Critical Component Repair for a Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry System

申请的资金用于更换现有的高速激光器，该激光器是时间分辨粒子图像测速系统的主要组成部分。该基本系统被申请人大量用于一系列尖端研究应用中的流体速度场测量和流动可视化。该系统依靠高速激光和数字成像来测量平面内的流速。申请人具有积极的研究小组，探索从用于下一代微型飞行器的空气动力学设计的翼型上的层流分离气泡到用于能量收集的具有可变形表面的涡流冲击事件的主题，以最终为分布式环境传感器供电，来理解流体中的信息流结构相互作用问题作为一种新的工具，评估如何土木结构相互作用，在风的环境中，在其他潜在的应用。所有这些研究课题都得到了国家和国际政府以及工业资金的支持，在很大程度上依赖于流体速度场时空演变的详细分辨率，以阐明基础物理学，从而开发出更好的工程解决方案。高速激光器功率的正常寿命周期终了退化已将输出降低到其额定功率输出的25%以下。修理激光器的费用几乎与通过以旧换新办法用新型号更换现有激光器一样昂贵;因此，需要为更换激光器提供资金，因为可能还有其他激光器部件的使用寿命即将结束。当前系统的性能有限，严重阻碍了十五名学生和博士后研究员的培训和进步，因此，如果未能实施所要求的激光替换，将对这些研究生项目的进展产生严重后果。由于激光器预计将在今年年底前无法使用，而且没有替代设备，即使是暂时的，对申请人的研究计划的总体影响也将是毁灭性的。与此同时，维修/更换成本（> 4万美元）远远超过了设备维护的典型运营资金。

The funding requested is for replacement of an existing high-speed laser that serves as a primary component of a time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. This essential system is heavily used by the applicants for fluid velocity field measurements and flow visualization in a range of cutting-edge research applications. The system relies on high speed laser and digital imaging to measure flow velocity in a plane. The applicants have active research groups exploring topics ranging from laminar separation bubbles on airfoils for aerodynamic design of the next generation of micro air vehicles, to vortex impact events with deformable surfaces for energy harvesting to ultimately power distributed environmental sensors, to understanding the information flow in fluid-structure interaction problems as a novel tool for assessing how civil structures interact with one another in a windy environment, amongst other potential applications. All of these research topics, which are supported by national and international government and industrial funding, rely heavily on detailed resolution of the spatial and temporal evolution of the fluid velocity field to elucidate the underlying physics towards developing improved engineering solutions. Normal end-of-life-cycle degradation of the high speed laser power has reduced the output to less than 25% of its rated power output. Repair of the laser is nearly as expensive as replacing the existing laser with a new model through a trade-in option; as such, funding is requested for exchange of the laser, as there are likely other laser components that are nearing the end of their serviceable life. The limited performance of the current system is seriously hampering the training and progress of fifteen students and postdoctoral fellows, so that failure to implement the requested laser replacement will have drastic consequences on the progress of these graduate student projects. With the laser anticipated to become inoperable by the end of this year and no alternative equipment being available, even on a temporary basis, the overall consequences to the applicants’ research programs will be rather devastating. At the same time, the cost of repairs/replacement (>$40k USD) well exceeds typical operating funds available for equipment maintenance.