Yucheng Fu: Bubbling to the top with math
The following story was written in April 2018 by Geoff Israel in ENGL 4824: Science Writing as part of a collaborative project that included the English department, the Center for Communicating Science, the Fralin Life Science Institute, and Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS).
Are you bubbling with questions about... bubbles? Ph.D. student Yucheng Fu’s research seeks answers and explanations to how bubbles interact with and around various environments and scenarios.
Fu graduated from Fudan University in Shanghai China with a degree in theoretical and applied mechanics as the top student in his class. He was then accepted to Virginia Tech, where he completed certifications in nuclear engineering and data analytics and is currently completing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. While Fu is six months from completing his doctorate he says he has no intentions of slowing down and hopes to pursue a position as a postdoctoral researcher.
I wanted to understand what makes Fu tick, so we sat down and discussed everything from Rubix cubes to photography. As a child, Fu had an affinity for math and science and loved solving equations. As he progressed in school, he turned his attention to engineering and data analytics.
“I hope to make an impact on the world and leave it a better place than when I arrived,” Fu said
Since his enrollment at Virginia Tech in 2013, Fu has been involved with a multitude of projects, all with a common theme revolving around fluid dynamics. Currently, Fu is researching how to understand the flow of bubbles under various conditions using an algorithm he created.
Simply put, the concept of Fu’s algorithm is to understand the flow of bubbles under various conditions. The flow of bubbles in both liquid and gas phases varies greatly depending on the pressure, temperature, density, and dynamic of the various apparatuses through which these liquids move. He believes his research will alter the current state of energy transfer and optimize power efficiency across multiple disciplines.
Fu’s focus is to create an algorithm that accurately measures the flow of bubbles across these varying conditions so that he can apply this concept across a wide range of contexts, from fields like nuclear energy and internal medicine to hybrid cars. Researchers can use Fu’s algorithm to detect disruptions in bubbly flow, which allows them to optimize their individual projects.
In a nuclear reactor, for example, the system is cooled via water traveling through fuel rod bundles. The turbulence of the bubbly flow in these pipes limits the cooling potential of the system, which directly affects the power output. Another application of this algorithm is in the field of internal medicine. Our bodies have very small bubbles in our blood stream, and a small shift in the size and intensity of these bubbles is enough to trigger a heart attack. Lastly, in hybrid cars, specifically hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles, bubbly flow through a ceramic membrane reduces the amount of power delivered to the motor.
When I was lucky enough to steal Fu away from his laboratory, I saw how he interacts with his environment and how he thinks. Fu speaks with much poise, a distinct passion in his voice, and a fire in his eyes, eager to discuss what he enjoys most: his work. It is clear Fu is always considering different ways to optimize his algorithm, as it is not uncommon for him to wake up at 3 in the morning to test a potential answer to a problem. While something is always on his mind, it is easy to see that Fu is researching what he loves and that he has found his calling. I would not be surprised to see some groundbreaking research from his lab surface within the next few years.
Photos courtesy of author, who appears with Fu in second photo.