Facilities, Instrumentation, and Other Equipment

Construction of the Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory on the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's East campus was completed in NovemberÌýof 2015. The Low-Speed Research Wind Tunnel was installed in October of 2015 and a thorough qualification of the flow qualitiy will be conductedÌýduring the SpringÌý2016ÌýSemester. The architectural design of the building was performed by Chistopher Herr Architects, who put signficant thought into configuring the brick work to artisticallyÌýdisplay the wind sweeping across the building's exterior.

Below is a breif listing of the test facilities, instrumentation and other equipment in the Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory. For more information about experimental capabilities and possible collaboarations please contact the laboratory directorÌýProfessor John Farnsworth.


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Test Facilities:

Low-Speed Research Wind tunnel

A new a Low-Speed Wind Tunnel facility is currently being built and installed in the Experimental Aeronautics Laboratory. The wind tunnel is an open-return Wenham (Blower) type low-speed tunnel designed and manufactured by . It has aÌý0.8 m square test-section that isÌý5 m long. The tunnel is driven by a 100 HP motor to achieve test section velocities up to approximately 65 m/s (Mach 0.2). Significant portions of theÌýtest section are constructedÌýfrom cast optical-grade acrylic providing unobstructed optical access throughout most of theÌýfield.Ìý

High-Speed (Compressible) Nozzle

Origonally constructed as part of an AES senior project the high-speed (or compressible) flow test cart is currently being refurbished to investigate novel methods for thrust vectoring in high-speedÌýnozzles. This apparatus can be reconfigured to test a variety of high-sped flows fromÌýfree jets to small scale supersonic confined flows.Ìý

ITLL Educational Wind Tunnel

The Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department maintains and opperates a small-scale Eiffel Configuration Windtunnel for educational laboratory assignements in the at the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. The wind tunnel was built by Ìýand has a 0.3 m square test section that is 0.6 m long. It cam achieve test section air speeds from 4.5 m/s to 65 m/s.

Instrumentation:

Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry System

The stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV) system, which was purchased from ,Ìýconsists primaryilyÌýof twoÌýof 2560 x 2160 pixel 16 bit imager SCMOS cameras and a Quantel Evergreen 200 532 nm dual pulsed Nd-YAG laserÌýwith 200 mJ maximum energy output. The figures at the left show a similar SPIV configuration in another facility.

Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry System

Pressure Scanners

Multiple 16 channel reside within the laboratory. These are used jointly for both research and educational purposes between the research facilities and the ITLL Wind Tunnel.Ìý

Scanivalve DSA 3217 Pressure Scanner

Hot-Wire Anemometry System

A five channel is also present in the lab. This system utilizesÌýa wide selection of probes including Dantec probes and Tao Systems Sen-Flex hot-film sensors.

AN-1003 Multi-channel Hot-wire Anemometry System