Howard Wilson Emmons
Encyclopedia
Howard Wilson Emmons was a professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering
at Harvard University
. During his career he conducted original research on fluid mechanics
, combustion
and fire safety
. Today he is most widely known for his pioneering work in the field of fire safety engineering. He has been called "the father of modern fire science" for his contribution to the understanding of flame propagation and fire dynamics. He also helped design the first supersonic
wind tunnel
, identified a signature of the transition to turbulence
in boundary layer
flows (now known as "Emmons spots"), and was the first to observe compressor stall
in a gas turbine compressor (still a major item of research today). He was eventually awarded the Timoshenko Medal
by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
and the 1968 Sir Alfred Egerton Gold Medal from The Combustion Institute
.
Upon Professor Emmons' death, Professor Patrick Pagni wrote:
He continues to be remembered through the Emmons Lecture at International Symposium of The International Association for Fire Safety Science and the Howard W. Emmons Distinguished Scholar Endowment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
.
Harvard University Thesis (S.D.), 1938.
Gas dynamics tables for air
Dover: New York, NY, 1947.
Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics
Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ, 1958.
Fluid mechanics and combustion
Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Combustion, p. 1-18
Pittsburgh, Pa., Combustion Institute, 1971.
“The Further History of Fire Science” Combustion Science and Technology, 40,
1984 (reprinted in Fire Technology, 21(3), 1985 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01039976)
by Wilbert James Lick, Howard Wilson Emmons
Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, 1962.
Transport properties of helium from 200 to 50.000°K
by Wilbert James Lick, Howard Wilson Emmons
Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, 1965.
The fire whirl
by Howard W. Emmons and Shuh-Jing Ying
Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Combustion, p. 475-486
Pittsburgh, Pa., Combustion Institute, 1967.
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. During his career he conducted original research on fluid mechanics
Fluid mechanics
Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids and the forces on them. Fluid mechanics can be divided into fluid statics, the study of fluids at rest; fluid kinematics, the study of fluids in motion; and fluid dynamics, the study of the effect of forces on fluid motion...
, combustion
Combustion
Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame...
and fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
. Today he is most widely known for his pioneering work in the field of fire safety engineering. He has been called "the father of modern fire science" for his contribution to the understanding of flame propagation and fire dynamics. He also helped design the first supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
, identified a signature of the transition to turbulence
Turbulence
In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a flow regime characterized by chaotic and stochastic property changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid variation of pressure and velocity in space and time...
in boundary layer
Boundary layer
In physics and fluid mechanics, a boundary layer is that layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a bounding surface where effects of viscosity of the fluid are considered in detail. In the Earth's atmosphere, the planetary boundary layer is the air layer near the ground affected by diurnal...
flows (now known as "Emmons spots"), and was the first to observe compressor stall
Compressor stall
A compressor stall is a situation of abnormal airflow resulting from a stall of the aerofoils within the compressor of a jet engine. Stall is found in dynamic compressors, particularly axial compressors, as used in jet engines and turbochargers for reciprocating engines.Compressor stalls result in...
in a gas turbine compressor (still a major item of research today). He was eventually awarded the Timoshenko Medal
Timoshenko Medal
The Timoshenko Medal is an award given annually by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to an individual"in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics."...
by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
and the 1968 Sir Alfred Egerton Gold Medal from The Combustion Institute
The Combustion Institute
The Combustion Institute is an educational non-profit, international, scientific and engineering society whose purpose is to promote and disseminate research in combustion science...
.
Upon Professor Emmons' death, Professor Patrick Pagni wrote:
"It is not possible to properly summarize the magnitude of Professor Emmons' unique contributions to the establishment of fire safety science as a discipline, other than to call him "Mr. Fire Research".
He continues to be remembered through the Emmons Lecture at International Symposium of The International Association for Fire Safety Science and the Howard W. Emmons Distinguished Scholar Endowment at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private university located in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States.Founded in 1865 in Worcester, WPI was one of the United States' first engineering and technology universities...
.
Biography
- Born in Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New JerseyMorristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
on August 30, 1912. - Bachelors of ScienceBachelors Of ScienceBachelors of Science is the stage name of Phil "Rene", Chris and Lukeino. They met in California and formed a successful act, quickly becoming one of the top drum and bass producers in the electronic music scene...
in Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
in 1933. - Master of ScienceMaster of ScienceA Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
in 1935. - Doctor of ScienceDoctor of ScienceDoctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
in Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
for Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1938.- Advisors were John Finnie Downie Smith and Charles Harold Berry.
- Worked briefly for Westinghouse and the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. - Professor at Harvard from 1940 onwards.
- Notable student was Richard Ernest KronauerRichard Ernest KronauerRichard Ernest Kronauer is currently the Gordon McKay Professor of Mechanical Engineering, emeritus, at Harvard University. Though experienced with research in both fluid mechanics and applied mathematics, he is primarily known for his pioneering work in mathematical biology, especially research...
, who later became an expert on human circadian rhythms.
- Notable student was Richard Ernest Kronauer
- US National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
member in 1965. - US National Academy of Science member in 1966.
- Wife Dorothy
- Children Beverly, Scott, and Keith
- Died November 20, 1998
Awards and honors
- Honorary ScD from Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, 1963 - US National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of EngineeringThe National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
member, 1965 - US National Academy of Science member, 1966
- Egerton Gold Medal from the Combustion Institute, 1968
- 100th Anniversary Medal from Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, 1970 - Timoshenko MedalTimoshenko MedalThe Timoshenko Medal is an award given annually by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to an individual"in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics."...
from ASME, 1971 - Stevens Honor Award Medallion from Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, 1970 - Named Fire Protection Man of the Year by the Society of Fire Protection EngineersSociety of Fire Protection EngineersThe Society of Fire Protection Engineers is a professional society for fire protection engineering established in 1950. SFPE publishes the Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, published on behalf of the society by SAGE Publications and Fire Protection Engineering magazine is published...
, 1982 - Office of Naval Research Prize from the American Physical SocietyAmerican Physical SocietyThe American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, 1982
Sole Author
The Drop Condensation of VaporsHarvard University Thesis (S.D.), 1938.
Gas dynamics tables for air
Dover: New York, NY, 1947.
Fundamentals of Gas Dynamics
Princeton University Press: Princeton NJ, 1958.
Fluid mechanics and combustion
Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Combustion, p. 1-18
Pittsburgh, Pa., Combustion Institute, 1971.
“The Further History of Fire Science” Combustion Science and Technology, 40,
1984 (reprinted in Fire Technology, 21(3), 1985 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01039976)
Joint
Thermodynamic properties of helium to 50.000°Kby Wilbert James Lick, Howard Wilson Emmons
Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, 1962.
Transport properties of helium from 200 to 50.000°K
by Wilbert James Lick, Howard Wilson Emmons
Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA, 1965.
The fire whirl
by Howard W. Emmons and Shuh-Jing Ying
Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Combustion, p. 475-486
Pittsburgh, Pa., Combustion Institute, 1967.
See also
- Howard W Emmons, Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, Volume 10 (2002) National Academy of Engineering http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10403&page=76
- TV show where Howard Emmons speaks of the 1980 MGM Las Vegas fire and of the fire code Harvard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I1jg1YapBw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fedinburghfireresearch.blogspot.com%2F&feature=player_embedded
- The Web of Mechanicians