Development of a Finite Volume Code for Simulating Liquid Films Instabilities in Hot-dip Galvanization

The wiping of a liquid metal film over a substrate is a process used in many industrial applications. In hot-dip galvanization, the coating of liquid zinc coating is controlled through some external actuators such as gas jets or permanent magnets. Several models have been developed to predict the liquid film dynamics, and the von Karman Institute has a long and well-established experience in this field. In collaboration with various industrial partners, the institute is leading the development of the BLEW (Boundary LayEr Wiping) software, based on an integral formulation of the liquid film. This thesis aims to further develop the BLEW solver by testing various Finite Volume Schemes, testing paths for code parallelization, and implementing non-reflective boundary conditions. The candidate will gain experience in different domains, from coding in python to the physical understanding of non-linear hyperbolic equations.