Using CFD to Model the Processing of Milk

A Fundamental Study of Milk Ultrafiltration

David Dunstan, Greg Martin, Vicky Chen, Dalton Harvie, Malcolm Davidson and Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd.

This work is supported by the Australian Research Council Linkage grant, `A Fundamental Study of Milk Ultrafiltration' (LP110200570). The project is a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, University of NSW and Dairy Innovation Australia, Ltd.

This fundamental study of filtration processes will benefit the Australian Dairy Industry. The use of filtration to separate milk components is critical to the manufacture of many dairy products. Advancing the understanding of membrane filtration processes for dairy applications is essential for improved industry competitiveness. A fundamental approach that combines novel experimental techniques and state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamic modeling will be used. Dairy membrane operation will be optimised through reduced fouling and increased membrane flux. This fundamental strategic research will improve energy and water efficiency therefore enhancing the global competitiveness of Dairy Innovation Australia Ltd's Industry Partners.

Two PhD stipends are available on this topic: one computational and one experimental. See Positions.

Spray Drying via CFD

Dalton Harvie, David Fletcher and Tim Langrish

I worked as a research assistant on this project.

Publications

   David Fletcher, Baoyu Guo, Dalton J. E. Harvie, Tim Langrish, Justin Nijdam, and Jennifer Williams. What is important in the simulation of spray dryer performance and how do current CFD models perform? Appl. Math Mod., 30:1281–1292, 2006. doi:10.1016/j.apm.2006.03.006.

   Dalton J. E. Harvie, Tim A. G. Langrish, and David F. Fletcher. Numerical simulations of gas flow patterns within a tall-form spray dryer. Trans IChemE: Part A (Chemical Engineering Research and Design), 79(3):235–248, 2001. doi:10.1205/026387601750281761.

   Dalton J. E. Harvie, Tim A. G. Langrish, and David F. Fletcher. A computational fluid dynamics study of a tall-form spray dryer. Trans IChemE: Part C (Food and Bioproducts Processing), 80(3): 163–175, September 2002. doi:10.1205/096030802760309188.