Thermal/Fluid Sciences

We are developing ways to extract energy from fluid flows and heat exchange.

Faculty and students working in the thermal/fluid sciences advance the understanding of systems that involve thermodynamic conversions of energy, the conversion of the flow of liquids and gases into force and power, and heat exchange. Our research focuses on the conversion of energy from fuel and from the flow of wind and water for use in industry, transportation, buildings, and homes. Our fundamental studies in thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, turbomachinery, energy storage, and combustion are applied to improve engines, gas turbines, wind turbines and wind farms, hydro turbines, power plants, and energy storage devices. We conduct large-scale experiments and apply high performance computing methods to advance scientific understanding, mathematical modeling, and design tools.

Labs, Centers, and Groups

Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Center

Chris Rahn, Chao-Yang Wang, Donghai Wang

Computational Reacting Flows Lab

Yuan Xuan

Cryogenics Combustion Lab

Richard Yetter

Electrochemical Engine Center

Chao-Yang Wang

Electronics and Thermography Lab

Sukwon Choi

Energy Nanostructure Lab

Donghai Wang

Environmental and Biological Fluid Mechanics Lab

Margaret Byron

Fluid Dynamics Research Consortium

Robert Kunz, Laura Pauley

Flow Physics and Computational Research Lab

Xiang Yang

Heat Exchange and Thermal Energy Research (HEATER) Laboratory

Brian Fronk

Heat Transfer and Multiphase Flow Lab

Matthew Rau

High Pressure Combustion Lab

Richard Yetter

Interfacial Phenomena Lab

Bladimir Ramos-Alvarado

Multiscale Thermal Fluids and Energy Lab

Alex Rattner

Nanomechanical Systems Laboratory

Aman Haque

Pangborn Advanced Controls Lab

Herschel Pangborn

Reacting Flow Dynamics Lab

Jacqueline O’Connor

Turbine Heat Transfer and Aerodynamics Group

Steve Lynch, Karen Thole

Mathematical Modeling & Computational Physics Laboratory

David Williams

Wong Laboratory for Nature Inspired Engineering

Tak Sing Wong

Linxiao Zhu Group

Linxiao Zhu