Naoki Manzano Miura

Dr. Manzano Miura specializes in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, statistical analysis, and experimental design. He applies his expertise in areas that include origin and cause investigations of fires and explosions, analysis of thermal or flow-driven failures, and laboratory testing of mechanical and hydraulic systems. Additionally, he has experience performing inspections to quantify contamination from wildland fires. Dr. Manzano Miura also has conducted third-party investigations to analyze relevant codes and standards as well as state and federal regulations for the assessment of large-scale industrial fires and near-miss incidents. 

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Manzano Miura was a graduate student researcher in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department at Cornell University. He performed experiments in high-speed turbulent compressible shear layers generated within a specialized pressure vessel that quantifies the effects of widely variable densities, viscosities and speeds of sound on fluid mechanics and turbulence. He used hot-wire anemometry principles to study the dynamics of turbulent fluctuations in compressible environments for a vast range of physical scales. He wrote data acquisition codes and data processing codes to improve the experimental setup and to interpret complex high-frequency data. His research on compressible turbulence has applications many natural and engineered settings, including high-speed aircraft and scramjets, astrophysical flows, and inertial confinement fusion. Dr. Manzano Miura acquired significant experience with instrumentation and techniques for fluid velocity measurement and with the development and fabrication of nanoscale turbulence sensors using semiconductor manufacturing techniques in a cleanroom.  Additionally, he has led multiple wind tunnel projects, performed field experiments to study animal flight, and implemented modern manufacturing methods for centrifugal compressors. He also has experience with using high-speed imaging and developing particle tracking algorithms to quantify swirling flows in oil pipes, and with working with engineering teams to design condensate tanks, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers.