Lawrence Ukeiley, Leader
George Shumway, Ph.D. Student
Roberto Diaz, Ph.D. Student
Parvez Khambatta, M.S. Student
Erik Sallstom, Visiting Research Associate
Adam Hart, Undergraduate Summer Research Associate

The Unsteady Fluid Dynamics Group (UFDG) conducts research on unsteady fluid phenomena and it’s interaction with boundaries.  Specifically our research concentrates on developing models and conducting experiments on the flow motions and the pressures associated with these motions which might push on a solid boundary or eventually be propagated away from the flow as noise.  Research at the REEF by the UFDG ranges from low speed applications such as flexible wing small air vehicles to high speed applications such as weapons bays on supersonic aircraft.       

 Projects that are either ongoing or will be initiated in the near future involve.

 ·        Fundamental Understanding and Control of Flow Over Open Cavities

·        Development of Reduced Order Models of Cavity Flows

·        Control of Cavity Oscillations in the Three-Dimensional “Realistic” Cavity Configurations Through Leading Edge Blowing

·        Identification of Noise Generation Events in Transonic Jets

·        Identification of Unsteady Phenomena Associated with Flow Over Flexible Fixed Wing Configurations

·        Investigation of Unsteady Fluid Phenomena Related to Biologically Inspired Flapping Wings with Specific Interest in Understanding Specific Aerodynamic Configurations

There are currently two laboratories being developed where the UFDG will be conducting research.  These are the Aerodynamic Characterization Laboratory and the REEF Supersonic Flow Facility. 

• REEF Supersonic Flow Facility (Room 184)

  • Blow-Down Facility with 3” test section and Stagnation Pressures up to 200 psi

  • Optical access for use of advanced diagnostic instrumentation including Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Vibrometry

• Aerodynamic Characterization Facility for Low Reynolds #

  • Pilot Wind Tunnel (Room 174)

    • Designed for instrumentation validation and preliminary experiments which will be conducted in the larger facility

  • Open Jet Wind Tunnel (Room 170/179)

    • Approx. 1  meter test section and velocity range of 0.5 – 20 m/s

    • Designed for integration of force and moment measurements with those of wing deformations and the velocity field associated with small air vehicles.