PhD - 1991
University of Notre Dame

MS - 1988
University of Notre Dame

BSc - 1986
University of Calgary

Ken’s research interests focus primarily on applied aerodynamics, including areas such as wind turbine design, drag reduction on ground vehicles and aircraft wing design methodology. His current focus is on developing ducted wind turbine technology, a prototype of which has been built on the Clarkson campus. More information can be found on his research website.

• Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Teaching Award, April 2010.
• Clarkson University Phalanx Commendable Leadership Award, April 2010.
• Clarkson University Phalanx Induction, April 2010.
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Educator Award, 2009.
• Kristin Craig Memorial Faculty Recognition Award, 2004.
• Society for Automotive Engineers, Ralph Teeter Educational Aerospace Teaching Award, 2002.
• Boeing 2001 Outstanding Educator Award, October 2001.
• Clarkson University Phalanx Commendable Service Award, April 2000.

Recent

Ignite Grant from Clarkson (Co-PI)
Chunlei Liang, Guangming Yao, Bin Zhang
Amount: $357,100 February 2020

Commercialization of an Aft-Rotor Ducted Turbine (PI)
NYSERDA Ignition Grant, Agreement 151288 (via DWT)
Amount: $89,600 February 12, 2020 – June 11, 2021

Development of an Aft-Rotor Ducted Turbine (PI)
NREL/DOE CIP, Grant NGZ-0-92383-01 (via CAMP from DWT)
Amount: $197,752 December 2019

Syracuse Center Innovation Fund Award (PI)
Agreement No: 0035-2019B-03
Amount: $10,000 October 2019

Syracuse Center Innovation Fund Award (PI)
Agreement No.: 0028-2019A-01
Amount: $9,186 March 2019

Industrial Assessment Satellite Center (PI)
DOE, via Syracuse University
Amount: $125,000 October 2016 – August 2021

Development of a Slotted Shrouded Wind Turbine (PI)
NEXUS-NY – Phase 2
Amount: 43,500 May 2016

Development of a Slotted Shrouded Wind Turbine (PI)
NEXUS-NY – Phase 1
Amount: $10,000 January 2016

Research on Novel Cooling System for Permanent Magnet Motor/Generator for LC Drives (Co-PI)
B. Helenbrook, (Co-PI)
New York State Energy and Research Development Association
Amount: $2,907 March 2015

Industrial Assessment Satellite Center (PI)
DOE
Amount: $125,000 June 2012 – June 2017

Industrial Assessment Center (PI)
DOE Satellite at Clarkson University
Amount: $125,000 September 2016 – August 2021

Woodcrest Digester (Co-PI)
Stefan Grimberg (PI), Shane Rogers National Grid
Amount: $413,744 November 2016

Development of a Slotted Shrouded Wind Turbine (PI)
NEXUS-NY – Phase 1 and 2
Amount: $10,000 January 2016; Amount: $43,500 May 2016

Novel Cooling Magnet Motor (Co-PI)
B. Helenbrook, (Co-PI)
New York State Energy and Research Development Association
Amount: $44,613 September 2013

Visser, K.D., “Aft Rotor Slotted Ducted Wind Turbine,” Patent Number 10,563,635, Issued February 18, 2020

Visser, K.D., “Drag Reduction of a Tractor Trailer Using Guide Vanes” Patent Number: 9,139,238, September 22, 2015.

Visser, K.D., Grover, K. and Marin, L.E., “Sealed Aft Cavity Drag Reducer” Patent Number: 8,641,126, February 4, 2014.

Visser, K.D., Grover, K. and Marin, L.E., “Sealed Aft Cavity Drag Reducer” Patent Number: 8079634, December 20, 2011.

Herrick, L.L., Bays-Muchmore, B., Hoffman, M.S., LeGrand, L., Ogg, S.S., Paul, B.P. Jr., Visser, K.D. and Wells, S.L. "Blunt Leading-Edge Raked WingTips" Patent Number: 6089502, July 18, 2000.

Recent

Kummer, A., DiMeo J., Hebel, M. and Visser, K.D. “On the Use of Cambered Plate Airfoils for Small Wind Turbines” J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1618 (2020) 042001 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1618/4/042001, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1618/4/042001

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., B.T. Helenbrook and Visser, K.D., “Order of Accuracy and Sensitivity to Freestream Conditions p a Modified k-w Turbulence Model for Higher-Order Finite Element Methods”, Proceedings of the ASME 2020 Fluids Engineering Conference, FEDSM2020-13041, July 12 – 16, 2020, Orlando, FL

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., B.T. Helenbrook and Visser, K.D., “Wake Comparison of Open and Ducted Wind Turbines Using Actuator Disc Simulations”, Proceedings of the ASME 2020 Fluids Engineering Conference, FEDSM2020-13083, July 12 – 16, 2020, Orlando, FL

Valyou, D.N. and Visser, K.D.: “Design considerations for a small ducted wind turbine”, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1452 (2020) 012019, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1452/1/012019

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., B.T. Helenbrook and Visser, K.D., “Turbulent Channel Flow with a Modified k-w Turbulence Model for Higher Order Finite Element Methods”, Proceedings of the ASME-JSME-KSME 2019 Joint Fluids Engineering Conference, AJKFLUIDS2019, July 28 – Aug 1, 2019, San Francisco, CA

Kanya, B. and Visser, K. D., “Experimental Validation of a Ducted Wind Turbine Design Strategy”, Wind Energ. Sci., 3, 919-928, Dec 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-3-919-2018

Bagheri-Sadeghi, N., Helenbrook, B. T. and Visser, K. D., “Ducted wind turbine optimization and sensitivity to rotor position”, Wind Energ. Sci., 3, 221-229, April 2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-3-221-2018

Venters, R., Helenbrook, B.T. and Visser, K.D., “Ducted Wind Turbine Optimization”. ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. 2017;140(1):011005-011005-8. doi:10.1115/1.4037741. Feb 2018

Marvin, R.H., Broomfield, D.J., B.T. Helenbrook and Visser, K.D., “Optimum Design of a Lightweight 10MW Propulsion Motor”, August 2017.

Marvin, R.H., B.T. Helenbrook and Visser, K.D., “Predicting motor and generator maximum torque as a function of mass”, Electric Machines and Drives Conference (IEMDC), 2017 IEEE International Electric Machines and Drives Conference (IEMDC), 2017 IEEE International, Miami, FL, May 21-24, 2017.

Kehs, J., Visser, K., Grossmann, J., Horrell, C. and Smith, A., “Experimental and Full Scale Investigation of Base Cavity Drag Reduction Devices for Use on Ground Transport Vehicles”, The Aerodynamics of Heavy Vehicles III: Trucks, Buses, and Trains, Lecture Notes in Applied and Computational Mechanics, Vol. 79, Dillmann, Andreas; Orellano, Alexander; (Eds.), 2016, Hardcover, ISBN: 978-3-319-20121-4

Venters, R., Helenbrook, B. and Visser, K.D., “Ducted Wind Turbine Optimization,” AIAA 2016-3729, AIAA Aviation, 13-17 June 2016, Washington, D.C., 34th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference

Lee, M. and Visser, K.D., “Towards an Effective Nonplanar Wing Design Strategy,” AIAA 2016-4328, AIAA Aviation, 13-17 June 2016, Washington, D.C., 34th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference

Salisbury, A. and Visser, K., “Potential Inaccuracies in Energy Estimates from Standard Wind Turbine Power Curves”, The 2nd International Conference on Future Technologies in Wind Energy (WindTech2015), October 19-21, 2015 - London, Ontario, Canada

Kehs, J., Visser, K., Grossman, J., Niemiec, J. et al., “A Comparison of Full Scale Aft Cavity Drag Reduction Concepts With Equivalent Wind Tunnel Test Results,” SAE Int. J. Commer. Veh. 6(2):2013, doi:10.4271/2013-01-2429.

Streit, T., Visser, K. and Liersch, C., “Minimal Induced Drag for Non-Planar Lifting Surfaces with Moderate and Small Aspect Ratio”, New Results in Numerical and Experimental Fluid Mechanics VII (NNFM) Vol 112, Springer 2010.

Grover, K. and Visser, K.D., “Over-the-Road Tests of Sealed Aft Cavities on Tractor Trailers,” SAE 2006 Transactions Journal of Commercial Vehicles, No. 2006-01-3529, pp.170, March 2007.

Khan, M.A., Pillay, P. and Visser, K.D., “On Adapting a Small PM Wind Generator for a Multi-Blade, High Solidity Wind Turbine,” IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol. 20, No. 3, September 2005.

Bennington, M.A. and Visser, K.D., ”Aerial Refueling Implications for Commercial Transports,” AIAA Journal of Aircraft, Vol. 42, No. 2, March–April 2005

Duquette, M.M., Swanson, J. and Visser, K.D., “Solidity and blade number effects on a fixed pitch, 50W horizontal axis wind turbine,” Wind Engineering, Vol 27, No. 4, pp. 299-316, 2003.

Duquette, M. and Visser, K.D., “Numerical Implications of Solidity and Blade Number on Rotor Performance of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines”, Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Vol. 125, No. 4, pp. 425-432, November 2003.