I was super fortunate to work for NASA at Ames Research Center back in the 1990s, just when computational fluid dynamics software was emerging on our various supercomputers on site.
As a network engineer and desktop tech support, I got to work hand in hand with the scientists using these tools to visualize airflow over airframes, liquid and gas flows through pipes, and dozens of other applications.
As a homeowner nowadays, I see what the plumbers and HVAC guys are doing for bends and turns and think back to these visualizations I saw back then… it’s cool to be able to see in your head what these invisible flows are like!!
Getting to be there in the control room and watch wind tunnel testing of the largest vehicles in the world was a treat I will never forget. We had entire semi tractor trailers - 18-wheelers - in the wind tunnel being tested for airflow and cavitation around new cab designs.
We also had a supersonic wind tunnel where models of future plane designs would be made out of aluminum or steel or ceramic, placed on a pedestal inside the tunnel to test their airflow. That was, of course, a much smaller diameter tunnel - maybe 8 feet across? - because of the speed of the wind, but was also fascinating to experience.
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u/happycj 2h ago
I was super fortunate to work for NASA at Ames Research Center back in the 1990s, just when computational fluid dynamics software was emerging on our various supercomputers on site.
As a network engineer and desktop tech support, I got to work hand in hand with the scientists using these tools to visualize airflow over airframes, liquid and gas flows through pipes, and dozens of other applications.
As a homeowner nowadays, I see what the plumbers and HVAC guys are doing for bends and turns and think back to these visualizations I saw back then… it’s cool to be able to see in your head what these invisible flows are like!!