When it comes to motorcycles, Areej Khalil points out that fluid dynamics figure in almost every aspect. In her current internship at Harley-Davidson, the mechanical engineering PhD student is performing computational fluid dynamics analysis of the engine’s internal cooling system.
It’s a pivot for Khalil, a member of Professor Ryo Amano’s lab, whose dissertation research focuses on advanced passive cooling techniques for gas turbine blades and whose passion is in energy auditing. Her research with gas turbines also involves fluids, but in a different application.
The change is exhilarating, she said.
It’s up to Khalil to figure out what is missing when the results of physical experiments don’t match results of the computational fluid dynamics modeling. The work is needed to validate performance for the design team.
“Dr. Amano encouraged me to work on this project to gain more theorical experience,” she said. “I’m always interested in finding new opportunities to learn skills. It’s important for me to stand out.”
The project is an example of how close collaboration between the college and industry pays off in our students’ experience, Amano said.