Post-Doc Researchers

I currently work at CEFT as a Researcher on PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers. I am interested on their experimental characterization and on the development of numerical models based on computational fluids dynamics (CFD)

In 2016, I joined the Thermal and Fluids R&D team at Efacec Power Solutions. My main responsibilities were modelling and understanding the cooling capacity in Power Transformers using CFD methodologies, and by analysis of the heat transfer effectiveness, conducting model validation activities using real scale transformers and scaled down models to improve their thermal performance.
In 2018, I joined ALTICE Labs as Thermal specialist engineer where my main responsibility was to minimize the total cost, weight and size of the components during the process of a PCB design using 3D CFD simulations and conducting experimental validation tests for several Altice products.
Throughout my professional career, I had the opportunity to work during all stages of product development, starting from the R&D phase, through the testing and optimization phases, supporting quality and certification processes and finally accompanying the production. My academic background and industry experience makes me a versatile and autonomous professional interacting with different subjects and projects with a particular focus in R&D and product development. If you are looking for partnerships in any of the above subjects, or other that my experience might be helpful, do not hesitate and contact me.

After I finished my Masters, I was involved in two grant scholarship projects, 2011-2015, PTDC/EME-MFE/099109/2008, entitled “ANEURYSM – Hemodynamic Study in Cerebral Aneurysms” and NORTE-07-0124-FEDER- 000025, co financed by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and FEDER at the Transport Phenomena Research Center, CEFT. The projects consisted on the hemodynamic study of cerebral aneurisms, using in vitro phantom models, on the experimental rheology study of blood rheology (São João University Hospital) and on the creation of blood analogues using several polymer solutions.

Afterwards, I started my PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering in mid-2014 and, in 2016, I won a PhD FCTgrant. The PhD, entitled “Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microparticles synthesis for a novel blood analogue suspension”, consisted on the development of a blood analogue suspension. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was chosen for the material of the polymeric particles which was a good candidate to mimic the mechanical properties of Red blood cells (RBC) since is a transparent inert elastomer. Two multiphase methods to produce PDMS microparticles were explored, a microfluidic flow-focusing device and a membrane emulsification process. Since the PDMS microparticles generation was very challenging, a numerical study was also conducted validated by experimental data and enabled the investigation of other conditions to further improve the generation of microparticles.

Mónica Silva is a researcher at the University of Porto and part of the CEFT research group. She holds a PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering from FEUP and has a degree in Environmental Sciences from FCUP.

Her PhD work focused on using CFD to study the hydrodynamic features associated with Slug flow for both macro and micro-scales and its potential applications in medical devices. In addition, she also studied the effect that this type of flow has on two mass-transfer mechanisms: soluble wall-liquid and bubble-liquid.
She has authored several papers, having her work published in Q1 journals, as well as participating in international conferences.

She is currently part of the project NewPHYMOIL at CEFT as a postdoctoral researcher where her main tasks concern improving CFD tools to allow a detailed prediction of multiphase flows. Her main research interests lie in multiphase flows – both macro and micro scale, mass transfer mechanisms as well as in different CFD techniques (using commercial and free software solutions).

Her background relies mainly in two scientific fields: i) simulation of heat and mass transport phenomena and ii) modeling human body thermal response. She has developed numerical approaches that considered the heat and mass transfer through materials covering the body for a wide range of physical activities (e.g. rest and exercise phases) and environment conditions (e.g. exposure to high temperature and intense solar radiation, indoor/outdoor conditions). As an outcome, the numerical approaches allowed to understand and to identify critical parameters that affect both the product in contact with the skin and the body heat exchange.