Sahil's Portfolio

Metal Deposition - Metal 3D prints

At USC's LPL, worked on designing engine which were metal 3D printed at Aerospace Corp and Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Balerin engine is a 10KN thrust regen cooled liquid rocket engine which has a flange design, and Mikes Fury is a single piece 3D printed regen cooled engine which is represent how an entire engine can be printed in a single piece with comple internal geometry using metal deposition and metal 3D printers

Lithography and semiconductor Research

As part of AME518 - Emerging Manufacturing Technology course at USC, my research was based on Lithograpghy, where at the USC's Center of Advance Manufacturing fab lab under Dr. Hangbo Zhao, explored various methods of lithograohy; EUV, X-ray, E-beam, soft lithography and photography, CVD, PVD. Also worked on etching, lift-off, Doping and other methods for semiconductor and nano-scale manufacturing.

Analysis Flow in Wind Tunnel and Fluid Tunnel : Refining the results with RAFT model (Advance optical flow code) - Paper link

At USC’s Fluid Structure Interaction and Wind Tunnel Lab, my research involved studying the flow around objects and analyzing the data using MATLAB’s PIVlib in conjunction with the RAFT model. The RAFT code, a machine learning model, required modifications as part of my work. I conducted a detailed study of the Horn-Schunck and Lucas-Kanade methods for optical flow to analyze the flow results.

Additionally, I have been involved in setting up wind tunnel components, introducing buoyant particles, and conducting wind tunnel testing. I also assist Dr. Luhar with lab project management tasks, including creating Gantt charts and Bills of Materials (BOMs).

Fin Design for better aerodynamics and drag reduction - Eurovia

My research on fins and weight distribution for developing a stable sloshing rocket was conducted during the Sloshing Rocket workshop organized by Euroavia (The European Association of Aerospace Students). This research involved optimizing fin design and weight distribution to achieve a stable, high-apogee flight. Key focus areas included aerodynamics and parabolic trajectory.

To enhance stability, I adjusted the center of gravity (CG) to be above the center of pressure (CP), achieving a stability margin of 4 calibers. Additionally, I modified the fins from a delta shape to a clipped delta shape to improve stability. This research provided insights into parabolic flights and demonstrated how changes in shape and weight distribution impact aerodynamic forces along the rocket body during flight.

Control Systems for drone - in flight charging

I researched the development of a control system for drones capable of charging in-flight using magnetic fields. Drones offer significant advantages across various industries, including surveillance, delivery, and military applications. However, their downtime while charging presents a challenge.

To address this, I focused on inflight charging through electromagnetic fields. Since magnetic fields can carry charge, we can leverage this principle to charge drones while they are flying. My research explored how electromagnetic fields, transmitted via mobile towers set up at specific locations, can be used for this purpose. This work was documented in a research paper that highlights the potential of using electromagnetic fields for continuous drone operation.

PATENT - Design of a pyro and non-pyro based parachute deployent mechanism for a high powered rocket

I designed and developed a high-powered rocket equipped with a pyro-based parachute recovery system. My research focused on aerodynamics, leading to the design of an ogive nose and fins to minimize drag. Additionally, I developed a highly effective non-pyro-based deployment mechanism for the parachute. These innovations resulted in two patent papers: one detailing the static test pad and the other outlining the parachute deployment mechanism for high-powered rockets.

Patent - Static Test PAd for tetsing a rocket motor

During my research internship at STAR, a leading aerospace startup, I designed and developed a static test pad. The research led to the creation of a highly durable test pad with features such as an avionics bay, clamps capable of holding rocket motors up to 10 cm in diameter, a sliding bed, a load cell cover, and an automatic extinguisher system. This design was later patented and published in the IPI Journal, June 2022, Vol. 2, Issue 1, P.No. 32149.

Ion Engine Research - ASME

Working on ion engines was a new and exciting experience for me, especially as it involved collaborating with students from various countries and universities during my membership with ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). We conducted numerous online brainstorming sessions and meetings to discuss NASA's use of ion engines in its NEXT mission.

Our research aimed to identify improvements for gridded electrostatic ion thrusters by repositioning the cathode near the nozzle and enhancing Hall effect thrusters by applying a dynamic potential between the anode and charged plasma. These modifications were designed to increase the efficiency of ion engines for powering spacecraft on long-duration deep space missions.

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