WIND TUNNELS

PERFORMANCE MODELLING AND CFD

Fabio Bosio – M.Eng in Mechanical Engineering 1

 WIND TUNNEL

• The test model stays stationary while the air moves relative to it
• No outdoor influenced parameters

Controlled parameters:
• Airspeed
• Flow-direction
• Temperature
• Humidity

2
 OPEN RETURN AND CLOSED-CIRCUIT RETURN

OPEN RETURN

CLOSED RETURN
 TIPES OF WIND TUNNELS – OPEN RETURN

Test Section
• ρ constant: maximum speed ad minimum cross-section area (Test Section)
• rectangular, circular, oval or other cross-section
Contraction Section
• Directs the flow smoothly into the test section
• The aim is to obtain an uniform velocity (free stream)
 TIPES OF WIND TUNNELS – OPEN RETURN

  𝑰𝒏𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂
Inlet   contraction   ratio=
𝑻𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂

OBSERVATIONS
• Uniformity of free-stream conditions
• Space
• Costs
 TIPES OF WIND TUNNELS – OPEN RETURN

Anti Turbulence Screen

• Screen meshes
• Reduce the effect of outside wind currents
• Make the flow as much uniform as possible
Diffuser
• Reduce the speed of the air
 TIPES OF WIND TUNNELS – CLOSED RETURN TYPE

KEY POINT
• Don’t waste the momentum of the air
• Return Tube
• The fan works only against the resistance make by the friction on walls and
model
• Heat Exchanger: Temperature control and climatic and Air-conditioning
purposes
 DIFFERENCES OPEN – OPEN CIRCUIT
DISADVANTAGES
1. Ambient conditions on free-stream flow
• If the tunnel is outside, wind can have a strong effect on flow quality
• It can make a lot of noise
2. Power
• It requires more power than an equal scale of Close type
• More small tunnel in university
ADVANTAGES
3. Dimension
 DIFFERENCES OPEN – CLOSED CIRCUIT
CLOSED CIRCUIT DISADVANTAGES
1. Higher costs construction
2. Accumulation of smoke
CLOSED CIRCUIT ADVANTAGES
3. Less energy required
4. Not sensitive to ambient winds
 OPEN TEST SECTION

OPEN TEST SECTION

• More accessibility
• More power required
• Generation of vortex
CLOSED TEST SECTION - TYPES
 MODEL SIZE AND TEST-SECTION BLOCKAGE
Model and Wind Tunnel matching

The body is placed without no restrictions

• The streamlines deform through the
body
• Far away from the body the streamlines
will be parallel

The body is placed between two walls

• The flow moves too fast between the
body and the wall
 MODEL SIZE AND TEST-SECTION BLOCKAGE
COMPROMISE:
• Test section as much larger as possible, to avoid body-wall disturbance
• Test section as much small as possible, to reduce costs of wind tunnels

WIND TUNNEL CORRECTIONS

• Interference between model and wind tunnel section: SOLID BLOCKAGE
• Ground effect interference
 SIMULATION OF MOVING GROUND – PROBLEM
Different shapes of the boundary layer

A. On the road: car is moving on the

ground (relative velocity between car
and ground)

B. Vehicle in wind tunnel: car is fixed on

the test section (no relative velocity
between car and ground: no slip
condition)
SIMULATION OF MOVING GROUND - SOLUTION
METHODS OF MOUNTING A MODEL IN A TEST SECTION
METHODS OF MOUNTING A MODEL IN A TEST SECTION
METHODS OF MOUNTING A MODEL IN A TEST SECTION