Could you use a small 2D flume to teach fluid mechanics to your engineering, stream ecology, and geoscience students?
I got this small prototype in working mode today. We hope to build a version that would sit on the end of our Em2 models.
I should thank the amazing Steven Vogel for helping me with the design, which uses a propeller pump like his "swim tunnels" used for fish research. It's a very efficient and interesting way to short-lift a lot of water. The motor at upper left drives a shaft and propeller in a 3-inch duct. Flow circulates clockwise. Here you see it pumping around 1.5 cfs using only a couple of amps and making very little noise.
Having the fluid mechanics part nearly done, we have to integrate mass production, safety issues, economics, university science curriculum, and a dozen more things to get to a final design.
The middle photo shows hydraulic jump over a broad wier; at bottom you see a flash photo I took of the sheet aluminum propeller we made running at around 800 rpm.Labels: em2, emflume, flume, hydraulic jump, propeller, Steven Vogel, wier
