Flow Visualization

FSAE Competiton Vehicle Intake

The goal of this project is to visualize the airflow through the intake plenum I designed on the CU Boulder FSAE racing team vehicle. This project showed be potential points of vorticity and trapped flow in the intake system, and demonstrated some interesting flow phenomenon such as Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities exiting in the backflow of the intake runners

In “Ebb & Flow” I utilized a smoke machine to create visible particles and emulated the oscillating flow of air through a vehicle's intake system. The model used is an exact cross section of the vehicle on the car.

In “Velocity Stacks” the principals of the visualization are much the same, however it used a generic prototype geometry and dry ice fog to visualize the flow.

In the future I want to recreate the Ebb and Flow experiment but with dry ice fog, as it has better texture and visibility which helps convey the exact phenomenon of the system to the viewer.

Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Iced Latte

This project, an extension of the Get Wet experiment, captures the intricate flow of decaying foam in coffee. The experiment aimed to achieve a higher resolution visualization to better understand the phenomenon. Utilizing a mix of frothed milk, creamer, and espresso, the experiment focuses on the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability within a low Reynolds number flow.

Key findings:

  • The density of the creamer (1.15 g/ml) and espresso (1.19 g/ml) were determined from literature, while the density of whole milk (1.03 g/ml) was derived from NIH data.

  • The decaying foam, primarily composed of creamer, presents long tendrils due to the low Reynolds number, confirming a smooth Rayleigh-Taylor Instability.

The visualization was enhanced through meticulous control of lighting, camera settings, and background to isolate the flow, capturing it in stunning detail. The video was recorded at 7680x4320 resolution at 30 frames per second, utilizing a Samsung S24+.

The project underscores the importance of precise control and high-resolution imaging in capturing fluid dynamics, providing a deeper understanding of the underlying physical phenomena.

Cloud Visualization and Analysis

On October 30, 2024, I captured and analyzed cloud formations during an early morning flight over Scituate, Massachusetts. The primary focus was on the nimbostratus clouds, seen prominently in the lower portion of the image, with faint altostratus clouds appearing above them. This report delves into the atmospheric conditions that led to the formation of these clouds. The flight provided a unique opportunity to photograph the clouds from an elevation of 5000 meters just before dawn. The stable atmospheric conditions and weather data, including temperature and pressure changes, were also examined. The photograph, taken with a Samsung S24+ smartphone, showcases the ethereal beauty of the cloud formations with a gentle purple tint and pastel oranges in the background.

On September 24th, 2024, I documented cloud formations in front of the setting sun in Boulder, Colorado. This report explores the atmospheric conditions that led to the formation of altostratus clouds and smaller cumulus humilis clouds. The photograph, taken just before 7 PM MST, captures the vibrant colors of the clouds during the late afternoon. The image showcases altostratus clouds in the upper portion and smaller cumulus humilis clouds at the bottom, framed by the skyline of buildings. The stable atmospheric conditions, temperature inversion, and cloud heights were analyzed using various meteorological data. The photograph was taken with a Samsung S24+ smartphone, and post-processing techniques were applied to enhance the visual appeal of the image.