Noel T Clemens
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Facilities
Our research facilities are located in the ASR building at the J.J. Pickle Research Campus at The University of Texas at Austin. The ASR building includes approximately 5000 sq ft and has been operated as a hypersonic wind tunnel lab since the 1950s. Currently, the lab operates multiple supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnels, an inductively-coupled…
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50 kW inductively-coupled plasma torch
High-temperature hypersonic environments are simulated using a 50 kW inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) torch. The ICP torch is the key component of a high-temperature materials testing facility that was developed in collaboration with Prof. Philip Varghese. The ICP Torch, model APT-50, which includes the DC power supply, RF generator and torch head, was designed and built…
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AFOSR/NASA University Leadership Initiative — Full-Airframe Sensing Technology (FAST) for Hypersonic Aerodynamics Measurements
UT Austin is the lead institution for a AFOSR/NASA University Leadership Initiative program that focuses on developing a new measurement technology for hypersonic flight. This multi-university research and educational project is called FAST: Full-Airframe Sensing Technology for Hypersonic Aerodynamics Measurements. The FAST concept is that aerodynamic loads are “encoded” in the structural deformation of the…
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Flow-structure interaction: Compliant panel under a compression ramp shock / boundary layer interaction
Flow-structure interaction (FSI) is important in high-speed flight because thin structures, such as the vehicle skin, are subjected to strong vibratory interaction with the flow. This interaction can lead to fatigue and failure of vehicle structures. We are investigating the flow-structure dynamic interaction of a compliant panel exposed to Mach 2 and Mach 5 shock-boundary…
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Characterization of an inductively-coupled plasma torch for validation of exascale predictive simulations
This project is part of a much larger project that is supported by the DOE Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program (PSAAP). The UT PSAAP effort is led by the PECOS Center, which is part of the Oden Institute. The overall objective of the project is to develop advanced predictive simulations of inductively-coupled plasma torches that…
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Ablation of high-temperature materials
A wide range of high-temperature materials are being studied using our 50 kW ICP Torch. The materials being tested have potential application in the thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles that are being developed by the U.S. Army. The materials being tested include various polymer matrix composites as well as newly-developed 3D-printed materials. Under this…
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Non-linear dynamics of turbulent non-premixed jet flames
This research aims to investigate the nonlinear dynamics of the non-reacting jets and non-premixed lifted jet flames. The goal is to understand better how the flow system dynamics change over time and identify the path toward unwanted conditions such as flashback, extinction, or blowout to limit damage to the combustor’s critical components. The existence of…
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Historical photos
Here, you can find historical photos of the J.J. Pickle Research Campus and the High-Speed Wind Tunnel Lab. The lab has operated continuously since the 1050s.