Dr Darrin Stephens works in the Fluids Process Modelling team as a specialist in numerical development of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), especially with the ANSYS-CFX software.
Current activities
Dr Darrin Stephens is a senior member of CSIRO's Fluid Process Modelling team.
One of his main focus areas is the AMIRA P266 Improving Thickener Technology project to develop computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of swirling and particulate flows in industrial thickeners.
His other activities include the development and application of meta-modelling techniques to CFD models for the purpose of design optimisation and process model linkage.
Dr Darrin Stephens was awarded the Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund award for his research achievements.
Dr Stephens uses modelling to investigate:
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stirred vessels to improve impeller designs
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gas-liquid interaction (bubble columns and submerged gas jets)
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gas-solid interaction (pneumatic separation devices and particle distribution)
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species transport in various process vessels, free surface flows (tank filling and sloshing)
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thermal phase change.
Research interests
Dr Stephens research interests include:
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multi-phase flows
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optimisation
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meta-models and surrogates
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population balance models
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heat and mass transfer including thermal phase change.
Background
Dr Stephens joined the Sugar Research Institute (SRI) as a Research Engineer in 2001. While at SRI he was:
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quickly elevated to a Senior Research Engineer
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chaired the computer steering committee
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convenor of the CFD and FEA skills cell.
Tasks at SRI involved undertaking research projects using CFX-4 and CFX-5 (CFD software), including the conversion of CFX-4 models to the CFX-5 code.
In 2003, Dr Stephens accepted a position as Technical Engineering Manager at Australian Trade Development, the Australian agent for the CFX software.
In this role he managed all technical support in Australasia and South East Asia for more than 50 separate customers, delivered training courses up to advanced level and co-ordinated marketing and sales.
Dr Stephens was responsible for providing consultation services on a range of CFD related topics and contributed to the development of ANSYS-CFX software through beta testing and other software development tasks.
Dr Stephens came to CSIRO in 2005 as a member of the AMIRA P266 Improving Thickener Technology project with the main responsibility of moving the thickener CFD model from CFX-4 to ANSYS-CFX.
Academic qualifications
Dr Stephens completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering at James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia in 1996.
He continued his study at James Cook University and in 2001 was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering.
Dr Stephens doctoral thesis was titled Studies on Modelling Circulation in Sugar Vacuum Pans.
Achievements
Dr Stephens is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia.
Dr Stephens has been awarded the Queensland Sustainable Energy Innovation Fund award for research achievements in the project Improving Efficiency of Crystallisation Pans.
Read about how CSIRO is Improving gravity thickener technology.
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