Biography

Ken has had the opportunity to work at both NASA Langley in Virginia and the Boeing Aircraft Company after his graduate work, before joining Clarkson in 1998. He was involved in development and design aspects of the High Speed Civil Transport and the 767-400ER, the latter resulting in a novel wingtip patent flown on Boeing aircraft today.  Other fun activities included helping in the design of the America's Cup Team 2000, AmericaOne, and working with Fairchild Dornier Aircraft in Germany.  In 2006, Ken spent a year at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) in Braunschweig, Germany.

In addition to currently teaching the Aero Seniors aircraft design at Clarkson, he is the AIAA student faculty advisor and the student-driven Design, Build, and Fly advisor which won the entire international competition in 2018.

Ken is also the Director of the Center for Sustainable Energy Systems at Clarkson University.

Education Background

Ph.D. - 1991 University of Notre Dame
M.S. - 1988 University of Notre Dame
B.Sc. - 1986 University of Calgary

Research Interests

Ken’s research interests focus primarily on applied aerodynamics, including areas such as wind turbine design, drag reduction on ground vehicles, and aircraft wing design methodology. His current focus is on developing ducted wind turbine technology, a prototype of which has been built on the Clarkson campus.  More information can be found on his research web site.

Awards

  • Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Teaching Award, April 2010
  • Clarkson University Phalanx Commendable Leadership Award, April 2010
  • Clarkson University Phalanx Induction, April 2010
  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Educator Award, 2009
  • Kristin Craig Memorial Faculty Recognition Award, 2004
  • Society for Automotive Engineers, Ralph Teeter Educational Aerospace Teaching Award, 2002
  • Boeing 2001 Outstanding Educator Award, October 2001
  • Clarkson University Phalanx Commendable Service Award, April 2000

Grants

A Select List

  • Industrial Assessment Satellite Center (PI)
    Department of Energy through Syracuse University
    $375,000 (10/11 – 8/26)
  • Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Flows around Ducted Wind Turbines with a Massively Parallel Spectral Difference Method (Co-PI, C. Liang (PI), G. Yao, B. Zhang)
    Ignite Grant, Clarkson University
    $357,100 (2/20 - 6/25)
  • Commercialization of an Aft-Rotor Ducted Turbine
    NYSERDA Ignition Grant, Agreement 151288
    $89,600 (6/20 - 6/21)
  • Validation of an Aft-Rotor Ducted Turbine
    NREL/DOE CIP, Grant NGZ-0-92383-01
    $197,752 (12/19 - 6/21)
  • High Speed Tunnel Drag Test (PI)
    University of Maryland (UMBC)
    $18,000 (8/18 - 10/18)
  • Development of a Slotted Shrouded Wind Turbine (PI)
    NEXUS-NY – Phases 1, 2, supplemental
    $53,500 (1/16 - 4/17) 
  • Research on Novel Cooling System for Permanent Magnet Motor/Generator (Co-PI, B. Helenbrook)
    LC Drives Corporation
    $19,344 (9/13 - 11/14)
  • Plasma Actuated Aerodynamic System Integration Drag Reduction for Class 8 Vehicles (PI)
    New York State Energy and Research Development Association (NYSERDA)
    $34,000 (1/11 - 12/13)
  • GE Fellowship for Scott Cary (Co-PI)
    General Electric
    $90,000 (1/11 - 8/12)
  • Optiwind “Hour Glass” Wind Turbine R & D Project (Co-PI, B.Helenbrook, D.Valentine, D.Bohl)
    Optiwind Corporation
    $31,000 (1/09 - 6/09)
    $114,000 (1/09 - 12/11)
  • Fuel-Efficient Active Flow Control for Heavy-Duty Vehicles (PI)
    Advanced Transit Dynamics Inc.
    $120,000 (01/09 - 12/10)
  • Advancement of Intelligent Aerospace Systems (Co-PI, G. Ahmadi (PI) R. Jha P.Marzocca, J. McLaughlin, B.Helenbrook, E.Bollt, D. Bohl)
    AFOSR
    $1,741,500 (7/08 - 6/10)
  • Optiwind “Hour Glass” Wind Turbine R & D Project (Co-PI, B.Helenbrook, D.Valentine, D.Bohl)
    Optiwind Corporation
    $185,000 (01/08 - 12/08)
  • Use of Plasma Actuators to Increase Wind Energy Extraction (PI)
    California Energy Commission, ESIG - University of Notre Dame
    $98,453 (08/06 - 07/07)
  • Development of a Blade Outer Air Seal Geometry Tool  (Co-PI, K. Willmert (PI), R. Jha, B.T. Helenbrook, P. Marzocca, J. Moosbrugger)
    Pratt and Whitney
    $197,000 (08/06 - 12/08)
  • Novel Wind Turbine Designs for Commercial Rooftop and Rural Applications (PI, P. Pillay)
    Warner Energy, Syracuse, NY
    $149,978 (12/05 - 11/06)
  • Trailer Drag Reduction:Phase 3: Full Scale Road Verification & Conceptual Studies (PI)
    New York State Energy and Research Development Association (NYSERDA)
    $249,332 (09/03 - 08/06)
  • NYSTAR Center for Environmental Quality System (NY-EQS))  (Co-PI, Philip Hopke (PI), Thomas Holson, John McLaughlin, Goodarz Ahmadi)
    New York State
    $3,539,000 (10/01 - 9/06)
  • Trailers Drag Reduction Phase 2 (PI)
    New York State Energy and Research Development Association (NYSERDA)
    $84,814 (07/02 - 06/03)
  • Trailers Drag Reduction (PI)
    New York State Energy and Research Development Association (NYSERDA)
    $202,000 (09/2000 - 01/2003)

Patents

  • Visser, K.D, “Aft Rotor Slotted Ducted Wind Turbine,” Patent Number  10,563,635, Issued February 18, 2020
  • Visser, K.D, “Drag Reduction of a Tractor Trailer Using Guide Vanes” Patent Number: 9,139,238, September 22, 2015.
  • Visser, K.D., Grover, K. and Marin, L.E., “Sealed Aft Cavity Drag Reducer” Patent Number: 8,641,126, February 4, 2014.
  • Visser, K.D., Grover, K. and Marin, L.E., “Sealed Aft Cavity Drag Reducer” Patent Number: 8079634, December 20, 2011.
  • Herrick, L.L., Bays-Muchmore, B., Hoffman, M.S., LeGrand, L., Ogg, S.S., Paul, B.P. Jr., Visser, K.D., and Wells, S.L. "Blunt Leading-Edge Raked WingTips" Patent Number: 6089502, July 18, 2000.

Publications

A Select List

Ding, C., Zhang, B., Liang, C., Visser, K., and Yao, G.:”High-Order Large-Eddy Simulations of a Wind Turbine in Ducted and Open-Rotor Configurations”, J. Fluids Eng. Paper No: FE-22-1281, https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4055989, February, 2023

Visser, K. D.: “Real-world development challenges of the Clarkson University 3 meter ducted wind turbine”, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 2265 042072, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2265/4/042072, June 2022.

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., Helenbrook, B. T., and Visser, K. D.: “Maximal power per device area of a ducted turbine”, Wind Energ. Sci., 6, 1031-1041, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-6-1031-2021, July 2021.

Kummer, A., DiMeo J., Hebel, M., and Visser, K.D. “On the Use of Cambered Plate Airfoils for Small Wind Turbines” J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1618 (2020) 042001 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1618/4/042001, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1618/4/042001

Valyou, D.N. and Visser, K.D.: “Design considerations for a small ducted wind turbine”,  J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1452 (2020) 012019, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1452/1/012019 https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1452/1/012019

Kanya, B. and Visser, K. D.: “Experimental Validation of a Ducted Wind Turbine Design Strategy”, Wind Energ. Sci., 3, 919-928, Dec 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-3-919-2018

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., Helenbrook, B.T., and Visser, K. D.: “Ducted wind turbine optimization and sensitivity to rotor position”, Wind Energ. Sci., 3, 221-229, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-3-221-2018, April 2018.

Venters R, Helenbrook B.T, Visser KD. Ducted Wind Turbine Optimization. ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. 2017;140(1):011005-011005-8., doi:10.1115/1.4037741. Feb 2018

Kehs, J., Visser, K., Grossman, J., Niemiec, J. et al., "A Comparison of Full Scale Aft Cavity Drag Reduction Concepts With Equivalent Wind Tunnel Test Results," SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 6(2):2013, doi:10.4271/2013-01-2429.Streit, T, Visser, K., and Liersch, C.,“Minimal Induced Drag for Non-Planar Lifting Surfaces with Moderate and Small Aspect Ratio” New Results in Numerical and Experimental Fluid Mechanics VII (NNFM)  Vol 112, Springer 2010.

Grover, K. and Visser, K.D., “Over-the-Road Tests of Sealed Aft Cavities on Tractor Trailers,” SAE 2006 Transactions Journal of Commercial Vehicles, No. 2006-01-3529, pp.170, March 2007.

Khan, M.A., Pillay, P., and Visser, K.D., ” On Adapting a Small PM Wind Generator for a Multi-Blade, High Solidity Wind Turbine,” IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 20, No. 3, September 2005.

Bennington, M.A. and Visser, K.D., ”Aerial Refueling Implications for Commercial Transports,” AIAA Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 42, No. 2, March–April 2005

Duquette, M.M, Swanson, J. and Visser, K.D., “Solidity and blade number effects on a fixed pitch, 50W horizontal axis wind turbine,” Wind Engineering, Vol 27, No. 4,  pp. 299-316, 2003.

Duquette, M. and Visser, K.D., “Numerical Implications of Solidity and Blade Number on Rotor Performance of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines,” Journal of Solar Energy Engineering,  Vol. 125, No. 4, pp. 425-432, November 2003.

Contact

Email: kvisser@clarkson.edu

Office Phone Number: 315/268-7687

Office Location: 361 CAMP Building

Clarkson Box Number: CU Box 5725

Website: https://people.clarkson.edu/~kvisser/