PROPOSAL NUMBER: CBET - 0730907 PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR: Kiger, Kenneth T. INSTITUTION: University of Maryland College Park
Biomimetic pumping by active gill plate arrays: the fluid dynamics of mayfly naiads
This study focuses on mayfly naiads (nymphs) as a possible biological model for the efficient generation of external circulation currents in low to intermediate Reynolds number flows. A distinctive feature of the mayfly naiad is the presence of 7 pairs of gill plates on the lateral dorsal region of the abdomen, which in many species actively beat in a metachronal fashion to produce an external current. This external ventilation aids in the circulation of fresh oxygenated water and allows mayflies to tolerate fluctuations in oxygen concentrations. To maximize the ability to survive in poorly oxygenated conditions, one would speculate that such ventilation currents should maximize the convective flow rate with minimal energy consumption. Understanding the flow mechanics of this living platform may then also provide useful insights for the optimization of convective flow generation for future generations of autonomous micro-sensor platforms. The PI plans to determine how an array of oscillating elements effectively maximize the production of a circulation current as it transitions between a viscous-dominated and an inertia-dominated regime and determine how the performance of an oscillating appendage affected by structural flexibility and the coupled response dictated by the fluid-structure interaction. The broader impacts of the work will span several areas, including the development of a knowledge base appropriate for the design of novel ventilation devices for fast and reliable chemical and biosensor networks. Meaningful Integration of High School and Undergraduate Students in Research. The project will serve as a motivational component for describing the research aspects of engineering science to High School seniors through presentation in an annual summer program host at UMD. Finally, the questions to be answered in this research will form the basis of material to be included in a recently created upper level biomechanics course offered within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
