Blunck Research Group

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley appreciated Dr. Blunck's lead on wildfire:
Dr. Blunck was awarded $265k research grant from the NSF for "Understanding Key Processes Controlling Burning of Hetetergeneous Fuel in Wildfires" to improve models for fire managers predicting wildfire. This will help to reduce the risk of wildfire and to develop effective firefighting tools, as senators say. Details can be found here.

Dr. Deepak Sharma joined Propulsion Laboratory: 
Dr. Sharma completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and joined Propulsion Laboratory as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in May 2022. He will be working on liquid fuel injection in a Rotating Detonation Jet Engine. 

Kaz Teope Successfully Defends Thesis:
Blunck Research Group member Kaz Teope successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis "Identifying the Effects of Combustion Products, Turbulent Fluctuations, and Delivered Energy on Ignition Characteristics of Forced Ignition of Jet-A/air Mixtures." He is now working with US Air Force.

Andrew Ross Successfully Defends Thesis:
Blunck Research Group member Andrew Ross successfully defended his MS thesis "The Influence of Fuel Characteristics on Smoldering Behavior Through Porous Fuels." He is now working in Boeing.

Harley Glad Successfully Defends Thesis:
Blunck Research Group member Harley Glad successfully defended his MS thesis "Effects of Residual CO₂ and N₂ on Detonation Velocity and Detonation Limit." He is now working in Northrup Grumman.

Daniel Caplan Successfully Defends Thesis:
Blunck Research Group member Daniel Caplan successfully defended his MS thesis "Temperature Evolution of Nonreacting Spark Kernels at Sub-atmospheric Pressures." He is now working in Manufacturing Industry in Corvallis.

Dr. Blunck wrote an article on The Conversation: 
In order to prepare the reader for wildfire, Dr. Blunck wrote an article on The Conversation about his research on spot fires and advised homeowners on how to respond to wildfire for saving their homes. 

National Geographic Spotted Dr. Blunck: 
The article named "Meet the wildfire superspreaders" discusses the contribution of Dr. Blunck's research group to the world through their fundamental studies on a wildfire in 2020.

Dr. Blunck contributed to Senate Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Bill: 
Dr. Blunck provided technical feedback about the draft bill for U.S. Senate in May 2022.

National Public Radio – Market Place:
Dr. Blunck's wildfire research was highlighted for understanding how wildfire spreads in the article "As wildfires intensify in the West, scientists look at how they spread" on July 23, 2021.

Oregon Public Radio Special Story:
A radio story about firebrand production aired in July 2021 in Washington and Oregon, discussing the importance of Dr. Blunck's research.

Friday News Flash, Joint Fire Science Program: 
Dr. Blunck's research was spotlighted into firebrand generation in Friday Flash News Issue in April 2020. Key findings critical to understand and control wildfire were also described.

College of Engineering Home Page:
Dr. Blunck's family farm was featured on the cover story of College of Engineering, OSU in October 2021, to show how engineering studies help us to excel in every aspect of life. 

Engineering Outloud – podcast from Oregon State University: 
A podcast was released from Oregon State University on "how do engineers fight wildfire?" with Dr. Bluck on October 18, 2021.

Dr. Blunck live interviewed at The Jefferson Exchange:
A live interview of Dr. Blunck can be found at The Jefferson Exchange unfolding the fundamentals of fire spread on October 8, 2021.

Dr. Blunck's research cited in Herald and News:
Herald and News published article about Bootleg fire and wildfire on July 26, 2021 citing Dr. Blunck's research work.

KPTV highlights Dr. Blunck's work:
Dr. Blunck's work on the effect of moisture content on fire behavior was discussed on July 14, 2021.

KOBI-TV/NBC5 featured Dr. Blunck's research:
In order to aware people about the wildfire spread, KOBI-TV/NBC5 featured Dr. Blunck's wildfire research work in discussion on July 8, 2021.

OPB released special story on Blunck Research Group:
A special story "How wildfires spread is a mystery Oregon engineers are solving" was released on July 6, 2021.

KPTV Interviewed Dr. Blunck:
KPTV conducted an interview of Dr. Blunck for his outstanding research work to understand the fundamentals of wildfire and factors playing critical role in it, on July 7, 2021.

KBNZLD (CBS) from Bend, OR releases special features:
A 5-minute special feature was published by KBNZLD (CBS) from Bend, OR in June 2021, spotlighting Dr. Blunck's work on wildfire spread.

KOIN 6 TV­ featured Dr. Blunck's work:
KOIN 6 TV discussed the research work performed by Dr. Blunck's group on television in May 2021.

Sputnik News interviewed Dr. Blunck for a story on wildfire: 
Dr. Blunck described the role of "Mother Nature" and "Humans" in wildfire and important measures to control it, during his interview for a story on wildfire in January 2021.

McKenzie River Broadcasting interviewed for radiation show:
Dr. Blunck was interviewed by McKenzie River Broadcasting for radiation show in 2020.

Dr. Blunck Featured on KOIN 6 in Portland:
During the summer 2020 fires in Oregon, Dr. Blunck was featured on a wildfire segment of KOIN 6 Portland. He was asked about how his research is helping to better predict wildfires before they happen, and how quickly they will spread when they do happen. The link to the video can be found here.

Jonathan Bonebrake Successfully Defends Thesis:
Blunck Research Group member Jonathan Bonebrake successfully defended his PhD thesis "Evaluating the Influence of Combustion Products on Forced Ignition." He is now living in Seattle with his wife as she finishes her degree.

Blunck Research Group Featured in National Geographic:
Blunck Research Group's Wildfire Ember Generation research was featured in this National Geographic article on wildfire research.

Blunck Research Group Recieves Award from the College:
Dr. Blunck recieved the 2019 Research Collaboration Award from the College of Engineering. We are thankful for our many collaborators who have helped enable us to pursue cutting-edge research and develop professionally. 

Nathan Schorn Successfully Defends Thesis:
Nathan Schorn, a valued memeber of Blunck Research Group, sucessfully defended his Masters Thesis, titled "Combustion Analysis of Jet and Jet-Like Fuels on a Turbulent Bunsen Burner Flame." He is currently looking for employment in the aerospace industry.

Dr. Blunck Named Associate Head for Undergraduate Program:
Dr. Blunck was appointed Associate Head for the Undergraduate Program in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacutring Engineering at Oregon State University. With this position he is working to help undergraduate students realize their professional goals.

Corvallis Gazette-Times Puts Spotlight on Blunck Research Group:
Wildfire related research performed by Blunck Research Group was highlighted in the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Article can be found here.

Portland News Station KOIN 6 Cites Group Research:
KOIN 6 recently detailed upcoming Summer 2019 Wildfire Research by Blunck Research Group. Linked Here

Tyler Hudson's Research Cited in Mail Tribune Article:
Former Blunck Research Group memeber Tyler Hudson recently had his research on ember generation, which has direct implications for landowners, cited in the Mail Tribune.

Daniel Cowan Succesfully Defended His M.S. Thesis:
Daniel successfully defended his Masters Thesis, titled, “Effects of Fuel Characteristics on Spread Rate and Surface Temperatures of Smoldering Duff.” His thesis received strong reviews from the committee. As a result, Daniel will continue his research for the Spring 2019 term.

Blunck Research Group Paper Published:
Blunck Research Group is excited to announce that the article "The Effect of Nanosecond Pulsed High Frequency Discharges on the Temperature Evolution of Ignition Kernels" is now avaliable online. To check out the paper, click here

Blunck Research Group Focused on in Science Daily Article:
Blunck Research Group was recently focused on in a Science Daily article on "Why Pulsed Sparks Make for Better Ignition." The article can be found here

Blunck Research Group Receives New Funding:
Oregon State University has been selected as the lead institution for a $2.1 million dollar grant from SERDP focused on the burning of live fuels with applications to wildfires. PI's selected from OSU included David Blunck. The grant will fund four graduate students and provide funding to apply advanced diagnostics and computations to study the problem of wildfires. The team from OSU is partnering with collaborators from the U.S. Forest Service.

Blunck Research Group's Wildfire Research Cited by KTVZ of Central Oregon:
Linked here

United States Senator Ron Wyden cites Blunck Research Group in Speech:
Senator Ron Wyden of the great state of Oregon recently cited Professor Blunck Research Group, stating: "Oregon State University assistant professor David Blunck has proven himself a key contributor to understanding the fundamentals of wildfire growth, including the formation of embers that can undermine fire containment efforts. This work could be critically important to understanding and preventing the growth of catastrophic wildfires plaguing the West and I very much appreciate Professor Blunck's groundbreaking contributions in this area."

Blunck Research Groups own Tyler Hudson Succesfully Defends his M.S. Thesis:
Tyler Hudson, star member of Blunck Research Group, succesfully defended his M.S. thesis, titled "Multi-Scale Study of Ember Production and Transport under Multiple Enviromental and Fuel Conditions." As a result of this, Mr. Hudson will join the faculty of Oregon State Cascades as an instructor.

Blunck Reserach Group Members Successfully Defend Preliminary Exams:
Two graduate student members of Blunck Research Group, Jonathan Bonebrake and Mick Carter, have successfully defended their preliminary exams.

Blunck Research Group Member Sent to NASA:
Parker Weide, a graduate student working under Dr. Blunck, has successfully defended his thesis on "Combustion Charecterisitics of Jet Fuel and it's Surrogate in Mild Conditions." Following this, Mr. Weide will be soon be starting a job at the prestigious Marshall Space Flight Center.

Homeschooled Students Tour with Blunck Research Group:
Blunck Research Group recently hosted a tour for local homeschooled students. Parents of said students wrote back with letters of praise. One mother wrote: "Thank you so much for hosting our group for the lab tour! I know the little ones do not have many questions and it is hard to tell what they are thinking, but the do take it all in. The first thing my Kindergartener did the next morning was build a Bunson Burner and Chamber out of Legos. I have heard many positive comments from the others about the tour and those who missed out are dissapointed! It gave the kids (and adults!) a connection and awarness of future possibilities, and we are grateful to you."

Blunck Research Group's Research Featured on Discover Channels "Hellfire Heroes":
An infared video of Blunck Research Group's ember research was featured in a recent episode of the Discovery Channel's "Hellfire Heros." The video in question was a documentation of the ember research being done by Blunck Research Group's own Tyler Hudson and is being lead by the Nature Conservancy of Oregon. The clip can be found here

Dr. Blunck Recently Featured in New York Times Article on Wildfires:
Dr. Blunck and Tyler Hudson were interviewed for their work related to ember generation during fires. The article can be found here

Blunck Research Group Thanked by City of Corvallis for Community Aid:
The city of Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department sent a letter thanking Dr. Blunck and his mechanical engineering students for helping to expand the trail system in Chip Ross Park. The letter can be found here

Blunck Research Group Highlighted in Recent Article by KTVZ:
A study lead by Jonathan Bonebrake, a member of Blunck Research Group, was recently highlighted in an article published by KTVZ, an NBC affiliate out of Bend, Oregon. Mr. Bonebrake's research focused on understanding why high frequency sparks can impove ignition within combusion engines. The article can be found here

Seattle Times and Statesman Journal highlight Blunck Research Group's Wildland Fire Research:                           
Resarch led by Tyler Hudson and Dr. Blunck was featured on the front page of the Statesman Journal (here) as well as in the Seattle Times (here). Their research focused on applying a multiscale approach to identifying what parameters control the generation of embers during wildland fires. Embers can be blown far past a fireline and spark new fires, and thus critically impacting containment.                                                                                        

Blunck Group Research Highlighted in Story from KMTR and KVAL News in Eugene:
Research done by the CIRE lab on ember generation and the prediction of spot fires has been featured in news stories by KMTR and KVAL news from Eugene, OR. The KMTR newscast is available here, and the KVAL article can be read here.

Dr. Blunck Speaks about Energy Sustainability:
Dr. Blunck was the spokesperson for a School research video describing research he and his colleagues are performing related to renewable energy and energy sustainability, which can be viewed here.

Dr. Blunck Speaks to Engineers at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center:
Dr. Blunck was invited to speak to engineers at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. His talk was entitled, "Infrared Thermography: Applications for Evaluating Reacting and Non-reacting Flows." During the visit he was able to see group member Delphine and to see several historical sites including the test stand where the Saturn 5 and engines for the space shuttle were tested. Images from the trip are posted on the CIRE Lab Facebook page here.

Eugene's KVAL News Publishes Article on Blunck Group Research:
A news station based out of Eugene, OR has published a story about the Blunck Group's research on ember formation. The article includes a video with burn footage captured by student members, as well as statements from Dr. Blunck and graduate student Tyler Hudson. See the full article here.

Research Highlighted in an Article Released by Oregon State University:
The Blunck Group's ember research has once again been highlighted in an article, this time from OSU's News and Research Communications. Read the full story here.

Research on Ember Formation Featured in Fall Newsletter:
Research being performed by the group studying the formation of embers was highlighted in the School's fall newsletter. The complete story can be found at the link: http://mime.oregonstate.edu/physics-embers.

AJ Fillo Receives the 2017 OSU Distinguished Master's Thesis Award:
Congratulations to AJ Fillo for earning the 2017 OSU Distinguished Master's Thesis Award. His thesis reported and analyzed the turbulent flame speed of jet and jet-like fuels. A link to his thesis can be found here.

Tyler Hudson Earns the MIME First Year GRA Award 2016-2017:
Congratulations to Tyler Hudson for earning the MIME First Year GRA Award 2016-2017. Tyler made significant progress toward an archival publication while simultaneously working as a teaching assistant.

Blunck Group Students Research Hypersonic Vehicles and Detonation-Based Propulsion at Air Force Research Laboratory:
Four current or former graduate students from the group were invited to perform research at the Air Force Research Laboratory this summer, 2017. Their research is related to hypersonic vehicles, using detonation for propulsion, and applying laser diagnostics to better understand flames. Follow this link for an image of the students at the AFRL. The students received stellar feedback from their supervisors, which included description such as: "He appears to be careful, calculated, diligent, and independent...all of the things that I think will make him a great researcher" and "He's motivated and eager to work on everything. That's the best thing you can ask for from a summer intern".

Wildfire Research by the Blunck Group Highlighted in Terra magazine:
Research that the Blunck group is performing identifying the physical and chemical processes which control the formation of embers was recently highlighted in the Terra magazine. The magazine showcases research being performed at Oregon State University and its impact on the world.

AJ Fillo and the Emmy Award-Winning Video Dads Collaborate on New STEM Video Series, Library Laboratory:
AJ Fillo, CIRE Lab Ph.D. candidate, and the Emmy award-winning Video Dads joined up with the Corvallis Benton-County Public Library to make an awesome STEM education video showcasing the lab. Check it out. 

Aaron (AJ) Fillo's Presentation Receives First Place at the Graduate School Exposition for the College of Engineering:
AJ's presentation reported his work in measuring the turbulent flame speed of large hydrocarbon fuels. His work was very well received, including by the University President.  

Aaron (AJ) Fillo Successfully Defends His MS Thesis:
AJ successfully defended his thesis entitled, “The Global Consumption Speeds of Premixed Large-Hydrocarbon Fuel Air Turbulent Bunsen Flames.”  His pioneering research has provided the most extensive turbulent flame speeds measurements for jet fuels ever reported.  Multiple gas turbine engine manufacturers and government researchers are interested in his research.  He will stay at OSU as he pursues a PhD and performs computational research about turbulent combustion of jet fuels.

Detonation Research at Propulsion Laboratory Highlighted on Front Page of the Corvallis Gazette-Times:
Research into building and testing a pulse detonation engine was discussed in a recent article in the local newspaper: [Research starts off with a bang]. This research is part of a 2.5 year effort funded by the Department of Energy.

Eric Walters Successfully Defended His MS Thesis and has Started Working at SpaceX:
Eric was successful in defending his thesis, “Stability and Liftoff of Non-premixed Large Hydrocarbon Flames in MILD Conditions.” MILD combustion is a mode of combustion which forms less pollution than other types. He was the first person to fundamentally investigate MILD combustion of jet fuels. He is now working at SpaceX in the propulsion group.

Dr. Blunck Invited to Give Seminar at Pennsylvania State University:
Dr. Blunck was invited to give an invited seminar to graduate student in the Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Department at The Pennsylvania State University. In the seminar series, distinguished speakers present lectures that expose graduate students to the latest technologies and research.

Dr. Blunck Receives an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award:
The Dr. Blunck received a Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research for research entitled, “Ignition, Deflagration, and Detonation Behavior of Fuel and Oxidizer Mixed with Combustion Products.” This is one of the most prestigious awards given to a young faculty member.  This research has application to current and advanced propulsion platforms.   The Navy will provide $600K for three years.  This funding will support two PhD students, enable development of a flow tube and a detonation tube with optical access, and allow purchasing a high speed camera and schlieren system.
http://mime.oregonstate.edu/prestigious-national-awards-three-young-professors

Fellowship Created for a Lead Graduate Student Researcher at the Propulsion Laboratory:
A fellowship has been created for a graduate student to oversee research and safety at the Propulsion Laboratory and develop demonstrations and experiments for classes. Daniel Capan is the recipient for the next two years.  This fellowship has been enabled by the recent success of aeronautic and astronautic research projects/research and donations from the OSU Foundation.

Eric Zeuthen Successfully Defends His MS Research:
Eric Zeuthen successfully defended his MS thesis entitled, “Radiation Emissions from Turbulent Diffusion Flames Burning Large Hydrocarbon Fuels.”  He is now performing research at the National Energy and Technology Laboratory in Albany, Oregon.  He is working with a  team researching using a magnetohydrodynamic system to extract electricity from a supersonic flame.

Research at the Propulsion Laboratory Discussed on Front Page of Campus Newspaper:
Research and projects at the Propulsion Laboratory were featured on the front page of the campus newspaper, The Dailey Barometer, for “making loud noises.”  A link to the article is shown below.  The article acknowledges recent successes in firing the detonation tube and rocket testing.
http://www.orangemedianetwork.com/daily_barometer/propulsion-laboratory-...

Smoldering Research Discussed in College of Engineering Magazine “Momentum!” in the Spring 2016 Issue:
The article discussed the forthcoming research identifying physical and chemical processes which control smoldering combustion.  This research will be starting during the summer of 2016 and involve a total of 3 PhD students as well as a collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service. (Link to Article)

Alumni Sebastian Okhavat Performing Hypersonic Research at Air Force Research Laboratory:
Sebastian, who graduated in December of 2015 from the CIRE group, is working with researchers at Air Force Research Laboratory investigating the physics of ignition in scramjet combustors.  He was hired for his expertise in infrared thermography, a capability that the hypersonic group wants to develop.  He is leading efforts in applying infrared thermography as a diagnostics tool which can be used for investigating these challenging combustion environments.

CIRE Group Cited for the Research Which will be Performed Investigating Smoldering Combustion:
http://www.ktvz.com/news/OSU-study-to-examine-smoldering-combustion-in-wildfires/37067182

Dr. Blunck Receives a Endowed Position as a Welty Faculty Fellowship:
Dr. Blunck and the CIRE group are the recipients of an endowed position from the School.   This was the result of recent successes of the group.  The three year appointment will provide discretionary funds to support student development, travel, infrastructure upgrades, and research.  The contributions of donors to the endowment are gratefully acknowledged.  These funds will further accelerate the contributions of the group to scientific and industrial communities.

CIRE Group to Lead 5 Year 2 Million Dollar Effort Investigating Smoldering Combustion:
The Strategic Environment Research Development Program (SERDP) recently announced (insert link shown below) that OSU has been selected to lead a 5 year effort investigating smoldering combustion in forest fires.  The CIRE group will have 2 to 3 PhD students investigating the physical and chemical processes which control smoldering combustion.  Collaborators on this project include Dr. Kyle Niemeyer (OSU) and Dr. Bret Butler and Hao Wei Min (USDA FS).  This project will start in the summer of 2016.  A link to the OSU press release is shown here.

Propulsion Laboratory Established:
The CIRE group has partnered with Dr. Nancy Squires and the OSU AIAA club to establish a Propulsion Laboratory on campus.  This laboratory, the only such in the Pacific Northwest, offers unparalleled opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student development.  The remote test capabilities of the laboratory allow testing and evaluation of advanced concepts which are not possible at many other universities.  Moreover, undergraduate and graduate students work alongside each other in the laboratory on club or research projects.  This unique environment provides tremendous experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to lead efforts in industry, government, and academia. Current projects include evaluating solid rocket motor fuels, evaluation of a hybrid rocket motor, a pulse detonation engine for operation on coal, and an external combustor for a JetCat gas turbine engine.

Dr. Blunck Named the Pacific Northwest AIAA Young Engineer of the Year (2014 – 2015):
Dr. Blunck was selected from candidates from Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Idaho as the 2014-2015 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Young Engineer of the Year for the Pacific Northwest. The selection was based on his contributions to AIAA, professional and educational accomplishments, community and civic involvement, and awards. This is a great boost to the CIRELab and the AIAA program at Oregon State University.

Aaron Fillo - NSF Fellowship:
A PhD candidate in the CIRELab, will receive the prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Only about 10% of applicants received the award. This award will cover his tuition and stipend for three years and is nationally recognized for graduate student excellence. A link to the announcement is shown here.

Seniors Successfully Build Afterburner:
A senior design team recently completed designing, building, and demonstrating an afterburner for a JetCat engine. JetCat’s are small gas turbine engines used for applications such as remote control aircraft. This project was funded by Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) with the goal of providing practical problems for engineering students. This project was very successful, as demonstrated by the video, and feedback from AFRL. (Video)

Feedback from AFRL:
“THAT IS FREAKING SWEET!  PLEASE TELL YOUR STUDENTS THAT I'M PUMPED ABOUT THAT VIDEO.  THEY ARE AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL TIMELINE FOR WHEN STUDENT TEAMS WOULD HAVE A WORKING PROTOTYPE."

From the Developer of the First and only Pulse Detonation Powered Aircraft and Former AIAA Engineer of the Year:
"WOW - YOU HIT THAT ONE OUT OF THE PARK! GREAT JOB."

Collaboration with Hypersonic Group:
Dr. Blunck worked with the Hypersonic Sciences Group at Air Force Research Laboratory to study ignition in a scramjet combustor using infrared thermography. This was one of the first times that infrared thermography has been successfully used to study flows in a windowed combustor. Results from this pioneering effort will be presented at the 9th US Combustion Meeting and in a peer-reviewed publication.

Design Team:
Three undergraduate students, Travis Gilner, Diana Standish and Travis Campbell, had a Capstone project sponsored by Erickson Aviation to design a heat transfer system for the oil cooler blower used on their heavy-lift helicopters.   This was an important project for Erickson; fire-fighting helicopters were being grounded by shut-down of a thermal switch in the oil-cooler blower.  CIRELab graduate students Aaron FIllo and Eric Walters were instrumental in helping students use an infrared camera to detect hot spots in the blower.  Infrared images proved to be an important part of the evaluation performed on the device.  The redesign of the faceplate and a new ducted fan showed excellent improvement in heat transfer.