The Long Night of Science at LSTM
Last weekend, we at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics had the pleasure of opening our doors for the Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft. It was an inspiring evening where we showcased several of our ongoing research projects in fluid dynamics.
Around 200 visitors joined our lab tours, explored our wind tunnel facility, and experienced how we visualize and understand the invisible world of air and fluid flow. It was wonderful to see people of all ages fascinated by how cars, airplanes, and ships move through the air and water.
After an introduction to how lift is generated on wings and how important air resistance is for our everyday mobility, visitors took part in two exciting experiments on a rigid sail for ships. The demonstrations clearly showed what happens when the angle of attack of airfoils becomes too large and stall occurs, and how this condition affects the aerodynamic forces on the wing. The experiments, carried out on a rigid double sail from Oceanbird, highlighted how modern aerodynamics is being used to create a greener world by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships through innovative design.
