Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons^™

Development Of A Hypersonic Aerodynamic Analysis Methodology For Conceptual Design, Stephen Atkins

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses

This research promotes the advancement of the Aerospace Vehicle Design Synthesis (AVDS) system through the development of a low order numerical hypersonic aerodynamic analysis methodology. The AVDS methodology outlines how to utilize disciplinary tools and relies on the careful selection or development of those tools to carry out the aerospace vehicle sizing and evaluation processes. An overview of the aerodynamic analysis process from both industrial and academic perspectives is presented to provide context for the present work. The different philosophies of design are discussed insofar as they dictate how aerodynamic tools are used in the design process. Next, a literature …

Effects Of Hydrogen Enrichment And Premixing On Flame Stability In A High-Pressure Axial-Stage Combustor, Alexandre Fernandes C. Santiago Filho

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The addition of hydrogen to conventional fuels enhances reactivity and can increase the risk of flashback in premixed gas turbine combustors. This study investigates the effects of premixing length and hydrogen concentration on flame stability in a high-pressure axial-stage combustor. Experiments were conducted at the UCF Propulsion and Energy Research Laboratory using a two-stage configuration, where the primary stage provided a high-temperature vitiated crossflow using a hydrogen-piloted, premixed methane–air mixture, and hydrogen-enriched methane–air mixtures were injected through a concentric fuel-tube injector in the axial stage. Premixing length was varied for pure hydrogen flames, and hydrogen concentration was varied at a …

Investigation Of The Impact Of The Shape Of The Wings On Formula E Racing Car Performance: Enhancements For Optimal Aerodynamics, Ednie Marthe Adlaikah Jozil

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The aerodynamic performance of a Formula E chassis significantly dictates its overall race efficiency, directly impacting crucial parameters such as battery range and thermal management. This thesis investigates the external aerodynamics of the baseline Gen 2 Formula E car and evaluates the performance gains of two novel aerodynamic packages: a "Fully Modified" configuration and a "Flat Rear Wing" design. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze drag coefficients (Cd), downforce generation, and vehicle wake structures at race-relevant free-stream velocities (e.g., 37 m/s and 89 m/s). To ensure numerical robustness, the computational setup was validated using a smooth sphere …

Modeling Hepa Filter Media Performance And Evaluation Of Filtration Leak Test Success, Daniel M. Abraham, Steven J. Eckels, Shahin N. Amiri

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This research presents a cost-effective microscale modeling analysis of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter media. We analyzed leak-free and leaking media with known leak sizes. A three-dimensional fibrous model with non-homogeneous fiber diameters (0.2–2 µm) and a packing density of 7.5% was developed to replicate a HEPA filter sheet (H14) microstructure. The objective was to simulate and analyze the pressure drop and collection efficiency of nanofibrous media for aerosol particles with a diameter of d_p ≤ 0.5 µm. The results were compared to prior experimental and theoretical models, exhibiting a high level of agreement with pressure drop and efficiency …

Influence Of The Sst K-Ω Stress-Limiter Coefficient On Transonic Shock Buffet Prediction For The Oat15a Supercritical Airfoil, Melinawo Vowotor

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Transonic shock buffet predictions using the Shear Stress Transport (SST) k–ω turbulence model are known to be sensitive to the stress-limiter coefficient a₁, yet no systematic investigation of this sensitivity exists. This thesis presents a parametric study of a₁ for two-dimensional URANS simulation of shock buffet on the OAT15A supercritical airfoil at M = 0.73 and Re = 3 × 10⁶. Eleven a₁ values (0.25–0.37) are examined at α = 3.5°, and a matrix of five a₁ values across five angles of attack (3.0°–3.9°) maps the interaction with incidence. The results reveal that a₁ acts as a bifurcation parameter: a …

Flow Field Characterization Of The Hyperreact Vitiated Hypersonic Wind Tunnel, Erik R. Fernandez

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Reliable interpretation of hypersonic ground-test data requires knowledge of the thermochemical state delivered to the test section, especially in combustion-heated facilities where the gas is chemically altered before nozzle expansion. This thesis investigates the HyperReact vitiated hypersonic wind tunnel using the effective specific-heat ratio, γeff, as an experimentally inferred indicator of the coupled chemical and gas-dynamic behavior of hydrogen-air vitiated flow. HyperReact produces high stagnation temperatures through hydrogen-air combustion before expanding the mixture through interchangeable converging-diverging nozzles. During this expansion, temperature-dependent specific heats, molecular-weight changes, finite-rate chemistry, and internal energy relaxation can modify the relationship between Mach number, pressure ratio, …

Tomo-Piv Study Of Baseline Flow Structures Behind A Strut Injector, Josiah Mcdermott, Connor Bell, Davide Viganò

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Stabilizing combustion in scramjet engines is a formidable challenge due to the small-time scales afforded for air-fuel mixing. Numerous studies in this area have demonstrated the potential of strut-style platforms for fuel injection and mixing enhancement, which remains an active area of research. In the Aerodynamics Research Laboratory at Missouri S&T, a strut-style injector system has recently been installed. In this study, we characterize the baseline flow structures behind this platform absent fuel injection. The wake generated by a strut itself has an appreciable impact on the resulting air-fuel mixing, which motivates its characterization. In future studies, this characterization will …

Supersonic Wind Tunnel Free Stream Turbulence Characterization Using 2-Point Focused Laser Differential Interferometry, Joseph Villarreal, Joshua Gary, Davide Vigano

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Non-intrusive laser-based diagnostics, such as Two-Point Focused Laser Differential Interfer-ometry (2-FLDI), play a crucial role in modern aerodynamic research by enabling simultaneous measurements of density and velocity in compressible flows. A 2-FLDI system has been developed and implemented for the Missouri S&T Supersonic Wind Tunnel to characterize free stream turbulence fluctuations and free stream convective velocity. Design choices that enabled the 2-FLDI to overcome low turbulence to measure free stream velocity are detailed. The free stream velocity measurements are validated against previous particle image velocimetry data, showing good agreement. Analysis of normalized velocities and density-based turbulence intensities found that the …

Design, Construction, And Initial Testing Of A Oxy-Acetylene Testing Facility, Blake Bowman, Davide Viganò

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) are critical for atmospheric re-entry and hypersonic flight vehicles, yet ground-based evaluation of TPS materials remains challenging due to the cost, complexity, and limited availability of large arc-jet and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) facilities. Oxy-acetylene testing provides a low-cost and accessible alternative for preliminary material screening, sensor development, and fundamental studies of material response under high heat-flux conditions. This paper presents the design, construction, and initial validation of the High-Enthalpy Acetylene Testing (HEAT) facility at Missouri University of Science and Technology. The facility incorporates a modular experimental architecture, independently controlled oxygen and acetylene mass-flow systems, and …

Turbine Exhaust Cylinder And Manifold Wake Interactions At High Swirl Angle, Christian A. Anzalotta

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

A commonly observed flow interaction in industrial gas turbine (IGT) exhaust diffuser configurations is investigated, where upstream structural wakes interact with downstream airfoil-like components, potentially leading to unsteady loading. To better understand the mechanisms contributing to this behavior, a scale-model is designed. Dynamic similarity is achieved by matching the Strouhal number (St) of the vortex shedding from the strut. A bell-mouth followed by a swirler is installed in front of the strut to mimic the flow angles at the inlet section of the turbine exhaust. Experiments are conducted for three swirl angles, namely, 30°, 45°, and 60°. Power spectra computed …

Cylinder Wake Stability Effects Of Passive Forebody Modification And Active Harmonic Actuation, Matt Duran

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

This dissertation investigates the manipulation of global and three-dimensional instabilities in the wake of a circular cylinder through two separate flow control methods. This study first focuses on the influence of attached leading edge forebodies as a form of passive flow control designed to introduce upstream streamline curvature, where the curvature takes the form of a concave and convex case. We demonstrate that for both cases this induced curvature significantly modifies the primary instability, which suppresses periodic vortex shedding (Von Kármán vortex street). We found an increase in critical Reynolds number of 56.6 and 60.1 for the concave and convex …

Experimental And Computational Characterization Of A Rotorcraft-Tiltrotor Model Using Morphing Wings For Whirl Flutter Instability, Darrell Nieves Lugo

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Tiltrotor rotorcraft configurations combine the capabilities of vertical and forward flight, offering a crucial and advantageous design for maximizing the operational flight envelope. This versatility enables broad adaptability across numerous designs and platforms, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), micro-air vehicles (MAVs), and vertical take-off and landing (VTOLs) aircraft. However, propeller-based aircraft are susceptible to an aeroelastic instability at high flight speeds known as whirl flutter. This instability phenomena is a crucial research task and problem to investigate, as with advances in manufacturing and vehicle designs, these can yield new rotorcraft formats capable of advancing the flight envelopes at higher cruise …

Pressure Field Estimation From 2d-Piv Measurements: A Case Study Of Fish Suction-Feeding, Jensine C. Coggin, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Erin E. Hackett, Roi Gurka

Physics and Engineering Science

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) flow measurements are common practice in laboratory settings in a wide variety of fields involving fluid dynamics, including biology, physics, engineering, and medicine. Dynamic fluid pressure is a notoriously difficult property to measure non-intrusively, yet its variation is a driving flow force and critical to model correctly. Techniques have been developed to estimate the pressure from velocity and velocity gradient measurements. Here, we highlight a novel application of boundary conditions when applying such pressure estimation techniques based on two-dimensional PIV data; the novel method is especially relevant to problems with complex boundary conditions. As such, it …

Wind Tunnel Instrumentation And Testing, Nicholas Marek, Abraham Mezera, Laura Jin, Hayden Smith, Curtis Cook

Student Scholar Symposium

The Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering was contacted by an automotive engineering firm seeking to use the college’s wind tunnel for gathering data on the aerodynamic performance of a proprietary prototype automotive door. Specifically, the client requested the quantification of the drag coefficient of the model at extreme wind speeds. The drag coefficient, a dimensionless number that quantifies the resistance of a specific geometric shape to airflow, will be a valuable datapoint for the client’s design iteration. Due to the sensitive nature of their work, the client has wished to remain anonymous. RBJCOE professors tasked a senior design team …

Performance Of Adaptive Wingtips On A Tailless Supersonic Business Jet, Khushi Piparava

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

The growing interest in supersonic business travel has renewed focus on efficient, low-drag configurations that can achieve high performance while maintaining stability and structural integrity. This research investigates the aerodynamic and structural implications of adaptive folding wingtips on a tailless supersonic business jet (SBJ) concept designed under the SkyBreaker senior design program. Using a conceptual aerodynamic model based on linearized supersonic theory, the Polhamus leading-edge suction analogy, and an empirical compression-lift correlation, the study evaluates how varying wingtip droop angles influence lift, drag, lift-to-drag ratio (L/D), and static stability. The analysis was performed parametrically in MATLAB, using geometry inputs derived …

Thermal Management With Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Under Extreme Applications, Devon Hardy

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A unique challenge in thermal system design is minimizing the power required to operate cooling systems while maintaining effective heat removal. Traditional cooling systems utilize single-phase fluids where the heat transfer mechanisms are well understood. To meet a variety of cooling demands, a range of technologies are available, including microchannel forced convection, jet impingement, porous media, nanofluids, pin fin arrays, and film cooling, each offering distinct advantages and limitations. While the performance of single- or two-phase cooling systems are generally predictable, in extreme thermal environments, new cooling solutions are needed to improve overall system efficiency and reliability.

Supercritical fluids, particularly …

Propeller Noise Prediction Of An Urban Air Mobility Vehicle In Urban Environment, Jie Hua

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles operate in complex, unsteady aerodynamic environments where wake interactions, gust and turbulence significantly affect both performance and noise generation. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for developing quieter and more efficient eVTOL systems that meet future community noise and certification requirements. This dissertation focuses on the high-fidelity numerical investigation of propeller noise in three representative unsteady loading scenarios: (i) transition (tilt) flight, (ii) edgewise inflow, and (iii) wake–propeller interaction. Each case emphasizes different physical mechanisms that dominate noise generation in UAM operations. Hybrid turbulence-resolving approaches—Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) and Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES)—are coupled with …

Numerical Study On Flow Separation And Performance Characteristics Of Slot Nozzle, Chase Charpentier

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The altitude compensating nozzle (ACN) is a type of rocket nozzle or engine that tries to minimize the negative effects of overexpansion at low altitudes. There are many forms of ACN's but most of them are heavier than traditional bell nozzles, alter the geometry of the nozzle, which requires extensive research into optimizing the new geometry, or require complex systems that can lead to structural, heating, or material problems. Out of the ACN's, the slot nozzle is a passive ACN that builds upon the bell nozzle and requires no additional weight or complex systems.

This slot nozzle is comprised of …

High-Fidelity Modeling Of Evtol Rotor Unsteady Aerodynamic And Aeroacoustic Response To Time-Harmonic Gust, Vadim Voropayev

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The rapid emergence of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) demands accurate prediction and mitigation of noise generated by electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operating in complex urban environments. Among the various noise sources, the aerodynamic and acoustic response of rotors to unsteady inflow represents a major uncertainty in community-noise assessment and certification. This thesis investigates the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic behavior of a representative eVTOL rotor subjected to time-harmonic inflow disturbances, providing a detailed numerical framework to quantify how periodic gusts influence rotor performance, unsteady loading, and sound radiation.

The study employs a three-stage computational methodology using the open-source solver …

Perturbation Solution Of Air-Water Mixture For Jet Noise Reduction, Juan Felipe Uribe Cifuentes

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This work investigates passive jet-noise mitigation using externally positioned air–water curtains that attenuate radiated sound without altering the underlying jet dynamics. Two classes of multiphase media are examined: a gaseous carrier phase containing dispersed liquid droplets, and a liquid carrier phase containing entrained air bubbles. For both systems, suspended and dispersed regimes are represented through a generalized perturbation formulation derived from the volume-averaged multiphase equations, incorporating finite volume fractions, interphase momentum coupling, and slip between phases. Analytical and numerical solutions demonstrate that acoustic attenuation is primarily governed by dispersed-phase diameter, volume fraction, and excitation frequency, with additional sensitivity to phase-interaction …