,research is focused on 
the development of fluid flow models that predict the flow structure within the unit 
operation. Liquid/liquid hydrocyclones,which are currently used in the environmental 
cleanup of "oily" produced water, are desired for their compactness, simplicity of 
operation and insensitivity to motion and orientation. Though the operation is simple, 
the turbulent swirling flow field within these devices is very complex and currently 
not well understood. The instability of the oil and water dispersion to the turbulent 
flow field adds an additional challenge to improving the separation performance. 
With future implication of stringent environmental regulations, this research is of 
great interest to oil production companies as well as environmental agencies. 
Experiments will be conducted using laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) to validate flow 
patterns within the hydrocyclone. The drop break and separation characteristics of the 
hydrocyclone will be analyzed using laser light scattering.