Thomas Rice

Contact Information: 

Email:  ricet@rpi.edu

Cell Phone:  (518) 878–0483

www.linkedin.com/in/thomastrice

Education: 

Received:  Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, August 2019

Received: M. Eng. in Mechanical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, May 2016

Received:  B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University, May 2014

Joined CeFPaC: 
2014
CeFPaC Experience: 

Experimental fluid dynamicist and PhD student. Investigating the use of active flow control on rotational systems to reduce fatigue caused by dynamic stall and reverse flow. Among the first groups to experimentally test, measure, and validate the use of synthetic jets on a wind turbine in a closed loop field test setting. Significant wind tunnel testing experience using PIV, load, surface pressure measurements, and various flow visualization techniques. In depth analysis of fluid physics of flow separation, interaction of synthetic jets with separated flowfields, fluid-structure interaction, and deformable airfoil surfaces in reverse flow. Showed 50% drag reduction during reverse flow conditions on helicopter blades. Additional experience wind tunnel testing on a vertical tail model to improve rudder performance on commercial aircraft.

Selected Publications: 
  • Jacobellis, G., Gandhi, F., Rice, T., and Amitay, M., “Computational and Experimental Investigation of Camber Morphing Airfoils for Reverse Flow Drag Reduction on High-Speed Rotorcraft,” Journal of the American Helicopter Society, (in press).

  • Rice, T., and Amitay, M., “Forced Flow Reattachment Process and the Effect of Pressure Gradient,” AIAA Journal, vol. 57, no. 7, pp. 2795–2807, 2019.

  • Gartner, J., Rice, T., and Amitay, M. (2019), “Mitigation of massively separated flow in a three-dimensional diffuser,” Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow, vol. 76, pp. 242–258.

  • Rice, T., Taylor, K., & Amitay, M. (2018). "Wind Tunnel Quantification of Dynamic Stall on an S817 Airfoil and its Control Using Synthetic Jet Actuators", Wind Energy. DOI:10.1002/we.2266.

  • Rice, T., Taylor, K., & Amitay, M. (2018). "Quantification of the S817 airfoil aerodynamic properties and their control using synthetic jet actuators", Wind Energy. DOI: 10.1002/we.2197.

  • Rice, T., & Amitay, M. (2018). "The Effect of Angle of Attack on the Formation and Evolution of the Flow Associated with a Synthetic Jet Actuator", In 9th Flow Control Conference, AIAA Aviation. Atlanta, GA.

  • Jacobellis G, Gandhi F, Rice TT, Amitay M. "Computational and Experimental Investigation of Camber Morphing Airfoils for Reverse Flow Drag Reduction on High-Speed Rotorcraft", In: AHS 74th Annual Forum. Phoenix, AZ; 2018:1-15.

  • Rice, T., Taylor, K., Amitay, M., "Wind Tunnel and Field Test Results on Reducing Load Oscillations on Wind Turbine Blades using Synthetic Jets," 35th Wind Energy Symposium, AIAA Sci-Tech, Vol. 2017-1378, January 2017.

  • Rice, T., Cummings, R., Clingman, D.J., Sahni, O., and Amitay, M., "Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Satic and Dynamice Vortex Generators on an Airfoil with a Deflected Flap, " 8th AIAA Flow Control Conference Proceedings, AIAA Aviation, Vol. 2016-4087, June 2016.

  • Rice, T., King, J., and Green, M.A.,. "Three Dimensional Unsteady Wake of a Trapezoidal Pitching Panel," 53rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Proceedings, AIAA SciTech, 2015-1298, January 2015.

Presentations:

  • Rice, T., Taylor, K., Amitay, M., "Synthetic-jet Based Dynamic Stall Control on a Scaled Finite Span Wind Turbine S817 Blade," 69th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Portland, OR, November 2016.

  • Rice, T., Taylor, K., Amitay, M., "Experimental and Field Test Results of Load Reduction on a Wind Turbine Blade using Synthetic Jets," TIM, April 2016.

  • Rice, T., Bychkova, V., Taylor, K., Clingman, D.J., Amitay, M., "Field Test Results from a 10kW Wind Turbine with Acitve Active Flow Control," APS 68th Annual Meeting of the Division of Fluid Dynamics, Boston, MA,  November 2015.