Principal Investigator: R. Smith
This Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award supports the acquisition of a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and a spectrometer for use in MOCVD reactors. The PIV will be used to in the design of flow in microchannels and reaction chambers. The micron resolution measurements of the PIV system will be combined with the nano-resolution of an Atomic Force Microscope to study microscale transport associated with complicated surfaces. The PIV will also the measurement of velocity fields immediately above the surface with simultaneous AFM measurements will allow the examination of the evolution of the surface. The instruments will be used of study mixing and transport processes associated with biological fluid mechanics, such as tissue engineering and endothelial tissue evolution.
Spatial mixing issues in MOCVD reactors will also be investigated. The use of the spectrometer and CCD arrays will give estimates of multiple gas concentrations at multiple points within the reactor. Fiber optic lines will be used to pipe the light from various points within the reaction chamber. This will give the capability of developing and experimentally verifying models of gas flow and mixing dynamics. These models will be used to design high performance feedback controllers.
hot wire anemometry and data acquisition system to support the Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research in Turbulence project at Valparaiso University. The project will investigate atmospheric and engineering scale turbulent transport. The project's main focus is on the education and training of students in both Colleges of Engineering and of Arts and Sciences in the specific areas of atmospheric turbulence, environmental pollution in turbulent air and water flows, and generalized modeling of the turbulent transport of mass and thermal energy. In addition, it will be used in developing an educational seminar for faculty from nearby institutions.
