USGS Team: Aimee Ishimwe, Rachel Freeman, Rebeca Castro, Phaidra Martin
2023-2024: In collaboration with USGS, this student team designed and fabricated an economical Venturi flow meter system. Part of the USGS, the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory focuses on fish passage and hydraulic research. The goal for this project was to accurately measure the flow of water through an experimental set-up at the S.O. Conte facility to assess the climbing abilities of sea lamprey.
After determining the key project requirements and exploring Venturi functionality and components, the team iterated through conceptual design, prototyping, and testing. The team conducted the project in three main phases, moving from small-scale (1″ inner diameter) at Smith, to full-scale (4″ inner diameter) at Smith, to full-scale at USGS. Through the testing at Smith and USGS, the team refined the Venturi’s throat-to-inlet-diameter ratio and outlet angle, determined 3D-printer settings for the device, and evaluated and integrated the data collection and storage components. The team’s final design includes a 3D-printed Venturi, scalable CAD file, electronic system for data collection, calibration curve, and user manual.