AME: Simulating hypersonic boundary layer transition

The state of the boundary layer on hypersonic vehicles has a large impact on heat transfer. Modeling boundary layer transition from laminar to turbulent flow is therefore critical for reducing design uncertainty. However, truly predictive models for transition do not yet exist. Increased physical understanding, as well as new computational tools, are required to bridge that gap. In this project, students will use computational tools (CFD and in-house stability models) to examine novel flow configurations and the impact of various parameters on boundary-layer transition at hypersonic speeds.

Name of research group, project, or lab
High-Speed Aerodynamics and Boundary Layer Transition Lab
Website
https://sites.nd.edu/hsblt-lab/
Why join this research group or lab?

Hypersonics is a critical research area with far-reaching applications from human spaceflight to national security. Our lab aims to advance engineering capabilities to reduce the costs and risks associated with hypersonic vehicle design.

Logistics Information:
Project categories
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Student ranks applicable
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

Students must be confident in writing code (preferably Python or MATLAB), meaning they should be able to:

  • take a problem statement and plan the necessary steps in their code to produce an answer
  • clearly comment their code to make it maintainable and understandable to others
  • devise simple inputs to their code to make it applicable to many scenarios
  • debug their code by testing against a known solution, or tracing how values change at every line
  • produce well-designed graphs or tables that summarize the code output
Hours per week
1 credit / 3-6 hours
Compensation
Research for Credit
Number of openings
2
Techniques learned

Students will learn:

  • how to use open-source CFD software (e.g., OpenFOAM or SU2)
  • how to use Github
  • basic theory behind hypersonic boundary-layer instabilities
  • presentation skills in a research environment
Contact Information:
Mentor
Madeline Peck
mpeck3@nd.edu
Assistant Professor
Name of project director or principal investigator
Madeline Peck
Email address of project director or principal investigator
mpeck3@nd.edu
2 sp. | 0 appl.
Hours per week
1 credit / 3-6 hours
Project categories
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering