Project Description
Electric machines can be motors or generators dependent on if power is supplied or generated. Advances in electric machine design and thermal management hold promise for electric aviation, electric vehicles, and more efficient or smaller generators. This project will involve students running an experimental test setup to collect data on generator performance under different thermal management strategies. Specific emphasis will be placed on wind turbine generators and two-phase cooling. Flow boiling will be used to cool the generator more effectively leading to significantly smaller motors and generators as well as offering higher efficiency.
Special Requirements
- Heat Transfer background or interest preferred
- Electrical experience (motors, wiring, rasberry pi)
- Ability to independently use Mill, Lathe, CNC manufacturing tools a plus
- Ability to work in both group settings and teach yourself skills independently
- Passionate about renewable energy
- Comfort with experimentation
Contact
- Austin Hayes (faculty)