Richard Manasseh

PhD candidate and honours supervision

Higher degrees by research

Accredited to supervise Masters & Doctoral students as Principal Supervisor.

PhD topics and outlines

Acoustic measurement of oceanic carbon dioxide absorption: The oceans are thought to absorb nearly half of all the carbon dioxide humans put into the atmosphere, but the true amount of greenhouse gas absorbed by the oceans remains unknown. This project will involve two classes of laboratory experiments in which bubbles are formed. This research could be applied to calculate CO2 absorption.

Coastal protection with wave-energy converters: Arrays of ocean wave-energy converters could remove some energy from waves during storms, reducing coastal erosion, while renewably-generating electricity to pay for the investment at other times. There would be reduced envionmental impact compared with traditional sea walls. The research combines fluid-dynamically based mathematical models and control engineering.

Contained inertia-wave mixing: Inertia waves arise from the Coriolis force in a rotating tank, and can quickly generate turbulence without the use of intrusive stirrers.  Fluid mixing is particularly problematic where the fluids to be mixed cannot come into contact with turbine blades or shaft seals. Applications include the culturing of cells for direct therapies and for pharmaceutical products.

Currents induced by arrays of wave energy converters and their environmental impacts: Mean flows, analagous to the oceanic "rip current", may be created by resonating ocean wave-energy converters. Arrays of such machines may affect the habitat of marine species or sediment transport. Calculations may utilise chaotic mixing and biological population dynamics theories. Students may undertake theoretical or numerical projects, or, subject to appropriate funding, ocean experiments.

Ocean Wave Power Arrays - experimental: This project experimentally studies the ways in which ocean wave energy converters interact. Data are collected from generic models of arrays of ocean wave-power machines. Students will undertake experimental projects in facilities at Swinburne and our partner institutions.

Ocean Wave Power Arrays - theoretical/numerical: This project theoretically studies the ways in which ocean wave energy converters interact. Calculations are based on simplified dynamical models of ocean surface waves and of oscillating machine dynamics. Students may undertake theoretical or numerical projects.

Transitions to turbulence in reciprocating flows: Sinusoidally reversing flows may periodically switch from laminar to turbulent and back. Understanding these transitions is vital to predicting the dissipation in ocean wave energy converters. Students may undertake Direct Numerical Simulations on Swinburne's supercomputer cluster, develop simple ordinary differential equation models, or, subject to appropriate funding, ocean experiments.

Ultrasonic stimulation of fundamental cellular processes: There are increasing indications that ultrasonic stimulation can profoundly influence cell behaviour. Established cells such as neurons can be affected, and the fate of stem cells can be altered. This project will use analytic and numerical models of fluid-dynamical processes such as microstreaming and cell resonances to understand the potential for ultrasound to drive new therapies.

Honours

Available to supervise honours students.

Honours topics and outlines

Magnetohydrodynamic effects of ultrasound on cells: The interaction of the mechanical stress fields created by ultrasound with charge movement across cell membranes will be estimated by simple analytic and numerical models. Can we understand why ultrasound appears to affect neural processes?

Trajectories of marine organisms in wave-energy converter fields: Mathematical models will be created of the Lagrangian trajectories of passive and active marine organisms as they transit the zone of action of single and multiple ocean wave-energy converters. What will the fate of the organisms be? Will this form of renewable energy have a local environmental impact?