| Project Code name | Free-Falling Spheres |
| Project Title | Free-falling super-hydrophobic ball in water |
| Abstract | Tasked by UMass Dartmouth’s own Dr. Hangjing Ling, the team designed, built, and tested the use of superhydrophobic coatings on different sphere materials. Beginning with thorough research to understand the topic, the team began developing the test in collaboration with Dr. Ling. This technology has drag reduction capabilities for use in the maritime industry to help improve efficiency and reduce their environmental impact.
Using COMSOL and SolidWorks, models and simulations were made to start the process of building and designing the test. The team collaborated to fabricate a reliable testing system for a drop test comprised of two parts: a tank and dropping mechanism. Once completed, the team was able to record preliminary results and compare the falling time difference between a superhydrophobic-coated and non-coated sphere of the same size and material. Using a variety of methods, the results were tabulated and prepared for our sponsor’s research on the topic. |
| Faculty advisor | Dr. Hangjian Ling |
| Sponsor | Dr. Hangjian Ling |
| Team lead | Dean Lee |
| Team Members | David Flint, Alex Martinez, Erin Moffatt, Nicholas Paternostro |
| Video link | TBA |
Well done, the “Drag Test” team! I appreciate all your hard work on this project.