Michigan Technological University Thursday , April 19 , 2012 3 : 30 – 5 : 00 pm Room 139 in Fisher Hall Decreasing Aerodynamic Drag by Altering Tortuosity

The aerodynamic drag on blunt objects is greater than the drag on streamlined bodies due to the disruptions in flow caused by the leading edge. We have performed experiments in which the tortuosity of samples were altered, using of fibrous samples and measured the resulting drag in a wind tunnel. Our tests show that the magnitude of the drag can be decreased As a result, implementing materials with lower toruosities into automotive, construction and recreational products could help reduce costs while increasing efficiency and speed.