Modeling flow and clogging in constricted particle suspensions

Clogging is a fascinating and widely observed phenomenon that occurs whenever a suspension—composed of discrete particles dispersed in a liquid—flows through a confined geometry. Such constrictions can range from microscopic pores in filters and membranes to macroscopic channels like pipes and even biological systems such as blood vessels where red blood cells, platelets, or clots can obstruct flow. Clogging can also occur in the Earth’s crust—within fractures that host fluid circulation in enhanced geothermal systems, a promising clean and sustainable energy technology. Despite its apparent simplicity, clogging is a complex process that bridges fluid mechanics, particle dynamics, and statistical physics. It governs how materials flow—or fail to flow—across systems spanning engineering, geophysics, biology, and even human behavior. When particles are forced through a narrow constriction, the system may exhibit steady flow, intermittent bursts, or complete blockage. Understanding when and why flow stops is crucial to designing efficient filtration systems, predicting industrial blockages, and controlling transport processes in natural and engineered environments.

This project offers students the opportunity to explore the physics of complex flows, develop computational models, and contribute to solving real-world engineering and energy challenges. It is an exciting intersection of theory, modeling, and application—where a simple question, “When does flow stop?”, leads to deep insights into how fluids and particles interact across scales. In particular, the student is expected to: 1. Review the experimental observations by Dincau et al. (2023) & Souzy et al. (2020). 2. Reproduce the simulation results for the clogging model in dry systems by Nicolas et al. (2018). 3. Extend the model to include fluid effects in the Stokes (low-Reynolds-number) regime. A preliminary MATLAB code will be provided.