AE Brown Bag Seminar
Friday, February 16
11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Guggenheim 442
Pizza Served
Noel Carroll
James Jutras
Alec Tubbs
Noel Carroll
Title:
NASA ULI Lean CST Premixer Characterization
Abstract:
The NASA University Leadership Initiative (ULI) is a program that aims to foster interaction between the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and U.S. universities. This program involves challenging universities to partake in cutting edge research sponsored by NASA. At the Ben T. Zinn Combustion Laboratory, a NASA ULI project is investigating the viability of lean combustion practices for supersonic applications. This is accomplished by simulating supersonic combustion conditions through a high pressure, high temperature test chamber that was designed using a novel combustor architecture. A critical part of this design is the student designed premixer, which ensures a lean, premixed flow enters the combustor while allowing for easy adjustment of the premixedness of the reactants. Noel Carroll, under the mentorship of graduate students, is planning an experiment to characterize the validity of this premixer by performing a tabletop experiment which simulates the conditions inside the premixer. This will be done by establishing dynamic similarity between the two systems and performing a digital inline-holography diagnostic.
Advisor:
Professor Adam Steinberg
James Jutras
Title:
Stagnation Temperature Mapping in Swirling Supersonic Flow
Abstract:
Vortex breakdown in swirling supersonic flow presents a novel alternative to existing methodologies for flame stabilization in supersonic flow. Current research on this topic lacks understanding of flow boundary conditions, which inhibits modeling. The aim of this project is to provide accurate thermal boundary conditions for the flow using a thermocouple mounted on a 3-axis translation stage. The results will be useful in expanding knowledge of the flow characteristics and aiding future modeling efforts.
Advisor:
Professor Adam Steinberg
Alec Tubbs
Title:
Design of a Distributed Ground Network for the VISORS CubeSat Mission
Abstract:
VIrtual Super Optics Reconfigurable Swarm (VISORS) is a formation flying CubeSat mission with the science objective of imaging the solar corona in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum. Two satellites flying in extremely close proximity form a segmented telescope with a focal length of 40 meters. One satellite houses the optics (the OSC) and the other houses the detector (the DSC). The DSC and OSC fly in formation with respect to one another with millimeter precision to take unprecedentedly high resolution images of the solar corona. The mission will utilize a network of 4 ground stations owned and operated by distinct institutions spread across the United States. This presentation focuses on the design of this distributed ground network and the development of a Ground Data System (GDS) to facilitate the bidirectional transfer of data between the spacecraft and the Mission Operations Center (MOC) to enable the commanding of the satellite and acquisition of the collected science data.
Advisor:
Professor Glenn Lightsey