Wind Tunnels Lab

Located at Kaufman Hall 143

Wing and Probe Assembly in High-Speed Section

Supersonic wind tunnel

Laser Sheet Wingtip Vortex Flow Visualization (MAE 406 class lab)

Check Standard Model Testing

Dynamic Quadrotor Test

Setting Up Tilt-Rotor Test in High-Speed Test Section



 

Wing and Probe Assembly in High-Speed Section
supersonic wind tunnelâ€
Laser Sheet Wingtip Vortex Flow Visualization (MAE 406 class lab)
Check Standard Model Testing
Dynamic Quadrotor Test
Setting Up Tilt-Rotor Test in High-Speed Test Section

Wing and Probe Assembly in High-Speed Section

Supersonic wind tunnel

Laser Sheet Wingtip Vortex Flow Visualization (MAE 406 class lab)

Check Standard Model Testing

Dynamic Quadrotor Test

Setting Up Tilt-Rotor Test in High-Speed Test Section



 

Directed by: Dr. Colin Britcher & Dr. Drew Landman

°Õ³ó±ðÌýWind Tunnel Laboratory houses three different wind tunnels. The most commonly used one being the Closed-Circuit Low-Speed Wind Tunnel. There is also an Open-Circuit Low-Speed Tunnel with 6" Test Section. Finally, the laboratory houses a Supersonic Wind Tunnel. This page concentrates on the Closed-Circuit Low-Speed Wind Tunnel.

(Supplied by AeroLab LLC, Laural, MD c. 1971)

Used for undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in;

  • Aerodynamic, aeronautical, automotive, and architectural fields

  • Measurement techniques

  • 125 H.P. motor (variable frequency AC Drive)

  • Computer Control and Data Acquisition

  • 3 by 4 feet, 8 feet long, 55 m/s (123 mph)

  • Turntable and pitch mechanism (2DOF)

  • 7 by 8 feet, 7 feet long, 12 m/s (26 mph)

  • Computer-controlled 3-axis traverse

  • Dynamic stability characteristics of quadrotor (E. Baris)

  • Aerodynamic characterization of low-fineness ratio cylinders (F. Miller)

  • Design of experiments enhanced statistical process control for wind tunnel check standard testing (B. Phillips)

  • Wind tunnel test techniques for low-reynolds number propeller performance enhancement (D. Burnette, E. Konuk, E. Baris)

  • Ship airwake/rotor interaction study (S. Doane, Y. Nacakli, B. Gonzalez)

  • Road vehicle ground wake study (J. Chen)

  • Transport aircraft wake study (B. Sahin, H. Yavas)

  • MagLev Vehicle aerodynamics (M. Wells, B.Renaud)

  • UAV propeller testing for AeroVironment (E. Baris, B. Duvall)

  • Class support for MAE 712, MAE 406, MAE 417 classes

Pressure System:

Closed-Circuit Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Diagram

  • 80-channel high-speed pressure scanners.

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)

  • Evaluates velocity of microscopic smoke particles in a plane illuminated by a pulsed laser light sheet

  • 2-3 velocity components, 1-875-3.5 fps

Hot Wire Anemometer (HWA)

  • Infers velocity from cooling of very fine heated wires placed in flow

  • 1-,2-, 3-components, frequency response >50khz

Force measurement systems

  • Measures 6-component aerodynamic forces and moments

Motion Platform

  • Stewart platform provides dynamic motion for models

UAS test stand

  • Supports quadcopters and small fixed wing UAV’s
  • 6-component force measurement
  • Motor speed control and RPM measurements

UAV Propeller Test Stand

  • Measures propeller 6-component forces and moments
  • Measures propeller RPM
  • Variable incidence angle for tilt-rotor applications

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Contact

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

757-683-4557 office
757-683-5344 fax
Directory

Contact

Interested in using the Wind Tunnels Laboratory? Contact Dr. Colin Britcher or Dr. Drew Landman for additional information. 

Email Dr. Britcher
Email Dr. Landman