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About Us
The Fluid Dynamics Research Center (FDRC) is a division of the Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace
Engineering Department (MMAE) of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT).
The FDRC was established in 1985 to continue the tradition of research in fluid dynamics begun by the pioneering work of Dr. Mark Morkovin and Dr. Andrew Fejer carried out at Illinois Institute of Technology in the 1960s. Faculty and researchers have established a tradition of excellence in research, particularly through the use of advanced experimental and computational techniques, in areas such as unsteady aerodynamics, fluid - structure interaction, turbulence, hydrodynamic stability, and aeroacoustics.
In 1986 under the guidance of Dr. Hassan Nagib, the Fluid Dynamics Research Center was chosen as one of three National Centers of Excellence by the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The FDRC maintains several wind tunnels and water channels including the National Diagnostic Facility, which is a large wind tunnel with very high quality flow. In recent years, the FDRC has established expertise in computational fluid dynamics to complement its strengths in experimental research, and it has partnered increasingly with industry to augment its traditional base of funding through US Department of Defense agencies.
Mission of the Fluid Dynamics Research Center
1. Develop New Technology based on creative application of fluid dynamics principles:
Aerospace applications
Biomedical applications
Homeland security
2. Advance and Disseminate Fundamental Knowledge
in fluid dynamics with experimental, computational, and analytical approaches to problem solving
3. Educate Students in state-of-the-art numerical and experimental techniques
Impact graduate education
Impact undergraduate education
Areas of Activities
1. Fundamentals
Dr. Cassel - application of optimal control theory to unsteady separation
Dr. Nagib - high Reynolds number turbulence; three-dimensional and separated flows; modeling of complex turbulent and separated flows
Dr. Raman - experiments and analysis to understand compressible flow
Dr. Rempfer & Dr. Wark - developing new theories and experiments to improve prediction capabilities related to contaminant dispersion
2. Aerospace Applications
Dr. Cassel - conducting fundamental studies of vortex surface interactions and unsteady boundary-layer separation
Dr. Nagib - enhancing forces on aerodynamic surfaces, with application to high-lift and reduced drag, for tilt-rotor aircraft, advanced concept STOL vehicles, and bluff bodies
Dr. Raman - actuators for aircraft nozzle and cavity flow control
Dr. Rempfer & Dr. Wark - development and optimization of wind power generators for tall buildings
Dr. Williams - using active flow control to extract energy from unstea- dy flows, to reduce the effects of wind gusts on wings, and to enhance aircraft maneuverability by modifying the leading edge vortex
3. Biomedical Applications
Dr. Cassel - computational modeling of cephalic arch hemodynamics in dialysis patients with arteriovenous fistulas
Dr. Raman - micro-shock actuators for biomedical applications
Dr. Rempfer - fluid dynamics of magnetic nanoparticles in blood flow
Dr. Williams - using fluidic oscillators to design more accurate / less expensive equipment for the detection of chronic pulmonary disease
Sponsors
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK
European Community and Universities
IIT Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Science and Engineering
Lindbergh Foundation
NASA Space Grant
National Science Foundation
The Boeing Company
The University of Chicago
The University of Melbourne, Australia
US Air Force Office of Scientific Research
US Army Research Office
US Department of Energy
US Office of Naval Research
Links to sponsors' websites
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FDRC Photographs
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