Thermal-Fluids Laboratory
The Thermal-Fluids Laboratory is a modern research and
instructional facility that emphasizes the design of experiment and report
writing skills.
Lab exercises are conducted in:
- Fluid mechanics
- Heat transfer
- Thermodynamics
Senior-level Mechanical Engineering students use
state-of-the-art computerized data acquisition equipment to perform experiments.
Typical experiments include measurement of fluid dynamic drag, measurement of
power output and efficiency from a Pelton turbine, and measurement of the
forced convection heat transfer coefficient.
Recent research projects that have been conducted in the
facility include experimental testing of the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Notar
(no tail rotor) concept, flow visualization through cascades of turbine blades,
design of flow vanes for use in an exhaust stack at the APS Cholla power plant,
and more.
This lab’s facilities consist
of:
- Dell Pentium computers with Data
Translation data acquisition cards. Data acquisition programs can be
easily written to monitor experiments using LabView software. The
computers are linked with the college network and have access to a variety
of data analysis tools.
- Wind tunnel, with a 12”x12”x24” test section, capable of variable flow velocities from 10 mph to 145+ mph.
- Fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and
thermodynamics equipment.