Title: Experimental Study of the Turbulence Level at the Intake of an Open Circuit Wind Tunnel
Abstract: In the planning and design of a new wind tunnel the choice between closed and open-circuit types is a very important one. If on one hand the open –circuit solution is attractive for its low price and continuous fresh test air, on the other hand the test section flow quality is potentially affected by external winds. This sensitivity becomes especially critical at low-test speeds. Although many open-circuit wind tunnels have been built, there have been some problems either of low operating efficiency or sensitivity to external winds, or both. In this respect both ends of the tunnel are objects of concern. In the present paper, however, the authors concentrate their attention to the wind tunnel inlet section. At the Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica a non-return wind tunnel is currently under design. The test section flow quality requirements are very strict and the test-section turbulence level is to be as low as 0.05% of the mean flow kinetic energy. To insure that the desired turbulence level and flow uniformity at the test section is achieved the tunnel will have a 10:1 contraction, a honey comb and three screens with provision for an extra one. Further, the 35meter long facility has its inlet section, the contraction and the test section inside a 25x10 room. The diffuser, the fan section and the exit section are mounted outside the laboratory room. Figure 1 shows the tunnel layout. Although its position inside the laboratory is beneficial as does not expose the inlet section directly to the outside wind it also arises following concerns: (i) to operate the wind tunnel a large 6mx2.5m door will have to be open. Both side ends of this door will generate a shear layer exactly in front of the facility air intake (ii) the tunnel inlet section is not symmetrical in respect to the laboratory’s walls, being much closer to the one on its right-hand side. The 3.8m wide by 3.16 m high inlet is only about 20 cm away from both the floor and the ceiling of the room. In order to quantify these influences on the mean velocity distribution and on the turbulence level, at the tunnel air intake, an experimental study was made on a 1/10 scale model of the part of the tunnel to be built inside the lab.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-06-21
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 3
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