MRI: Acquisition of an Advanced Three-dimensional Flow Measurement System

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This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a state-of-the-art three-dimensional flow measurement system to enhance Purdue Northwest's capacity to conduct fundamental research and foster multidisciplinary research collaborations, including those with regional industries. The award will give faculty and more than 50 undergraduate and graduate students-- particularly female and first-generation university students-- access to state-of-the art instrumentation. The research will provide new knowledge leading to advances in renewable energy, regenerative medicine and the development of micro air vehicles.The instrumentation will serve as a catalyst for fundamental research on complex flows. Flow phenomena are fundamental to a range of important multidisciplinary research problems including turbulence, bio-fluid mechanics, and wind energy. These phenomena are naturally three-dimensional with complexities that previous flow measurement techniques, such as digital PIV, were unable to resolve. The instrumentation's particle tracking capabilities allow complex three-dimensional flow to be measured and characterized with high spatial resolution and accuracy. This will enable the researchers to gain a new understanding of three-dimensional fundamental flow physics, such as the lift generation/augmentation mechanisms in flapping flight.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.