The flow around a shuttlecock is visualized in a water channel using fluorescent dye illuminated by laser light ultraviolet LEDs. Note the recirculation zone on the upper shoulder. Experimenters can Keep reading
Month: September 2024
Starting Vortices
Whenever a wing stops or starts in a fluid, it produces a vortex. This 2D numerical simulation shows an airfoil repeatedly starting and stopping, shedding a vortex each time. Note Keep reading
Skydiving Indoors
Vertical wind tunnels like this one simulate the experience of skydiving with air speeds up to 270 km/h (168 mph). Here expert freefallers perform a routine similar to synchronized skydiving. Keep reading
Reader Question: Similar Blogs?
thegreatfenceof-deactivated2013 asks: Hello! I was wondering if you follow any similar blogs to your awesome blog? I like the idea of learning about awesome mechanical engineering stuff without learning so if Keep reading
Un-Mixing a Fluid Demo
Not only is this demonstration one of my favorites, it’s a reader favorite, too. Even though I posted it nearly a year ago, I’ve had it resubmitted over and over. Keep reading
Paint Vibrations
Paint vibrated on a loud speaker explodes in multi-colored jets and droplets. Most paints are shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluids (like ketchup, shampoo, or whipped cream), meaning that their viscosity decreases as Keep reading
Happy Birthday, FYFD!
Today marks the one year anniversary of FYFD! I’d like to thank each of you for reading, commenting, submitting posts and asking questions. It’s been fun, and, hopefully a bit Keep reading
Saturn’s Storm Stretches All the Way Around
This picture captured by Cassini in February shows a storm on Saturn stretching all the way around the planet. Unlike Earth and Jupiter, which have numerous storms virtually all the Keep reading
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
Conventional wind turbines feature horizontal axis propellers which must be placed far apart from one another to avoid wake interference. Researchers have found that using vertical axis wind turbines specially Keep reading
Osborne Reynolds and Transition
How and when flow through a pipe becomes turbulent has been a conundrum for fluid mechanicians since the days of Osbourne Reynolds (~1870s): Typically, the laminar-to-turbulence transition is studied mathematically Keep reading