Join us on October 26 at 3:30 p.m. for this Sustainable Energy Seminar presentation by Prateek Jaiswal, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UW-Madison.

Abstract

Noise is one of the most common reasons wind projects face local opposition or setback restrictions, and aircraft noise shapes where and when airports can operate. Drones and electric air taxis will similarly need public acceptance before their wide scale adoption. Much of this noise comes from the movement of blades and turbulent air flow over such surfaces. The turbulent flow is also what leads to resistance the object feels moving through such a gust of air and flow-induced vibrations. This talk introduces aeroacoustics, the science of how moving air creates sound, an inherently multiphysics subject, and air turbulence, making it a multi-scale problem. The science seeks to answer everyday question: why does a spinning wind turbine blade make a “whoosh” noise? The talk then looks inside the Turbulence and Aeroacoustics group at UW–Madison, where wind-tunnel experiments, high-speed laser imaging of airflow, microphone arrays, and computer simulations reveal how turbulence produces noise and drag. Examples include blades operating in difficult conditions, such as at high angles in gusty wind, and surfaces designed to change how turbulence behaves. The talk closes by connecting these findings to practical goals: quieter wind turbines that can be sited closer to where people live, more efficient vehicles with lower emissions, and lasting energy infrastructure.

Registration

This event is offered online only through Zoom Webinar. Registration is required through Zoom. Click here to register for this and all other webinars as part of the Sustainable Energy Seminar series in Fall 2026.