AE Brown Bag Seminar
Friday, April 24
11:00 a.m. - 1:20 p.m.
Guggenheim 442
Anushka Dharmasanam
Bhargav Nagarajan
Divya Tulluri
Irene Moxley
Tahir Mohamed
Tilak Trivedi
Patrick Sharp
Ayush Kotru
Anushka Dharmasanam
Title:
Modeling and Simulation of Liquid Injection Breakup in Supersonic Flows
Abstract:
This study evaluates secondary droplet breakup by implementing numerical solutions for the O’Rourke (TAB) and Tanner (CTAB) models. A computational framework was developed to solve the governing second-order differential equation, tracking dimensionless deformation within a Lagrangian frame. The methodology involved a parametric sweep across a wide range of Weber and Ohnesorge numbers to characterize droplet deformation and stability. The simulations captured long-term damping and oscillatory behaviors. These results were subsequently compared to the experimental regime boundaries established by Faeth (1995) to analyze the physical transitions between oscillatory and non-oscillatory breakup modes.
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Joseph Oefelein
Bhargav Nagarajan
Title:
Rarefied Flow Modeling and Uniformity Diagnostics for Hall-Effect Thruster Gas Distributors
Abstract:
This research presents a combined computational and experimental study of gas distributor performance in Hall-effect thrusters. Gas distributors play a critical role in regulating propellant delivery, influencing internal pressure distribution, flow uniformity, and overall thruster operation. Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) simulations conducted in SPARTA were used to evaluate distributor geometries and determine whether design conditions for choked flow were achieved. In parallel, a custom diagnostic device was designed, manufactured, and tested to measure static pressure at multiple internal locations within a thruster under cold-flow conditions. Comparison of simulation and experimental results provides insight into distributor behavior and future design improvements.
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Mitchell Walker
Tilak Trivedi
Title:
Preliminary Design of a Sonic Fatigue Facility for Hypersonic Testing
Abstract:
Hypersonic vehicles endure intense acoustic loads produced by turbulent boundary layers and
high-speed exhaust, causing sonic fatigue that can critically damage structural components over
time. Replicating these conditions on the ground is vital for ensuring airframe durability before
flight. This seminar presents the preliminary design of a dedicated sonic fatigue testing facility
capable of generating the high-intensity, broadband acoustic environments characteristic of
hypersonic flight. The design process addresses key challenges including acoustic source
selection, test section sizing, and structural instrumentation. Initial trade studies and design
decisions will be presented, laying the groundwork for a facility that supports next-generation
hypersonic vehicle development.
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Krishan Ahuja
Tahir Mohamed
Title:
BWB Production and Servicing
Abstract:
Fuel is one of the largest costs in commercial aviation and drives the need for a shift from traditional tube-and-wing designs to Blended Wing Body (BWB) composite aircraft. However, the BWB configuration lacks historical maintenance data required for certification. This study proposes using Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) to inform maintenance and accelerate FAA approval. Models were created using Python-based discrete event simulations to evaluate system dynamics, sensor degradation, damage propagation, and detection probabilities. This simulation environment allows OEMs to evaluate tradeoffs between cost, weight, and safety. By providing a decision-making dashboard, this methodology derisks BWB development, ensuring the economic benefits of fuel efficiency are realized without compromising safety.
Faculty Advisor:
Research Engineer Jason Corman
Irene Moxley
Title:
Approaches for Controlling Breathing‑Mode Oscillations in Hall Effect Thrusters
Abstract:
Hall Effect Thruster performance is strongly influenced by low‑frequency discharge voltage oscillations, also known as the “breathing mode,” which is driven by variations in plasma density in the ionization region of the thruster. Although these oscillations are a common phenomenon seen in HET operation, extreme fluctuations can introduce instability in output thrust and in the power‑processing unit. The work discussed here focuses on the impact of harness‑wire inductance on discharge voltage behavior and the use of pulsed‑mode operation to modify or suppress breathing mode oscillations. The presentation summarizes experimental methods and key findings for improving HET stability.
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Mitchell Walker
Divya Tulluri
Title:
Nonlinear Analysis of Tiltrotor Whirl Flutter Test Data
Abstract:
Whirl flutter is a dynamic aeroelasticity instability that aƯects vertical lift configurations such as tiltrotors. This research compares two output-based stability analysis methods, the sliding-window matrix pencil method and recovery rate method, applied to estimate critical damping percentage as a function of strain amplitude for tiltrotor beam (out-ofplane wing bending) and chord (in-plane wing bending) motions. The study reveals how the two nonlinear methods diƯer when processing experimental tiltrotor test data aƯected by noise. Future work will involve applying these methods to torsional motion data and further investigating additional discrepancies between nonlinear whirl flutter analysis methods.
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Cristina Riso
Ayush Kotru
Title:
TBD
Abstract:
TBD
Faculty Advisor:
TBD
Patrick Sharp
Title:
TBD
Abstract:
TBD
Faculty Advisor:
TBD