Dr E Tobin, Dr A Keppel
Applications accepted all year round
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Project Objectives
Produce a 3D model of a current successful dimple pattern design.
Investigate the flow characteristics of a golf ball to identify the efficiency of a specific dimple pattern.
Identify the characteristics of a new dimple pattern.
Methodology proposed
A golf ball is restricted by the distance it can travel when launched at a specific velocity under the rules of the USGA and the R&A. Various dimple patterns will produce the desired distance under the specific test standards. The validation and development of a dimple pattern capable of operating within the rules provides the possibility to commercialise a new golf ball. A current professional golf ball will be used as baseline and control to model the aerodynamics. Laser imaging techniques will be used to produce a valid 3D model of a current professional golf ball. Using FLUENT, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the golf ball aerodynamics will be developed. The model will incorporate the Spin of the ball as a variable. A second golf ball design currently in production with Seed Golf will be analysed within the parameters of the developed model. This will allow the evaluation of the Lift and Drag generated with variable Spin values. Further to the model validation, a new dimple pattern will be developed which will provide the basis for a new golf ball design. The distance travelled by the ball will be computed using the outputs form the CFD model.
Expected outcomes: (e.g. deliverables & strategic impacts)
Two journal publications, Sports Engineering and Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology.
Conference paper in suitable CFD conference. Publication of data in a sports magazine.
New golf ball dimple pattern with Seed Golf
Strengthen collaborative links between engCORE and Seed Golf to pursue future research funding.
Research Core / Group
EngCORE http://www.engcore.ie
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