MEET 3940: Fluid Mechanics Applications 1

Department of Engineering Technology

Instructor: Dr. Maurizio Manzo
TA: MSc. Alberto A. Canales Cantu

LABORATORY SESSION #5
VELOCITY MEASUREMENT IN A WIND TUNNEL

FALL 2019
MEET 3940: Fluid Mechanics Applications 2
Department of Engineering Technology
Instructor: Dr. Maurizio Manzo
TA: MSc. Alberto A. Canales Cantu

OBJECTIVE

To become familiar with the use of wind tunnels to study the types of flow patterns and their effects
on objects under their influence.
THEORETICAL BASIS

The velocity distribution in a channel depends on the flow regime. Flows can be either laminar,
turbulent, or transition, as determined by the Reynolds’ number (Re). The flow becomes
turbulent at the critical Reynolds’ number, Rec, which depends on the fluid and the channel
geometry. Equation 1 gives the definition of Re. The figure below shows the velocity profile for
fully developed laminar flow and turbulent flows. Note that the highest fluid velocity, Vmax,
occurs at the center of the channel. The fluid velocity at the wall of the channel is essentially 0,
due to friction between the fluid particles and the material of the channel wall.
𝐼𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝐷 𝜌𝑉𝑎𝑣𝑔 𝐷 Eqn. 1
𝑅𝑒 = = =
𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑣 𝜇

Figure 1: Representation of the differences in laminar and fluid flow velocities in a circular channel [1].

Fluid flow only becomes “developed” after a certain entry length in the channel. This entry
length depends on properties of the channel and the fluid.
MEET 3940: Fluid Mechanics Applications 3
Department of Engineering Technology
Instructor: Dr. Maurizio Manzo
TA: MSc. Alberto A. Canales Cantu

Figure 2: Velocity profile at different points in a channel. The flow becomes fully developed laminar after the entrance region [2].

Wind tunnels
Wind tunnels are large tubes with air moving inside. The tunnels are used to copy the actions of
an object in flight. Researchers use wind tunnels to learn more about how an aircraft will fly.
Some wind tunnels are big enough to hold full-size versions of vehicles. The wind tunnel moves
air around an object, making it seem like the object is really flying.
Most of the time, powerful fans move air through the tube. The object to be tested is fastened in
the tunnel so that it will not move. The object can be a small model of a vehicle. It can be just a
piece of a vehicle. It can be a full-size aircraft or spacecraft. It can even be a common object like
a tennis ball. The air moving around the still object shows what would happen if the object were
moving through the air. How the air moves can be studied in different ways. Smoke or dye can
be placed in the air and can be seen as it moves. Threads can be attached to the object to show
how the air is moving. Special instruments are often used to measure the force of the air on the
object.
An explanation of the use of wind tunnels can be found in the following link:

https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-are-wind-tunnels-
k4.html
A pitot-static tube can be used to measure the average velocity of a fluid in a wind tunnel. The
average velocities in ducts are often computed to be used in many other engineering calculations
(e.g. friction losses, volumetric flow rates, etc.). Standards exist for the computation of such
average velocities. Standard ASTM D3154-14 “Standard Test Method for Average Velocity in a
Duct (Pitot Tube Method)”, describes the procedure that can be used with pitot tubes to obtain
the average velocities in ducts.
MEET 3940: Fluid Mechanics Applications 4
Department of Engineering Technology
Instructor: Dr. Maurizio Manzo
TA: MSc. Alberto A. Canales Cantu
The pitot-tube has many different configurations. Sometimes this instrument comes in one unit
and this unit has been internally divided to both measure static pressure and the total pressure, as
illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Internal structure of a pitot-static tube [3].

When the total pressure is measured, the hole in the pitot tube is perpendicular to the direction of
flow. When the static pressure is measured, the hole is parallel to the direction of flow.
Following Bernoulli’s law, the equation can be solved for velocity as static pressure head +
dynamic pressure head = total pressure head.
𝑃𝑠 𝑉2 𝑃𝑡
+ = Eqn. 2
𝛾 2∗𝑔 𝛾
REFERENCES

[1] V. Kumar, "What is streamline flow in fluid mechanics?", Quora, 17 November 2017. [Online].
Available: https://www.quora.com/What-is-streamline-flow-in-fluid-mechanics. [Accessed 28
October 2018].

[2] J. M. Cimbala and Y. A. Çengel, Fluid mechanics fundamentals and applications, Boston:
McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2006.

[3] N. Hall, "Pitot-Static Tube, Prandtl Tube", NASA, 9 September 2015. [Online]. Available:
https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/pitot.html. [Accessed 11 October 2019].
 MEET 3940: Fluid Mechanics Applications 5
Department of Engineering Technology
Instructor: Dr. Maurizio Manzo
TA: MSc. Alberto A. Canales Cantu
Experiments
Equipment: Wind tunnel with measuring equipment, pitot tubes, ruler.

Procedure:
Measure the velocity profile within the test section of the wind tunnel at two different flow rates
(10% and 50% of its allowable speed). Take at least 10 different points along the vertical direction
(divide the cross-section height into 10, and by using a ruler, control the position of the tip of the
pitot tube). Calculate the average velocity and the flow rate for each case.
Report the data in an Excel or Minitab spreadsheet and plot velocity versus vertical distance
position (plot both velocities in the same graph and introduce a legend where you report the two
different flow rates used for the experiments).
The following tables can be used to record the measurements:
10% speed 50% speed

Differential Differential
Segment Pitot velocity Segment Pitot velocity
pressure pressure
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
6 6
7 7
8 8
9 9
10 10

Report: Prepare a report describing the experiments performed and analyzing the results obtained.

In results section include the data and graphs obtained. In the discussion of results and conclusions,
analyze and explain what happens to the velocity distribution if the flow rate is increased.

Use the template provided in the course in Canvas.