Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar
Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar Series
Title: Advances in Turbulent Drag Reduction for Energy-Efficient Transportation
Abstract: Turbulent friction drag limits the speed and efficiency of many critical energy, transportation, and industrial infrastructure, contributing significantly to global energy consumption and emissions. Transportation alone accounts for around one-fifth of global CO2 emissions from energy, with aviation and shipping among the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. Reducing friction drag can translate directly into fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions in these industries, yet achieving even modest improvements has been challenging due to difficulties predicting and controlling the turbulence encountered in these applications. In this talk, I'll present several recent advancements in flow control approaches, what they reveal about the behavior of wall-bounded turbulence and their implications for energy-efficient transport. The first investigation examines the behavior of a novel family of surface modifications inspired by the Nepenthes pitcher plant that reveals a passive, scalable method of turbulent drag reduction. The second investigation explores an active flow control method using spanwise surface oscillations, revealing a previously undiscovered pathway to drag reduction that emerges at high friction Reynolds numbers while requiring less power than existing strategies. Finally, I will discuss how the emerging capabilities of quantum-enhanced sensing can be deployed to uncover new physics related to flow control and fluid mechanics. These advancements in flow control offer exciting opportunities for reducing energy losses in critical flow systems, with direct applications to industrial fluid transport, civil aviation, and shipping.
Bio: Dr. Matt K. Fu is a Research Scientist in the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories of the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT), working with Professor John Dabiri. He takes a multidisciplinary approach to tackling classical fluid problems in experimental and theoretical fluid mechanics. His research interests include active and passive turbulent drag reduction, novel flow measurement techniques and diagnostics (including quantum sensing), and high Reynolds number flow physics. Dr. Fu earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech in 2013 and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 2015 and 2018, respectively. Before rejoining Caltech, Dr. Fu was at Esperto Medical Inc., a Series-A medical device start-up company commercializing a noninvasive method for continuous blood pressure monitoring. He also co-founded a flow sensor start-up company, Tendo Technologies, Inc., specializing in automated liquid manufacturing and scalable, high-fidelity flow meters. He has received several distinctions, including the NDSEG Fellowship (2015-2018), Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne (2019-2022), and the RDNJ Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award (2021).
NOTE: At this time, in-person Mechanical and Civil Engineering Lectures are open to all Caltech students/staff/faculty/visitors.