Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Commons^™

Team Safe Skies: Project Talon Interceptor, Cole Carlson, Peter Dinh, Sebastian Gomez, Alex Widner

Senior Design Project For Engineers

This report aims to lay out our design process for the missile interceptor aircraft. Our Talon Interceptor is an inexpensive, scaled-down, autonomous F-16 for mass production. The aircraft can ascend quickly for mission requirements while avoiding detection with its internal weapons bay. Multiple decisions have been made to ensure the initial and maintenance costs are reasonable without compromising the missions. TOPSIS reviews have been used to measure significant components unbiasedly and objectively. Our aircraft meets all the AIAA requirements while coming in under budget.

G.W.A.I.H.I.R. Guided Wing Aircraft For Intelligent Hybrid Insertion And Recovery, Abdirahman Ahmed Shirwa, Zach Richards, Derek Harwood, Alex Duncan

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The paper outlines the conceptual and preliminary design of a hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) heavy lift unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for autonomous cargo transport missions. The primary design objective was to create an aircraft capable of carrying a 15 kg payload over a range of 33 km, achieving a top cruise speed of 45 km/h and maintaining an endurance capacity of at least 90 minutes.

A comprehensive literature review informed key design decision, including airfoil selection, structural material, propulsion system configuration, and control. Key requirements were established early in the design process, such as payload capacity, energy efficiency, …

Owlsat, David Amaya, Grant Keuhne

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The OwlSat project, conducted by senior aerospace engineering students at Kennesaw State University, represents the university’s inaugural entry into the 2025 CanSat Competition. The mission objective was to design, build, and validate a CanSat capable of controlled deployment from a rocket, stable descent via an autogyro system, real-time telemetry transmission, and onboard video recording, while meeting strict mechanical, structural, and operational requirements.

A comprehensive design methodology was employed, incorporating trade studies, computational simulations, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and iterative prototyping. Key innovations include a foldable blade autogyro system based on the Selig S1223 airfoil, a robust canister release mechanism, and …

Production And Decay Of Sheared Turbulence In A Turbulence Box, Ankit Gautam

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

• Turbulence
• Irregular flow with eddies, swirls, and flow instabilities

Simulating Low Gravity Particle Dynamics, Ryan Lewis

Student Research Symposium

• Vibrating motors prevent particle arches from forming and clogging nozzle.
• A metal mesh under the nozzle creates an evenly dispersed stream.
• Nozzle is static dissipative to ensure particles have consistent path through the charging section.

Wind-Resilient Solar: Harnessing Cfd For Enhanced Load Estimation, Aly Mousaad Aly

Faculty Publications

Solar panels are a cornerstone of renewable energy infrastructure, playing a pivotal role in global sustainability efforts. To ensure their resilience and long-term viability, accurate wind load estimations are essential for designing supporting structures, which account for nearly 50% of their total cost. However, traditional building codes lack comprehensive guidance for solar panels, resulting in inconsistent estimations due to discrepancies in scaled wall-bounded wind tunnel testing methodologies. These inaccuracies pose safety risks, increase costs, and hinder adoption. Emerging technologies like computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations offer a promising alternative by enabling full-scale analysis under realistic conditions of complete turbulence. This …

Design Of A Two-Point Focused Laser Differential Interferometry System For The Missouri S&T Supersonicwind Tunnel, Joseph Villarreal, Davide Vigano

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

L2 Certification Rocket Launch, Seungyou Cho

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The LOC 835 high-power rocket with J275W-12 motor at Argonia, KS, for L2 certification, was auspiciously launched and returned. J means the motor can exert 640-1280 Ns of impulse, which makes a sizeable propelling sound. Even though four main hindrances occurred from the construction to the launch, the issues were revised correctly. The rail button and the tracker were severe issues, so I devised the method of drilling a hole for the rail button, but there was no way to replace a broken tracker. The wind speed on the launch day was so strong that the rocket flew 1-2 miles …

The Interaction Of A Transient Forward Axial Disturbance Flow With A Rotor, Zhuorui Li

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research presents an in-depth investigation of the aeroacoustic characteristics of a scaled-down Joby Aviation rotor, focusing on its performance under realistic conditions for urban air mobility (UAM). Utilizing a high-fidelity numerical simulation approach that combines Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) and Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) models, the study effectively captures the complex aerodynamic and acoustic interactions inherent in rotor operations. Validation of the numerical framework was achieved through comprehensive comparisons with available experimental data, demonstrating a high level of accuracy in predicting both aerodynamic performance metrics, including thrust and torque, as well as acoustic emissions. The simulation revealed significant impacts resulting …

Aeroacoustics Applications To Jets And Rotors, Michael Marques G.

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Aeroacoustics plays a critical role in the advancement of propulsion technologies for both conventional and emerging aerial systems. This dissertation investigates two key topics: noise suppression in supersonic rectangular jets and rotor noise characterization in hover and ground effect. Using high-fidelity numerical simulations and theoretical analyses, this research aims to develop effective noise mitigation strategies and improve predictive methodologies.

The first part of this study focuses on the reduction of noise in supersonic rectangular jets through active control techniques. A novel approach utilizing unsteady microjet actuation at the nozzle lip is explored to disrupt the formation of large-scale turbulent structures …

Experimental Investigation Of Heat Transfer To Tightly Packed Cylinder Arrays, Cameron M. Sexsmith

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With the increased emphasis on the development of hybrid electric aircraft and other electric driven vehicles, the thermal demand on batteries is increasing. Unique to the aviation sector is the combined need of high battery thermal loads and a light-weight thermal management system. A proposed configuration is an array of batteries directly cooled with a dielectric coolant. The knowledge of heat transfer characteristics of battery cooling is becoming an ever pressing issue due to the need to optimize volume and mass in a safe manner. Tighter spacings between batteries provide higher pack densities, however, at the cost of increased cooling …

Exploring A Novel Adaptive Mesh Refinement Strategy For High-Speed Cfd, Arjun Jaishankar Vedam

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) techniques to efficiently and robustly achieve grid independent solutions on multi-element unstructured grids is a topic of practical interest within the CFD community.

The current effort focuses on the efficiency of a novel Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) strategy that is developed and evaluated for transonic high-speed flows using Ansys Fluent. The algorithm for marking cells for adaptation is designed to systematically reduce local truncation errors based on the curvature of the primitive vector field. The algorithm for marking cells for adaptation is described in sufficient detail to be portable to other flow solvers that offer AMR. …

Enhancing Gas Cyclone Performance With Exit Diffusers, Omar Mohamed Mourad Dwidar, Yasser El-Shaer, Khairy Elsayed, Seyyed Hossein Hosseini, Goodarz Ahmadi

Journal of Engineering Research

This study evaluates seven cyclone designs to enhance pressure drop and collection efficiency (CE), using the conventional cyclone as a baseline. While the conventional design is efficient in particle collection, it experiences significant energy losses due to high values of pressure drops. This study introduces exit diffusers with various configurations—A, B, C, D, E, and F—to improve cyclone performance. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were used to analyse the pressure drop, tangential velocity, and static pressure at different levels of each cyclone. The findings reveal that cyclone D achieves a 41.1% reduction in pressure drop but at the cost …

Insect Wing Flexibility Improves The Aerodynamic Performance Of Small Revolving Wings, Gal Ribak, Ori Stearns, Kiruthika Sundararajan, Duvall Dickerson-Evans, Dana Melamed, Maya Rabinovich, Roi Gurka

Physics and Engineering Science

Insect wings are flexible, elastically deforming under loads experienced during flapping. The adaptive value of this flexibility was tested using a revolving wing set-up. We show that the wing flexibility of the beetle Batocera rufomaculata, suppresses the reduction in lift coefficient that is expected to occur with a reduction of wing size compared to rigid propeller blades. Moreover, the scaling of wing flexibility with size is intra-specifically tuned through changes in wing-vein cross-section, resulting in smaller wings achieving proportionally larger chordwise deformations compared to larger wings, when loaded with aerodynamic forces. These elastic deformations control the separation of flow from …

Physical And Biological Effects On Moths’ Navigation Performance, Yiftach Golov, Roi Gurka, Alexander Liberzon, Ally Harari

Physics and Engineering Science

In a chemosensing system, the local olfactory environment experienced by a foraging organism is defined as an odorscape. Using the nocturnal pink bollworm moth (Pectinophora gossypiella), we tested the combined effect of three biophysical aspects in its immediate odorscape to shed light on the coupling effects of biotic and abiotic factors on navigation performances of a nocturnal forager: i) the quality of the pheromone source, ii) the pheromone availability, and iii) the airflow characteristics. The navigation performance of the males was investigated using a wind tunnel assay equipped with 3D infrared high-speed cameras. The navigation performance of the males was …

The Problem Of Reducing The Wave Resistance Of Blunt Bodies At Supersonic And Hypersonic Velocities, Oleksandr M. Shyiko, Olexii A. Оbukhov

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

A new method for reducing the aerodynamic wave drag of blunt bodies in supersonic and hypersonic flows is considered. The method is based on the destruction of the detached head shock wave by placing a family of thin needle elements of a cone-shaped or cylindrical type on the blunt surface. This qualitatively changes the gas-dynamic flow pattern and leads to a new positive quantitative effect. The bow shock wave breaks up into a series of local interacting shock waves of lower intensity, which leads to a decrease in the wave drag of the streamlined body. Variants of hemispherical blunting of …

Turbulent Structures In Coupled Wind-Wave Flows, Cerrina Mouchref

Dissertations and Theses

The interactions between wind and waves in offshore environments are complex and have yet to be fully understood. Analyzing these interactions is motivated by an increased interest in climate modeling and the deployment of offshore construction, such as offshore wind farms. In this study, experiments are performed in a wind tunnel using particle image velocimetry (PIV) to analyze wind-wave interactions over various wave and wind speeds. The addition of the wave, a moving boundary, leads to the use of Reynolds triple decomposition in order to separate the turbulent and wave-phase coherent fluctuations. A curvilinear coordinate system was used to analyze …

Design Strategy For Hybrid Thrust Air Bearings: Comparative Analysis Of Rigid Vs. Foil Bearings Considering Optimum Taper Angle And Orifice Location With Experimental Validation, Ehiremen Ebewele

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Gas foil thrust bearings (GFTBs) are contactless bearings that offer advantages such as lightweight construction and the ability to accommodate misalignments and geometric irregularities. However, their load capacity is lower than rigid or magnetic bearings. The structure and geometry of the foil significantly influence GFTB performance. The taper-flat design is the most used configuration due to its effectiveness and ease of implementation. Key parameters in designing this geometry include taper ratio, taper height, orifice size, and orifice location. These parameters must be optimized alongside manufacturing constraints to produce an effective GFTB. This study presents a design optimization investigation of various …

Computational Study Of Detonation Wave Propagation And Propellant Injection In Detonation Engines, Jayson C. Small

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This research investigates the physics of detonation waves and their application to detonation engines, with two primary objectives: (1) to characterize detonation wave propagation, specifically detonation speed and wavefront thickness, in stoichiometric propane-oxygen mixtures near quenching conditions, and (2) to examine the physiochemical processes during propellant injection under detonation engine conditions, focusing on flush-wall-mounted, fluidic-valve injectors.

A multi-fidelity computational approach was employed. Reduced-order modeling based on the Chapman–Jouguet and Zeldovich–von Neumann–Doring models were used to evaluate detonation parameters and select an appropriate chemical mechanism. High-fidelity, multi-dimensional simulations solved the unsteady, compressible, reacting flows with finite-rate chemistry, using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations …

Design And Testing Of An Intrusive Arm For Supersonic Flow Sampling, Caleb Roberts, Davide Viganò

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Intrusive probes are critical tools in supersonic wind tunnel testing, enabling direct measurement of flow properties such as pressure and heat flux. To support these measurements, a single-axis intrusive arm was designed and implemented in the Missouri S&T Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The system is designed to maintains precise probe positioning, while withstanding the aerodynamic loads, and preserving a dynamic seal between the test section and ambient environment. Its modular design accommodates a range of probe types for various research applications. This paper presents the design methodology, including structural, mechanical, and aerodynamic considerations, and details the integration process. System performance was …

Dynamic Stability Test Technique For Blunt Bodies In A Magnetic Suspension And Balance System, Caleb Hull, Colin Britcher, Dave E. Cox, Mark Schoenenberger, Hisham M. Shehata

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Techniques for the measurement of subsonic dynamic stability derivatives of blunt-body re-entry capsules are being developed using a Magnetic Suspension and Balance System at NASA Langley Research Center. The measured aerodynamics of a 45-degree sphere-cone similar to configurations being considered for Mars Sample Return Earth Entry Vehicle are reported. A novel test method has been developed where forced oscillatory translation of a test article is used to excite yaw attitude oscillations. The forced motion is then halted to observe free-to-oscillate behavior of the test article. Parameter identification methods are used to extract static and dynamic yawing moment stability characteristics from …

Versatile Injector Platform: A Modular Design For Supersonic Flow Research, Connor Bell, Davide Viganò

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Fuel–air mixing remains a critical challenge in the development of high-speed air-breathing propulsion due to the extremely short residence times in supersonic combustors. Experimental studies are essential to investigate the underlying mixing mechanisms, but they require injection systems that can deliver repeatable and controlled flow conditions. In this work, we present the design of a modular strut-type injection platform developed for the Missouri S&T Supersonic Wind Tunnel. In its initial configuration, the platform features a planar trailing-edge slit to generate a two-dimensional jet and includes interchangeable trailing-edge modules to support a wide range of geometries and flow-control strategies. Designed with …

Numerical Investigation Of Wind Disturbance Around A Multirotor Uav In Crosswind And Vertical Flight, Garrison Page

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly utilized in a wide range of research applications, especially in meteorology. This is due to such factors as their ease of use, maneuverability compared to other forms of data collection, and for rotor- craft, the ability to hover. However, the rotorwash generated by UAVs can introduce significant disturbances, potentially affecting measurement accuracy from sensors. While several studies have investigated the rotorwash of individual UAVs utilizing Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), there is limited exploration into how different rotor configurations and external wind conditions influence regions of turbulent flow around …

Development Of An Immersed Boundary Method-Wall Modeled Large Eddy Simulation Approach For Incompressible Flows And Aeroacoustic Predictions, John C. Higgins

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

The performance capabilities of rotorcraft have improved significantly in the past decade as both manned and unmanned rotorcraft become a larger part of future transportation systems. Private companies as well as various government offices have worked to develop capabilities ranging from transportation/package delivery to intelligence/surveillance to livestock monitoring. Their practicality in both rural and urban areas, however, is questionable due to the significant tonal and broadband noise which is produced by the rotors. Public acceptance of rotorcraft, namely small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (sUAVs), in transportation systems is an issue largely associated with the noise generation and it's effect on nearby …

Direct Numerical Simulation Of Pulsating Flow In Curved Pipes: Insights Into Aortic Dissection In Humans, Gokul Anugrah Gopakumar

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

This dissertation investigates the hemodynamics of pulsating blood flow in curved vessels through direct numerical simulations (DNS), with the overarching aim of uncovering fluid dynamic mechanisms linked to the onset and progression of aortic dissection in humans. The work is structured in two parts: (i) fundamental studies in idealized geometries and (ii) preliminary investigations in patient-specific anatomies. In the first part, curved pipe models representing the aortic arch are used to isolate the effects of pulsation frequency, amplitude ratio, and curvature ratio on transitional and turbulent flow dynamics. The simulations reveal that curvature-driven centrifugal forces shift the peak velocity toward …

High-Altitude Balloon-Launched Uncrewed Aircraft System Measurements Of Atmospheric Turbulence And Qualitative Comparison With Infrasound Microphone Response, Anisa Haghighi

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

This study explores the use of a balloon-launched uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to measure atmospheric turbulence in the troposphere and lower stratosphere using both wind velocity measurements and infrasonic acoustic energy. The UAS, a glider configured for autonomous descent along a predefined trajectory, had on board, in situ sensors to capture thermodynamic and kinematic atmospheric parameters. Additionally, it carried an infrasonic microphone to evaluate its potential for remotely detecting clear-air turbulence by capturing infrasonic waves. The system’s performance was assessed over the course of three test flights conducted in New Mexico, USA, in 2021. The descent enabled high-resolution profiling, with …

Kentucky Re-Entry Universal Payload System (Krups): Second Atmospheric Re-Entry Flight, Kirsten F. Ford

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Kentucky Re-entry Universal Payload System (KRUPS) is a small-scale re-entry capsule developed at the University of Kentucky. The KRUPS project began in 2013 with the aspiration of providing an affordable and repeatable method of collecting data on the re-entry environment. Numerically-based methods used to model re-entry require experimental data to validate their predictions. However, re-entry data is not easily obtained. Flight tests of re-entry vehicles require extensive time and resources, including a substantial financial burden. Alternatively, ground testing is not able to accurately and completely replicate the complex re-entry environment. Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive and accessible …

Damping Modulation Of Dampened Kapton Surfaces, Sebastian Esteban

Honors Undergraduate Theses

When droplets are vibrated or disturbed, they can exhibit a complex sloshing motion, an understudied behavior in drop physics. Droplet sloshing involves a complex combination of transverse and longitudinal motion that changes the droplet's effective weight on the surface the droplet is on. Our current understanding stems from preliminary work focusing on a cantilever beam of fixed thickness and variable viscosity of the liquid being sloshed. This investigation will focus on how variable cantilever thickness and constant viscosity for a liquid being sloshed affects the beam's deflection under consistent vibration. It will also investigate how the natural frequency of a …

Drag Reduction In Ground Vehicles Using A Model Porous Medium, Abdullah Ikram Nabi

Master’s Theses

This research investigates aerodynamic drag reduction on a 25° Slanted Ahmed Body (SAB) by integrating porous media model rods through combined experimental and computational methods at a Reynolds number of 1.16×10⁴. Two porous media configurations: short rods (6.75% of the model height) and long rods (20.0% of the model height), both featuring cylindrical rods with 80% porosity, were systematically compared against a baseline SAB. In-depth analyses were performed to investigate the wake flow topology, recirculation region characteristics, pressure coefficient distribution, Reynolds stress distributions and drag coefficient. Experimental investigations employed particle image velocimetry for precise flow visualization, while Reynold Averaged Navier-Stokes …

Influence Of Actuated Air Brakes On The Apogee Of Sub-Orbital Rockets, Michael L. Farha

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Collegiate engineering competitions have played a foundational role in the educational outcomes of university students for as long as they have existed. Among these competitions is the Spaceport America Cup, which challenges students to design, build, and launch high-power rockets with the incentive to fly as close as possible to a pre-established target apogee. Many teams competing in this competition have chosen to approach the challenge by incorporating deployable air brakes into their rocket designs. This approach comes with many uncertainties, both in controls and aerodynamics. For teams just starting out, aerodynamic performance is often one of the most challenging …