NSF Award
1919570
Particle image velocimetry is a laser-based diagnostic technique used for non-intrusive flow velocity measurements. The acquisition of this instrument will enable interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research in biological, environmental, and engineering applications. The topics to be investigated span from turbulent flow over rough surfaces to blood flow within a heart. The findings of this research will aid in improving environmental protection and restoration efforts, reducing drag and increasing efficiency of flows across a surface, and determining the causes of congenital heart disorders. The state-of-the-art instrumentation will strengthen undergraduate research training, teaching, and outreach efforts at Union College. The research projects aided by this instrument will provide engaging research experiences for undergraduate students who will work alongside faculty. The use of this equipment also will be incorporated into the curriculum through demonstrations, laboratory experiments, and projects in science, mathematics, and engineering courses. Through outreach activities, the project researchers will spark the interest of underrepresented and economically disadvantaged middle and high school students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. <br/><br/>Measurement of all three velocity components at high speeds throughout a volume will enable innovative research that will 1) investigate turbulent boundary layer perturbation by roughness elements arranged in tandem to understand the effects of sheltering and the modification to coherent structures; 2) characterize the turbulent flow over heterogeneous canopies resembling aquatic vegetation to highlight the effects of regional heterogeneities; 3) examine the flow over aerogel-based super-hydrophobic surfaces, which have potential to reduce drag without the need for complex fabrication approaches; 4) characterize the blood flow within the embryonic chick heart during its early formation stages to better understand the valve-less pumping mechanisms; 5) inspect the structure of convective flows within bryophyte shoot systems, which are suspected but have yet to be confirmed or quantified; and 6) determine the mechanisms of transition to turbulence induced by distributed roughness and describe the interaction of generated disturbances, which is necessary for designing roughness to mitigate transition.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
