Tornado Machine

1
Tornado Machine
2
Overview

• Project Scope
• Tornado Characteristics
• Available Devices
• Tornado Machine Design
• Future Plans

3
Project Scope

• Visualize Tornadoes
• Interactive
• Portable
• Compact
• Robust
• Enhance Education
• Improve Instruction
• Inspire Young Scholars
• Capture the Public's Eye

Photo courtesy of NOAA.
4
Tornado Characteristics

• Persistent Updraft
• Strong Circulation
• Visible Funnel

Photo Courtesy of NOAA
5
Nagoya Museum Tornado Exhibit

• Pros
• Highly Interactive and Open
• People Can Stand Inside
• Stable Vortex
• Back Lighting
• Cons
• Long Startup Time ( 60 s)
• Non-Adjustable Fans
• Not Portable

Courtesy of Nagoya Museum.
6
Teaching Tornado

• Pros
• Portable
• Educational Booklet
• Cons
• Non-Interactive (Too Small)
• Limited Visibility
• Closed Environment
• No Dynamical Similarity
• Commercially Available (250)

Courtesy of American Education Products.
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Tornado Machine

• Modular Tri-Cylinder
• Upper Chamber
• Radial Blower
• Tornado Chamber
• Interactive Open Window
• Circulation Generator
• Lower Chamber
• Visualization Tracer
• Four-Wheel Base

Tornado Machine Design Schematic
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How Does the Tornado-Vortex Form?
Circulation Pathway Schematic

• Radial Blower
• Speed Controller
• Exhaust Pipe
• Circulation
• Updraft
• Tornado Chamber
• Fresh Air Enters ThroughThe Open Window

9
Current Progress
Blower
Circulation Generator
Shell
Humidifier
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Future Plans

• Interactive LCD Display
• Educational Programs and Simulations
• Electronic Control
• Sensory Equipment
• Azimuthal Anemometers
• Measure Velocity Profile Compare to Natural
  Tornadoes
• Pressure Sensors
• Demonstrate Lower Pressure in the Eye (Bernoulli)
• Stress Sensitive Piezoelectric Material
• Visualize Boundary Layer Shear Stress Gradients
  in Color

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Future Plans

• Where Will the Tornado Machine Appear?
• Classroom Instruction
• University Public Exhibitions
• Meteorological Conferences
• Science Fairs
• Wide Sphere of Influence!

Next Appearance Undergraduate Research
Day Thursday, December 7th Collegiate Room,
University of Utah 900 AM 100 PM
12
Conclusions

• Functional Tornado Machine
• Interactive, Portable and Educational
• Exciting Design
• Appealing to Students and the Community
• Strong Foundation for Future Development

13
Contact Information

• Direct Correspondence to
• Curtis W. Hamman
• Curtis.Hamman_at_utah.edu