Hui Hu

Anson Marston University Distinguished Professor in Engineering
Martin C. Jischke Professor in Aerospace Engineering
Department of Aerospace Engineering,
Iowa State University
Research Interest: advanced flow diagnostics; aircraft icing physics and anti-icing/de-icing technology; bioinspired aerodynamic design for unmanned-air-vehicles (UAVs); film cooling and thermal management of gas turbines; wind turbine aerodynamics and rotorcraft aeromechanics; micro-flows and micro-scale heat transfer in microfluidics. 

Speech Title：Mitigating Adverse Weather Effects for Assured Flight Safety of Advanced Air Vehicles

Abstract: Icing is widely recognized as a significant weather hazard to aircraft/aeroengine operation in cold weather. By leveraging the unique Icing Research Tunnel developed in his laboratory (i.e., ISU-IRT), comprehensive experimental investigations are conducted to elucidate the underlying icing physics by quantifying supercooled water droplet impinging dynamics, transient behaviors of wind-driven water runback flows, unsteady heat transfer and dynamic solidification processes over airframe surfaces and rotating engine fan blades. Innovative anti-/de-icing strategies by leveraging “state-of-the-art” hydro-/ice-phobic coatings and Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge (DBD) plasma actuation are also explored under various icing conditions. Recent efforts on characterizing the detrimental effects of adverse weather (e.g., icing and rainfall) on electric-powered Unmanned-Air-systems (UAS)/Urban-Air-Mobility (UAM) vehicles will also be introduced to ensure safe and efficient operation of the advanced air vehicles under all weather conditions.

Short-biography: Dr. Hui Hu is an Anson Marston University Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Martin C. Jischke Professor in Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University. His research interests include advanced optical/laser-based diagnostics, aircraft/aero-engine icing physics and anti-/de-icing technology; Unmanned-Aerial-Systems (UAS); wind energy and wind turbine aeromechanics; Fluid-Structure Interactions (FSI) of built structures with violent windstorms (e.g., tornadoes, downbursts, and snowstorms). Dr. Hu is an ASME Fellow and AIAA Associate Fellow. He is serving as an editor of “Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science-Elsevier” and an associate editor of “The ASME Journal of Fluid Engineering” and “ASME Open Journal of Engineering”. He received several prestigious awards in recent years, including the 2006 NSF-CAREER Award, the 2007 Best Paper in Fluid Mechanics Award (Measurement Science and Technology, IOP Publishing), the 2009 AIAA Best Paper Award in Applied Aerodynamics, the 2012 Mid-Career Achievement in Research Award of Iowa State University, 2013 AIAA Best Paper Award in Ground Testing Technology, 2014 Renewable Energy Impact Award of Iowa Energy Center, 2022 AIAA Best Paper Award on Gas Turbine Engine, and 2023 D.R. Boylan Eminent Faculty in Research Award of Iowa State University. Further information about Dr. Hu’s technical background and research activities is available at: http://www.aere.iastate.edu/~huhui/