1. Postdoctoral Research Assoc. University of Notre Dame
holds a Ph.D. in tropical meteorology, M.Tech. Degree in Atmospheric Science and M.S. Degree in Meteorology.
Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast (HWRF) modeling system.
Calculation of Oil Droplet Size Distribution in Ocean Spills and its Importance in Oil Spill Models
During an ocean oil spill event, much of the decision-making process is driven by predictions from integrated oil and gas spill models. These computer/numerical models provide critical insight on the fate and transport of oil and subsequent oil weathering processes that are important in emergency response and oil mitigation attempts to minimize the environmental impact. During a spill, oil is observed to break into droplets due to instabilities near the source and water column turbulence. The ability of the numerical model to calculate the droplet size distribution (DSD) closer to the reality is critical for better model predictions. The oil DSD governs the residence time of oil in the water column and thus plays a critical role in fate and transport of released oil. In the available models, oil DSD is simulated based on empirical equilibrium equations. However, the experimental evidence suggests that in the intermittent turbulence the oil DSD evolves due to subsequent droplet breakup and coalescence, which can only be captured by a dynamic population evolution model. This work introduces the development of such a phenomenological model to calculate the oil droplet dynamics in turbulent flows. The model is developed based on Population Balance Model (PBE) and droplet breakup and coalescence theories. The model has been successfully integrated with an under-water oil jet/plume model and a surface oil slick model in a wave field environment. These models have been validated with large scale field experiments and laboratory experiments.
Tuesday, April 11, :00-12:00 noon Hayes/Healy Center
Dr. Indrajith Nissanka
Postdoctoral Research Assoc.
CEEES
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
Dr. Indrajith Nissanka is currently working as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at The University of Notre Dame in Dr. David Richter’s research group. Dr. Nissanka received his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the Clarkson University, New York in His Ph.D. dissertation was primarily focused on calculating oil droplet size distribution (DSD) in ocean oil spills. This work included modeling oil DSD in underwater oil and gas jets and surface oil sick in the ocean. At present, he is extending his doctoral research into modeling sea spray droplets transport in the marine atmospheric boundary layer