Abbot Power Plant’s Piping Problem
Real-world fluid mechanics problem-identification and -solving
Problem Survey
Team field trip to the Abbot power plant to investigate the potential cause of the piping problem. Energy grade line and hydraulic grade line drawings were analyzed.
Analysis
Step-by-step how we determined the pressure, velocity, and energy in the piping system.
Recommendation
How can this problem be solved? Possible improvement is provided.
Bottle Rocket Theory
We didn’t build a rocket, but we know how it works.
Journal References
We referenced over five scholarly journals in order to grasp the mechanics and know which theorems we should be including.
Rocket Mechanics
Step-by-step how we determined the path of the rocket, incorporating the volume of water, compressed air pressure, drag, and more.
Modeled Data
Graphs, tables, and variables using the equations from Rocket Mechanics to visualize a real rocket.
Design Challenge
How can we reduce drag to make the bottle go as high as possible?
REFLECTIONS
What did we learn?
How does this fit into ABET?
WHAT IS THIS?
Introduction to Fluid Mechanics
TAM 335 with Leon Liebenberg
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mini-Project 1: Water Bottle Rocket
The purpose of this project was to use journal articles to aid in characterizing and analyzing a water propelled bottle rocket, pressurized with air.
Mini-Project 2: Abbot Power Plant
This project included an investigation at the Abbot Power Plant of pipe cavitation. Energy analysis was conducted using Bernoulli’s equation and suggestion on avoiding cavitation was given.
Both these projects were selected to receive the Gold Award. Gold Awards are chosen based on teams that go “way-beyond the required work (in terms of quality and quantity), and originality.”
Who
Team L1
Angela Chan angelac4@illinois.edu
Yuqi (Viola) Wang yuqiw4@illinois.edu
Lucas Hopper lhopper2@illinois.edu
Alex Zhao wenjian2@illinois.edu
Fluid Mechanics Portfolio 