Completed Projects

As wind turbines increase in size in order to capture more power, so do much of the adverse natural effects such as wind gusts and atmospheric turbulence. Specifically, one of the largest factors in wind turbine fatigue has been shown to be dynamic stall, a phenomena where the angle of attack seen by the turbine blade passes in and out of its stall angle, resulting in highly fluctuating blade loading. Our goal is to mitigate these loads by using active flow control to make wind turbines last longer.

This research project is to explore the evolution of a synthetic (zero net mass flux) jet and the flow mechanisms of its interaction with a cross flow.

Synthetic jet actuators (SJA) are zero-net-mass-flux devices that produce vortex rings which break down to form a jet, injecting momentum into the surrounding flow field (Fig. 1). Since SJA are self-contained electrically-powered devices, they have considerable weight and infrastructure advantages over other aerodynamic flow control methods, such as conventional steady blowing jets or sweeping jets which require a pressurized air source. In this project, we have derived a semi-empirical model to guide design parameter selection, developed a novel fabrication process for SJAs (Fig.

Savonius-Darrieus combination wind turbines seek to combine the high efficiency of the Darrieus wind turbine with the self-starting characteristics of the Savonius wind turbine.