Dr Philip Rubini

BSc. Tech. (Hons.) , Ph.D.

CEng, MInstP, MIET

Post title

Reader in ThermoFluids and Acoustics

Profile

Dr. Philip Rubini joined the University of Hull in 2007 as Reader in the Department of Engineering and was appointed as Head of Department for a three year term from 2008 until 2011.

Dr. Rubini has over 25 years of experience in the development and application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to practical engineering problems. He has worked very closely with industry across a broad range of topics including low speed aerodynamics, acoustics, thermofluids, heat transfer, process systems, combustion and fire safety.

Dr. Rubini moved to the University of Hull after 15 years at Cranfield University, where he worked in close collaboration with Prof. Barrie Moss as colleagues in the Computational Flows and Combustion Group. Dr. Rubini previously participated in the development of combustion related CFD codes within Rolls Royce plc for a number of years. He also worked for several years at Queens University, Kingston, Canada, as the principal developer of a new CFD code for the Canadian steel industry in a collaborative university/industrial research activity combining both experimental and theoretical activities.

Dr. Rubini has published over 50 journal and conference papers. He is a member of the EPSRC peer review panel and referees for many journals.

Dr. Rubini is a Chartered Engineer, Chairman of the IET Humber Network and Academic Liaison Officer for the IMechE and IChemE. He actively promotes membership of the Professional Institutions within the Department and hosts a wide range of evening seminars.

Dr. Rubini supervises PhD research projects across a broad selection of topics. Applications are always welcome for PhD, MPhil and MSc by Research degrees in all topics related to the application and development of CFD, thermo-fluids and acoustics to practical engineering problems.

Please contact him directly to discuss opportunites, topics and available funding.

For more information see also my personal web pages.

Qualifications

• Ph.D., Department of Chemical Engineering and Fuel Technology, Sheffield University, 'Flow in Pipe Bends' (1987)
• BSc.Tech. (Hons.) Chemical Engineering and Fuel Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering and Fuel Technology, Sheffield University, England (1982)

Experience

• Head of Department, Department of Engineering, University of Hull (2008-2011)
• Reader, Department of Engineering, Hull University (2007 -)
• Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Cranfield University (1997-2007)
• Lecturer, School of Mechanical Engineering, Cranfield University (1991-1997)
• Research Associate, Dept. Mech. Eng., Queens University, Canada (1989-1991)
• Head of Combustion Theoretical Services Military Engine Division, Rolls Royce plc, Bristol (1987-1989)
• Combustion Engineer, Civil Engine Division, Rolls Royce plc, Derby (1985-1987)

Research Interests

Whilst at Cranfield University, under continuous funding from EPSRC and industry, together with his colleague Professor J.B. Moss, their research group conducted high-quality research and consultancy work in the development and application of computationally-based models for radiative heat transfer, smoke production, flame spread and emissions prediction.

Dr. Rubini has worked on a continuous basis with Rolls Royce plc and Siemens Gas Turbines in the field of gas turbine combustion, nacelle heat transfer, ventilation and fire precautions. More recent research projects have concentrated upon approaches based upon unstructured Cartesian cut-cell methods, specifically in the context of parallel applications, with a number of PhD students having pursued this topic.

In recent years one focus of this activity has been through the development of a CFD code specifically for fire simulation, SOFIE (Simulation of Fires in Enclosures). The project proceeded under international sponsorship with support from a consortium of European fire research laboratories and regulatory agencies including the Fire Research Station (UK); Health and Safety Executive (UK); Home Office (UK); SP Boras (Sweden); Lund University (Sweden); VTT (Finland); CSTB (France). Excellent links are retained with these organisations today.

The SOFIE research project proved to be extremely successful, providing a practical platform upon which to implement and develop physical models for radiative heat transfer, combustion and heat transfer. The activity was very successful with SOFIE receiving international recognition, being distributed to fire research groups in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, France, USA, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Russia and New Zealand. Dr. Rubini was responsible for the initial development of the code and the supervision of those research students who later contributed to the project. He continues to maintain the code and provide support to users.

Dr Rubini has broadened his research interests to now encompassing more general process systems, fire safety and heat transfer as well as low speed aerodynamics typified by Motorsport applications. Today this is all within the context of large scale parallel computing.

It is his vision to contribute to world-class research through the continued development and application of the time accurate simulation of combustion, radiative and convective heat transfer. To be achieved within the context of large scale parallel computations, adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to accommodate fluid-structure interaction.

Selected publications

• C.Jayatunga, W.Krebs, Q.Qin, P.Rubini, V.Sanderson, D.You, “Absorption of normal-incidence acoustic waves by double perforated liners of industrial gas turbine combustors”, GT2012-68842, Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2012, June 11-15, 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark

• Q. Qin, P. Rubini, C. Jayatunga and V. Sanderson, “Laboratory Investigations of Low Frequency Sound Attenuation over Combustion Flat Perforated Wall Sheet”, Acoustics 2012, Nantes, France, 2012

• Y. H. Yau, A. Badarudin, P. A. Rubini, “A numerical study of secondary flow and large eddies in a driven cavity”, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, Vol. 26, No. 1. (1 January 2012), pp. 93-102, doi:10.1007/s12206-011-0913-y

• Y.H. Yau, A. Badarudin and P.A. Rubini, "Numerical and Scalability Analysis of an Unstructured Cartesian Flow Solver", Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers,Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science September 2011 225: 2138-2148, doi:10.1177/0954406211404870

• Haydar A, Attenborough, K, Lauriks W, Rubini PA, Langton, CM. 2009. Wave propagation in stereo-lithographical (STL) bone replicas at oblique incidence. Applied Acoustics, article in press, available online January 2011, DOI:10.1016/j.apacoust.2011.01.010

• Q. Zhang, P.A. Rubini, Modelling of light extinction by soot particles, Fire Safety J 46 (2011), pp. 96-103, doi:10.1016/ j.firesaf.2010.11.002
• P.A. Rubini, Q. Zhang, “Quantitative Validation of Simulated Visibility in Smoke Laden Environments”, July 2010, Interflam 2010, Interscience Communications Ltd

• P.A. Rubini, Q. Zhang, “Simulation of perceived visibility in smoke laden environments”, Human Behaviours in Fires Symposium, July 2009, Robinson College, Cambridge, UK

• M. Sebzali, P.A. Rubini, "Energy performance of an air cooled chiller operating with chilled water storage for the Kuwait climate” , Energy & Buildings, Vol 39, Issue 8, Pages 975-984, August 2007 (journal), doi: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2006.11.004.
• M. Sebzali, P.A. Rubini, "Application of ice thermal storage for Kuwait design conditions", "Energy Conversion & Management", Volume 47, Issues 18-19 , November 2006, Pages 3417-3434
• J.A.G. Worthy, P.A. Rubini, “A Study of LES Stress and Flux Models Applied to a Buoyant Jet”, Numerical Heat Transfer, Part B, Vol 48, No. 3, pp 235-256, 2005
• G. Roussopoulos, P.A.Rubini, “A Thermal Analysis of the Horizontal Zone Refining of Indium Antimonide”, Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 271, No. 3-4, pp 333-340, 2004
• J-M Rogero and P Rubini. “Optimisation of combustor wall heat transfer and pollutant emissions for preliminary design using evolutionary techniques”. Proceedings of ImechE Part A: Journal of Power and Energy, Vol 217 No A6, pp.605-614, 2003
• J. Worthy, V. Sanderson, P.A. Rubini. "A comparison of modified k-? turbulence models for buoyant plumes", Numerical Heat Transfer, Part B: Fundamentals, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp.151-166,2001.
• P.A. Rubini, Q. Zhang, BM Pierce, J.B. Moss, “Numerical simulation of visibility in smoke laden environments”, InterFlame 2007, 11th International Conference on Fire Science and Engineering, 3-5 Sept. 2007, London, UK,/li>
• P.A. Rubini, Q. Zhang, “Simulation of visibility in smoke laden environments”, 5th International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, 23-27 April. 2007, Edinburgh, UK
• L. Caracciolo, P. A. Rubini, “Validation of a partially-premixed combustion model for gas turbine applications”, ASME Turbo Expo 2006, Barcelona, May 2006, Paper No. GT2006-90956
• A. Fasquelle, P. A. Rubini, “Experiments and transient numerical simulations of fire events in a gas turbine nacelle”, 2nd International Conference, FireBridge 2005, Belfast 9-11 May 2005
• J.Worthy, P.A.Rubini, “Large eddy simulation of buoyant plumes”, 4th International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, Sept. 2003, Londonderry, UK
• JB Moss, PA Rubini, V Sanderson, CD Stewart “The Simulation of Engine Casing Fires : Computational Modelling and Experiment”. NATO RTO Fire and Survivability, Specialists Meeting organised by Applied Vehicle Technology Panel, 23-26 September 2002, Aalborg, Denmark,
• S Alhajraf and P Rubini. “Lagrangian Numerical Modelling of Suspension and Saltation in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer”. Proceedings of Seventh International Congress on Fluid Dynamics and Propulsion. Dec. 19-21, 2001 – Sharm El-shaik, EGYPT
• J-M. Rogero, P.A. Rubini " Optimisation of Combustor Wall Heat Transfer and Pollutant Emissions for Preliminary Design Using Evolutionary Techniques ". Proceedings of ISOABE, 15th International Symposium on Airbreathing Engines 2-7 September 2001, Bangalore, India. ISBN 1-56347-515-4
• S.Al-Hajraf, P.A. Rubini. "Three dimensional homogenous two-phase flow modelling of drifting sand around an open gate", 1st Int. Conf. Computational Methods in Multiphase Flow, April 2001, Orlando, Published in Computational Methods in Multiphase Flow, H.Power, C.A. Brebbia (Editors), WIT Press, Southampton, Boston, 2001, ISBN 1-85312-862-7
• M Aksit, JB Moss and PA Rubini. “Field modelling of surface flame spread over charring materials”. Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference – INTERFLAM 2001. Interscience Communications Ltd., pp. 1459-1464, 2001. ISBN 0-9532312-7-5
• IM Aksit, JB Moss and PA Rubini. “CFD simulation of cable tray fires”. Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference – INTERFLAM 2001. Interscience Communications Ltd., pp. 1129-1140, 2001. ISBN 0-9532312-7-5
• J-M. Rogero, P.A. Rubini. "A platform independent engineering optimisation tool based on genetic algorithms and distributed computing applied to gas turbine combustor preliminary design". 2nd Int. Conf. Engineering Computational Technology, 6-8th Sept. 2000, Leuven, Belgium. Published in Computational Engineering using Metaphors from Nature, B.H.V. Topping (Editor), Civil-Comp Press, 2000, ISBN 0-948749-66-0, pp.143-149.
• J.M.Rogero, A.Tiwari, O.Munaux, P.A. Rubini, R.Roy, G.Jared. "Applications of evolutionary algorithms for solving real-life design optimisation problems", presented in Workshop for Real World Applications, 6th Int. Conf. Parallel Problem Solving from Nature, Paris, France, Sept. 2000
• S. R. Pierson, S.Richardson, P.A. Rubini, M.C. Jermy, D.A.Greenhalgh. "Laser characterisation of a port fuel injector to provide boundary data for computational fluid dynamics". Int. Conf. Computational and Experimental Methods in Reciprocating Engines, 1-2 Nov. 2000, IMechE, London, UK. IMechE Conference Transactions 2000-8. ISBN 1-86058-275-3, pp.167-176
• M. Aksit, P. Mackie, P.A. Rubini. "Coupled Radiative Heat Transfer and Flame Spread Simulation in a Compartment", 3rd International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards, April 2000, Windermere, UK, Editors: Derek Bradley, Dougal Drysdale, Georgy Makhviladze, Centre for Research in Fire and Explosion Studies, University of Central Lancashire, ISBN – 1-901-902-17-0