2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Hands-On Fluid Flow Trainer to Support Experimental Learning

A majority of engineering students will not specialize in fluid mechanics; however, many will take a course on basic fluid flow applications and fundamental theories. The effective use of demonstrations and hands-on learning, can be exceptional tools for solidification of theoretical understanding of fluid flow concepts for students. Several commercially available laboratory trainers for fluid flow focus on a narrow range of applications and are typically at a cost of between $20k to $40k that can preclude the purchasing of multiple trainers and their use as hands-on equipment. This results in the need for a fluid flow trainer that is complex enough to demonstrate a wide range of fundamental fluid mechanics principles for various piping flow arrangements while still making the trainer accessible and relatable to students that are not going to specialize in fluid dynamics.
A unique hands-on fluid flow trainer was designed and fabricated to allow students to more easily visualize and internalize the concepts they will likely need in various follow-on fields of study. The developed trainer features a unique flow path arrangement that allows the selection between multiple piping and valve arrangements to support tank-to-tank filling and draining operations instead of the typical recirculating flow paths seen in many fluid trainers. Additionally, the trainer supports the demonstration of qualitative impacts of major and minor head losses through different piping and valve configurations as well as the implementation of vented manometers to allow students to directly see and correlate fluid head terms with pressure. This trainer is robust enough for use in a lab and/or classroom environment and allows complete operation by students with only brief instructor direction prior to use. This is accomplished by incorporating a tank overflow path that allows students to operate with a lab guide, but without constant instructor oversight. The implementation of this hands-on trainer, through the use of developed lab exercises that support small teams of students, has proven to be extremely effective at solidifying concepts learned in the classroom. This paper outlines the development, design, and implementation of a fluid flow trainer that can be fabricated with off the shelf components for approximately $7k, supporting the fabrication of multiple trainers and allowing for smaller lab group sizes and more hands-on learning to improve fundamental knowledge of fluid flow concepts for students.