MechE Colloquium: Fluid dynamics of pulsed fusion machines

Abstract: Transitioning to a carbon-free energy source is one of the great challenges of the 21st century; fusion energy offers the potential of creating vast amounts of clean and sustainable energy to meet that goal. Although not immediately apparent, fusion machines, particularly pulsed fusion concepts, rely heavily on unsteady and impulsive fluid mechanics in their operation. This talk will outline some of the fundamental challenges faced in these designs, such as modelling interfacial surface geometry and its stability, as well as cavitation onset.

Bio: Jovan Nedić is an Associate Professor at McGill University, as well as Associate Director (Research) at the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering. His research focusses on understanding fundamental aspects related to unsteady and turbulent flows, especially as they pertain to the aerospace and energy sector. Over the last five years, the team at McGill has designed novel facilities to experimentally investigate unsteady fluid dynamics concepts related to fusion machines. Other research areas of interest include the formation of vortex structures, and the interaction of turbulence with aerospace and energy harvesting devices.