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Dynamics of multiphase media vols. I and II
Ann. nucl. Energy, Vol. 18, No. 7, p. 425, 1991 Pergamon Press plc. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEW Dynamics of Multiphase Media Vols. I and II by R.I. Nigmatulin, translated from the Russian by M.A. Piterman. Published by Hemisphere Publishing Corporation (1990). Vol. I pp 507, £161.00, Vol. II pp 371, £125.00. Dynamics of multiphase media is a classic example of the buried treasure to be found in the Soviet Union. Much of this work is seeing the light of day, in the West, for the first time between the covers of this book - to mix metaphors. The book contains valuable information on current knowledge on the theory and analysis of multiphase systems and will be of interest to research workers and practising engineers in fields as diverse as nuclear power, ceramics, petroleum production, chemical processing and space technology. The author, R.I. Nigmatulin, has worked for many years on multiphase flow and its relationship to combustion, detonation, solid phase transition and boiling heat transfer. The theme of the book is how transient waves, and in particular shock waves, behave as they pass through a medium. In these two volumes of 507 and 371 pages, respectively, an enormous amount of material is presented in a very clear way. The author gives very detailed derivations thereby making the arguments much easier to follow than is usual in such an advanced text. In this respect, it is useful to list the chapter headings Vol. I: Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Chapter 5: Vol.II Chapter 6: Chapter 7: Chapter 8:
Equation of mechanics of heterogeneous continuous media. Mechanics of processes near dispersed particles, drops and bubbles. Wave dynamics of shocks and detonations in condensed media with phase transitions. Dynamics of two-velocity flows of disperse media (gas-particle suspensions) Gas and wave dynamics of combustion and detonation of gas-particle suspensions and powders. Wave dynamics of bubbly liquids. Hydrodynamics and thermophysics of stationary one-dimensional gas-liquid and vapour-liquid flows in channels. Theory of inertia-free and percolation flows of heterogeneous media.
There are also some useful appendices on thermophysical properties of selected gases and liquids as well as a selection of references to the Soviet literature. In fact, as far as I could tell there is not one reference to a source outside the Soviet Union! Moreover, the reference citations are not very informative and I think it might be difficult to obtain many of the references cited. The comprehensive nature of this monograph emphasises the great range of expertise and the diversity of interests of the author. There is, for example, a very detailed treatment of energy, mass and momentum exchange in multiphases mixtures with application to shock hardening of metals, combusion of fuel droplets, critical flow, tertiary oil recovery and detonation of powders. There is also adequate coverage of the experimental and numerical aspects of the subject. The book is extremely well translated and the author and translator have appealing styles. This is clearly a delightful book for the afficionado and a valuable book for the person who wishes to approach the subject. It is not cheap. Volume I costs £161.00 and volume II £125.00. One would have to be very dedicated to actually buy these books from one's own pocket, but they should be purchased by University and Research Libraries as a matter of urgency. M.M.R. Williams Emeritus Professor, University of London 425
BOOK REVIEW Dynamics of Multiphase Media Vols. I and II by R.I. Nigmatulin, translated from the Russian by M.A. Piterman. Published by Hemisphere Publishing Corporation (1990). Vol. I pp 507, £161.00, Vol. II pp 371, £125.00. Dynamics of multiphase media is a classic example of the buried treasure to be found in the Soviet Union. Much of this work is seeing the light of day, in the West, for the first time between the covers of this book - to mix metaphors. The book contains valuable information on current knowledge on the theory and analysis of multiphase systems and will be of interest to research workers and practising engineers in fields as diverse as nuclear power, ceramics, petroleum production, chemical processing and space technology. The author, R.I. Nigmatulin, has worked for many years on multiphase flow and its relationship to combustion, detonation, solid phase transition and boiling heat transfer. The theme of the book is how transient waves, and in particular shock waves, behave as they pass through a medium. In these two volumes of 507 and 371 pages, respectively, an enormous amount of material is presented in a very clear way. The author gives very detailed derivations thereby making the arguments much easier to follow than is usual in such an advanced text. In this respect, it is useful to list the chapter headings Vol. I: Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Chapter 5: Vol.II Chapter 6: Chapter 7: Chapter 8:
Equation of mechanics of heterogeneous continuous media. Mechanics of processes near dispersed particles, drops and bubbles. Wave dynamics of shocks and detonations in condensed media with phase transitions. Dynamics of two-velocity flows of disperse media (gas-particle suspensions) Gas and wave dynamics of combustion and detonation of gas-particle suspensions and powders. Wave dynamics of bubbly liquids. Hydrodynamics and thermophysics of stationary one-dimensional gas-liquid and vapour-liquid flows in channels. Theory of inertia-free and percolation flows of heterogeneous media.
There are also some useful appendices on thermophysical properties of selected gases and liquids as well as a selection of references to the Soviet literature. In fact, as far as I could tell there is not one reference to a source outside the Soviet Union! Moreover, the reference citations are not very informative and I think it might be difficult to obtain many of the references cited. The comprehensive nature of this monograph emphasises the great range of expertise and the diversity of interests of the author. There is, for example, a very detailed treatment of energy, mass and momentum exchange in multiphases mixtures with application to shock hardening of metals, combusion of fuel droplets, critical flow, tertiary oil recovery and detonation of powders. There is also adequate coverage of the experimental and numerical aspects of the subject. The book is extremely well translated and the author and translator have appealing styles. This is clearly a delightful book for the afficionado and a valuable book for the person who wishes to approach the subject. It is not cheap. Volume I costs £161.00 and volume II £125.00. One would have to be very dedicated to actually buy these books from one's own pocket, but they should be purchased by University and Research Libraries as a matter of urgency. M.M.R. Williams Emeritus Professor, University of London 425