Tornado Machine
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Problem Statement
A tornado is one of the most fascinating and powerful natural phenomena on earth. The development of a portable and interactive tornado machine provides an ideal educational environment whereby students are able to physically interact with and analyze many of the same dynamical processes that natural tornadoes employ. The Tornado Machine Project seeks to develop such a device with an emphasis on the qualitative development of a tornado-like vortex within a portable yet interactive operating chamber in order to provide an educational facet from which students may embark upon their own inquisitive investigations. Examples of the Tornado Machine in action are shown below.
Project Summary
A tornado is commonly described as a violently spinning column of air stretching from a cumulonimbus cloud to the surface of the earth. Tornadoes associated with geostrophic cumulus cloud systems typically develop as a result of several dynamical processes including strong convective currents, instability as a result of perturbative effects, stratified wind shear, and water condensation. The proposed research project seeks to integrate the atmospheric dynamics of tornadoes into a portable, interactive, and instructive tornado machine.
The focus of this project is towards the qualitative development of a “tornado”-like vortex within a portable operating chamber. The device will provide a form of visual feedback to distinguish between the rotating flow and the periphery. Through the integration of measurement devices, many aspects of the flow such as the velocity field, pressure field, and wall shear stress will be quantified. This will allow for the verification of fluid mechanical concepts through explicit physical interaction by the student. The development and construction of an interactive desktop tornado machine for educational use combines fluid mechanical concepts and experimental analysis into a unique stand-alone device.
A comprehensive project proposal may be viewed here.
A comprehensive final report for the Fall semester progress may be viewed here.
Team Picture Fall 2006
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| Pictured (from left to right): Curtis Hamman, Jordan Nelson, Rion Gull, Jeff Burdett, Randi Stephensen |
Tornado!
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