Multiscale, Multiphase, and Multidisciplinary Research

Transforming multiphase flow to drive energy savings and streamlined processes

About Us

Welcome! I’m Rui Ni, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. I’m directing the Fluid Transport Lab. Our research interests broadly revolve around experimental studies of turbulence, multiphase flow, heat transfer, physiological flow, and swarming insects. A persistent theme throughout most of these areas is the challenge to model and predict the complex behaviors of coexistent phases, the phenomena that they manifest in multiple time and length scales, and the emerging dynamics due to intra- and inter- phase couplings. 

To navigate in this research domain, the other part of our work is devoted to advancing diagnostic tools, including non-invasive Lagrangian particle tracking system, visual-hull reconstruction, minimum-invasive method, and physics-informed machine learning.

Plume-Surface Interaction

We are working with NASA to investigate plume-surface interaction from an impinging jet.

Particle Image Velocimetry

We are using particle image velocimetry to capture the gas phase of a particle-laden jet.

3D Particle Tracking

We are working on improving the existing 3D particle tracking code to handle high tracer concentrations (up to 0.1 particle per pixel).

Turbulent Bubbly Flow

Our V-ONSET facility provides a unique flow environment for us to probe the interfacial couplings between two phases in the Lagrangian framework, including bubble deformation, breakup physics, and simultaneous measurement of the surrounding turbulent flow.

Enhanced Visual Hull Reconstruction

We have designed a novel virtual camera method to mitigate the problem of virtual mass appearing in geometrical reconstructions.

Interfacial Mass Transfer

The aim of this project is to unveil the underlying physical processes and bridge the scale difference between the microscopic interfacial dynamics to macroscopic transport and mixing statistics.

Active Turbulence

We study how fish schools react to turbulent flows using our customized Fish Aquarium with a Turbulent Environment (FATE) facility. We look to determine the extent to which the swimming formation of the school acts as a band-pass filter and signal amplifier to create a local environment with damped turbulence and enhanced signals.

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