In Chapman Hall, there is a three-chamber tank that holds up to 13,500 gallons of water known as the Wave Maker. This generator allows the UNC Fluids Lab team to conduct experiments and study interval waves, rogue waves, and tsunamis.
The past Comp 523 team that worked on this project created a GUI for the Wave Maker, using a python library, pylogix, and Studio 5000. The GUI made the setup process more convenient and provided the UNC Fluids team with a way to control the 30-channel system of 30 motors that force water through the channels.
Our team will be building on the former comp 523 team’s success to improve the Wave Maker’s interface software. The goal is to try to understand the existing feedback to control the 30 piston engine using machine learning. In order to do this, our team decided to add a feedback database, testing, and fix prior bugs to make progress towards the lab’s goal.