Book excerpt: The past few decades have brought significant advances in the computational methods and in the experimental techniques used to study transport phenomena in materials processing operations. However, the advances have been made independently and with competition between the two approaches. Mathematical models are easier and less costly to implement, but experiments are essential for verifying theoretical models. In Mathematical and Physical Modeling of Materials Processing Operations, the authors bridge the gap between mathematical modelers and experimentalists. They combine mathematical and physical modeling principles for materials processing operations simulation and use numerous examples to compare theoretical and experimental results. The modeling of transport processes is multi-disciplinary, involving concepts and principles not all of which can be associated with just one field of study. Therefore, the authors have taken care to ensure that the text is self-sustaining through the variety and breadth of topics covered. Beyond the usual topics associated with transport phenomena, the authors also include detailed discussion of numerical methods and implementation of process models, software and hardware selection and application, and representation of auxiliary relationships, including turbulence modeling, chemical kinetics, magnetohydrodynamics, and multi-phase flow. They also provide several correlations for representing the boundary conditions of fluid flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer phenomena. Mathematical and Physical Modeling of Materials Processing Operations is ideal for introducing these tools to materials engineers and researchers. Although the book emphasizes materials, some of the topics will prove interesting and useful to researchers in other fields of chemical and mechanical engineering.