Welcome to the final blog post from Hyperstream Solutions. This past week we had a great time presenting our work during both the public and private showcases at the Final Design Review. It was a rewarding experience to share our project with fellow students, team coaches, faculty, and experienced engineers, and we’re incredibly grateful for all the positive feedback and thoughtful compliments we received. Our final presentation went smoothly, and we were asked some insightful questions that sparked great discussion. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and the lessons we’ve learned throughout this process will stay with us as we move forward in our academic and professional careers. It’s amazing to reflect on how far we’ve come as a team, especially considering we met less than a year ago.

Our project began with a vague question: what is the impact of bleed air on a dual-mode ramjet engine? Like many of our readers, we had never heard of either term. After weeks of research and talking to professors, we started shaping a project that could be analyzed at UF. We scaled down the original scope to fit within the capabilities of our small supersonic wind tunnel. After several design iterations and many discussions, we shifted from varying orifice shapes to varying angles, which turned out to be more practical and relevant for industry applications. We presented this direction at the System Level Design Review (SLDR) at the end of 2024.

Once finalized, our design included two main parts: three interchangeable top plates and a shared manifold. We used a CNC mill to manufacture the manifold and the plate frames. The angled holes, especially the 30-degree ones, were tricky to drill due to clamping and bit deflection, but we eventually got them done.

Testing was a new and rewarding experience for most of us. Preparing the setup and running the tests took time and care. After our first round, we gained confidence and insight, which helped during the second, longer test session. With all data collected, we began analyzing results and compiling our findings.

Looking back, it’s incredible how much we’ve learned. We started without knowing the basics, and now we’re presenting original research. This experience has been both challenging and rewarding, and we’re grateful for every part of it.