A Miniaturized Circular Hydraulic Jump for Remote On-Line Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Abstract

Toward the goal of a fully online mechanical engineering bachelor degree program with curriculumintegrated hands-on laboratory experiments, a miniaturized circular hydraulic jump teaching lab kit was created and tested. This small and inexpensive kit is intended for shipment to remote learners who then assemble the experiment, collect data, perform analysis, collaborate with online peers, and author lab reports from their homes. While tiny and economical, the experiment retains the features, robustness, measurability, and rigor of its full-scale counterparts. The experiment’s aim is to predict circular hydraulic jump diameter given measured working fluid volume flow rate, nozzle diameter, and fluid height after the jump. This predication is then validated by measuring the hydraulic jump diameter directly. Within experimental uncertainty, theorical and experimental results agree over a range of user-set volume flow rates into the jump. Junior and Senior mechanical engineering students enrolled in a conventional Fluid Mechanics course tested the experiment in an environment simulating remote learning conditions. Their learning outcome achievement was measured through both indirect and direct assessments. Learning outcomes were achieved to a very high level, demonstrating that this remote learning laboratory approach is a viable alternative to conventional brick-and-mortar mechanical engineering teaching labs.