Kenneth D. Kihm, a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, received the Distinguished Engineering Project Achievement Award on February 21st in Los Angeles at the 70th anniversary of the National Engineers’ Council.
Kihm was nominated for the award in recognition of his article, “Pulsating Heat Pipe Performance Modeling with Liquid Metal Coolant Under Hypersonic Aerothermal Heating.” The article, done collaboratively with Lockheed-Martin’s “Skunk Works” team and published in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Thermophysics and Heat Transfer Journal, regards the development of computational predictions of the pulsating heat pipe (PHP) cooling concept of sharp-edged, stable leading edges for reusable and low-altitude hypersonic flight vehicles.
Going forward, Kihm and his group plan to devise a proof of concept to experimentally demonstrate the hypersonic thermal management using the PHP. Kihm highlights the importance of his work, saying, “this can be fabricated by advanced manufacturing methodologies with refractory alloy materials, contributing to developing innovative capabilities vital to the national security of the United States.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (865-974-0683, rpotkey@utk.edu)