David Johnson

Professor
David Johnson

Contact information

Phone: 519-888-4567 x33690
Location: E3 2135D

Website

David Johnson

Biography summary

David Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

His research interests are in the development and application of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to flows, the measurement techniques for internal flows, the turbulent recirculation flows, jet and nozzle flows, wind energy and wind turbines, large scale PIV and measurement techniques, as well as the incompressible flow turbomachinery.

Professor Johnson currently leads, and is also the founder of, the Wind Energy Research Group (WEG) at the university. The WEG works with wind turbine aerodynamics and aeroacoustics (noise). Professor Johnson and his team have several publications on incompressible flow turbomachinery, pump internal velocity measurements, fan design and performance measurement, and experimental and numerical studies of turbulent recirculating flows. Ever since working at the Ontario Hydro Research Division in the late 1980s, Professor Johnson has been involved in renewable energy research in Canada and Denmark.

In addition, he has lectured and published widely on measurement techniques for wind turbine aerodynamics, the performance of turbine airfoils, as well as developed innovative aeroacoustic measurement techniques for wind turbines.

Research interests

  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Measurements
  • Simulations
  • Wind Energy and Wind Turbines
  • Large Scale PIV and Measurement Techniques
  • Turbomachinery
  • Pump and Fan Design and Testing
  • Wind Energy
  • Renewable Energy
  • Design
  • Aerodynamics
  • Acoustics
  • Hydrodynamics

Education

  • 1994, Doctorate, Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University
  • 1988, Master's, Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University
  • 1986, Bachelor's, Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University

Courses*

  • ME 351 - Fluid Mechanics 1
    • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
  • ME 563 - Turbomachines
    • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
  • ME 595 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
    • Taught in 2023, 2024
  • ME 765 - Special Topics in Fluid Mechanics
    • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

Selected/recent publications

  • F Samara, DA Johnson, Experimental load measurement on a yawed wind turbine and comparison to FAST, Journal of Physics: Conference Series , 032031, 1618 ((032031), 2021
    Link
  • A Zilstra, DA Johnson, Computational aeroacoustic prediction of trailing edge noise for small wind turbines, Journal of Physics: Conference Series ,1618 (4), 042010, 1618 ((042010), 2021
    Link
  • Samara, Farid and Johnson, David A, Dynamic Stall on Pitching Cambered Airfoil with Phase Offset Trailing Edge Flap, AIAA Journal, 58(7), 2020, 2844 - 2856
  • Samara, Farid and Johnson, David A, Deep dynamic stall and active aerodynamic modification on a S833 airfoil using pitching trailing edge flap, Wind Engineering, 030952, 2020
  • F Samara, DA Johnson, In-blade measurements of cyclic loading on yawed turbines with trailing edge flap, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1452(012061), 2020
  • McKinnon, Michael and Johnson, David A, Wind turbine wake effect visualization and LiDAR measurement techniques, Transactions of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, 43(4), 2019, 490 - 498
  • Moscardi, Andrea and Johnson, David A, A compact in-blade five hole pressure probe for local inflow study on a horizontal axis wind turbine, Wind Engineering, 2016
  • TE Gallant, DA Johnson, In-blade angle of attack measurement and comparison with models, Journal of Physics: Conference Series 753 (7), 072007, 2016
  • Moscardi, A and Johnson, David A., A compact in-blade five hole pressure probe for local inflow study on a horizontal axis wind turbine, Wind Engineering, 2016
  • Johnson, David A and Gu, Mingyao and Gaunt, Brian, Wind Turbine Performance in Controlled Conditions: BEM Modeling and Comparison with Experimental Results, International Journal of Rotating Machinery, 2016, 2016
  • Gharali, Kobra and Johnson, David A and Lam, Vivian and Gu, Mingyao, A 2D Blade Element Study of a Wind Turbine Rotor Under Yaw Loads, Wind Engineering, 39(5), 2015, 557 - 567
  • Gharali, K. and Johnson, David A. and Lam, V. and Gu, M., A 2D Blade Element Study of a Wind Turbine Rotor Under Yaw Loads, WIND ENGINEERING, 39(5), 2015, 557 - 568
  • Samara, F and Johnson, DA, Experimental load measurement on a yawed wind turbine and comparison to FAST, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1 2020
  • Zilstra, Alison and Johnson, David A, Computational aeroacoustic prediction of trailing edge noise for small wind turbines, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1 2020

Graduate studies