The sensor, inspired by seal whiskers, monitors ocean disturbances

In the dark depths of the ocean, seals catch prey with their highly sensitive whiskers that detect vibrations.

The design of those hairs is what inspired a researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas to develop a sensor to monitor turbulence in the deep ocean.

“The geometry of the seal bristles is not circular, and the shape of the bristles is twisted cylinders,” said Dr. Yaqing Jin, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the Eric Johnson School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Gene was recently named an Early Career Fellow in the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for his research on offshore wind turbine safety. He is one of five fellows joining the Offshore Energy Safety track, where their work will focus on contributing to the understanding, management and reduction of systemic risks in offshore energy activities.

“These twisted cylindrical shapes allow seals to sense changes in the ocean environment,” he said. “The same shapes could help us design sensors in the lab to detect changes in water flow that could warn offshore wind turbine operators of dangerous conditions.”

In his Laboratory for Fluids, Turbulence Control, and Renewable Energy, Jin and his research team tested filament-inspired designs in a 6-foot-long transparent rectangular water channel. The pump moves water into the tube at different speeds to simulate the ocean environment. Jain and two co-authors at the University of Texas at Dallas published a 2023 report He studies In the magazine Physical review fluids Analysis of how 3D-printed seal whiskers respond when a target changes its speed or direction. The research also appeared in the journal Physics.

Vibration-sensitive sensors have advantages over traditional underwater sensing technology using sound waves, which can disturb marine life, Jin said.

Technology to monitor extreme conditions in the deep ocean is crucial to expanding offshore wind power. Most wind energy is currently generated by turbines on the ground. Offshore wind is the next opportunity for growth. However, severe storms in the deep ocean can be dangerous for offshore turbines, which are attached to the ocean floor with cables and have “floating” platforms that are not anchored to the sea floor.

The sensor, which provides warnings about dangerous conditions in the deep sea, could save lives by giving technicians time to reach safety, Jin said. The engineer is also working on developing sensors to protect above-water marine turbine parts, including the tower and blades, from wind damage.

Jane’s laboratory includes a sand blasting system with adjustable particle size portions and sand ejection speed. This setup allows researchers to study how sand blowing through the air affects turbine blades or rotorcraft.

“With wind turbines, you don’t want the blades to bend,” he said. “If the winds are too strong, the tower could collapse. The risks to offshore turbines are greater.”

Jin said he joined UT Dallas in 2019 because of the university’s growing wind research programs through the Center for Wind Energy, also known as UTD Wind. He said he has since seen an increase in the number of students who want to prepare for a career in the wind energy industry.

“Clean energy has become one of the big topics around the world,” Jin said. “One of the biggest potential sources of clean energy comes from wind power. In the future, there will be a greater focus on offshore wind production because it can generate more power than land-based turbines.”