COMPUTERISED WIND

TUNNEL
 What is a wind tunnel?

 Wind tunnel is a facility that provides a controllable

flow field for investigating various flow phenomena
and testing aerodynamic models.
 It is a tool used in aerodynamic research to study
the effects of air moving past solid objects.
 Why use a wind tunnel?

 Before constucting any aerodynamic model for real,making a

scale down model and checking it(if failsor not) in wind tunnel
will reduce the cost and a thorough testing can be worked out
easily as wind tunnel duplicates the flow environment around a
body.
 Since relative motion between the air and object is established
in a closed chamber where air flows at a high rate but the test
object remains still(scientifically the same with real case where
object moves)testing becomes easier.
 CLASSIFICATION

 Aeronautical tunnels.
 Automobile tunnels.
 Aeroacoustic tunnels.
Classifying by flow speed
 Subsonic(M<.8)
 Transonic(.8<M<1.2)
 Supersonic(1.2<M<5.0)
 Hypersonic(M>5)
1. Open Type.
2. Close Type.
 CLASSIFICATION

Depending on air pressure and turbulence

 Atmospheric.
 Variable density.
 High altitude tunnels.
 Heavy gas tunnels,pressurized tunnels.
Or by their size
 Full scale.
 Scale down model.
 Digital model.(Using CFD)
Open wind tunnel
•Straightens the air
flow.
•The less turbulence
there is the better wind
tunnel will simulate
actual flying conditions.
•Usuallyincludesahoneycombflow
straightenerandwiremesh
smoothingscreensthatproducea
smoothairflow;effectiveatreducing
swirlingcurrentsinthetunnel
airflow.

The Settling Chamber

Purpose: take a
large volume of
low-velocity air
andreduceit to a
small volume of
high- velocity
air.

The Contraction Core

•Modelsofwingsorplanesareplaced
here.

•Asairflowisbroughttothedesired
velocity,sensorsmeasureforces,suchas
liftanddrag,onthetestarticle.

•Lift is theforceonthewing
oppositetotheforceof gravity.

•Liftholdsaplaneintheair.

•Drag istheforceonthewinginthe
directionoftheairflow.Anenginemust
overcomethisforcetomoveinaplane
throughthe air.

The Test Section

•Wheretheair coming
outofthetestsection
slowsdownpriorto
exhaustingor
recirculating.

•Adevicetolowertheair
flowspeed,consequently
reducethepressureloss
duetofriction.

The Diffuser
 provides the force that
causesairto
movethroughthe tunnel
Fandrive:providesa
pressureincreaseof flow,
toovercomethe pressure
lossinthe tunnelcircuit.

The drive section

 Governing Equations

Lift and drag are equal to the

Dynamic pressure X Surface area X Coefficient
Coefficients are function of angle of attack,Model
geometry and mach number.
L =½ρv^2 *S*CL
D=½ρv^2 *S*CD
 Nomenclature

 Dynamic Pressure =½ρv^2

 ρ= Density of air
 v=Air velocity
 Surface area, S=Chord*span
 Chord is Wing Length.
 Span is Wing Width.
 Governing equation notes

 The lift and drag can be changed by changing

angleof attack or speed.The surface area can also be
adjusted.If a water tunnel is available,working fluid
can also be variable.
 During course of an experiment,it is important to
vhange only one variable at a time.
 Flow Visualization Techniques

 Flow visualization illustrates the flowon or near the

object.On the surface,Regions of reverse flow
becomes visible.
 Yarn tufts,Tuft probe,Tuft grid.
 Smoke wand,Smoke wire.
 Trailing edge cone.
 Anemometer is used to measure air speed.
 CFD in wind tunnel test

 Computation have already displaced experiments in

ballistics,celestial mechanics as the means of
obtaining dynamic solution.In the case of
Aerodynamics,the complexity of computational
work involved in solving the N-S equation is the
reason that such investigation rely mainly on wind
tunnel testing.
 CFD for wind tunnel

Advantages Disadvantages

 Computer models are  Very detailed fluid

good for trying different dynamic calculation
ideas and making requires large amount of
predictions. computing power and this
takes time and money.
 Cost effective.
 Less accurate than actual
 Faster to create model wind tunnels.
and taste.
 Modelling Comparison

1. Geometry and external condition modelling

:Approximations made of the geometry and the
external conditions defined in the problem.
2. Numerical Discretization:
How the external flow domain is discretized numerically.
3.Turbulence Modelling: How the external physics is
represented(Euler,N-S,Re etc.).
 Conclusion

 Although Current numerical simulation is ahead to wind tunnel in

the area of geometry and external conditions but mainly week on
the area of turbulence Modelling.
 Current situation is that numerical simulation in stead of WT is
used wherevtubulence modelling is not highly demanded by
accuracy demands or physics complexity.
 With the mostpromising current techniques such as DNS(direct
numerical simulation),LES(Large eddy Simulation);probably in
next 30 years wind tunnel might be truly computerised.