Lab #3

Wind Tunnel
Logan Lawrence
9/24/24

Old Dominion University

MAE 305, 11434
Group #2
Abstract:

The goal of this lab was to use an open wind tunnel to determine the drag force and drag

coefficient. The momentum integral method and trapezoidal rule can be utilized to determine the

drag force and then equate the drag coefficient from there. Then compared the experimental

calculations conducted, with the true values. Overall this experiment showed that these methods

can be used to calculate the drag force and drag coefficient.

Introduction:

This experiment used an open wind tunnel with a cylinder located horizontal in the

middle of the tunnel. A specially designed apparatus was created to adjust the height of the

sensor so it could experience different flows. This experiment was done once taking readings

while upstream from the cylinder, and once more but downstream from the cylinder. The data

collected from these tests can be used to find drag force, drag coefficient, velocity, and gauge

vacuum pressure.

Procedure:

This experiment starts by using an open loop wind tunnel, in which there is a test area of

8in x 6 in. There is a cylinder placed in the middle of the test area, to test how the fluid moves

around it. A pitot static probe is used to measure the velocity at different vertical positions during

the experiment. We start upstream from the cylinder at a preset height of 0” and raise the probe

up 0.25” each time we collect data. This is repeated until the probe is raised to 3.0 inches,

although it is truly only 2.88”. Then the probe apparatus is moved downstream from the cylinder

and the test is repeated, starting at 0” and going up in .25” increments until we reach a height of

2.88”. When both the upstream and downstream data were collected, the two values taken were

the change in pressure and the vacuum gauge pressure. Upstream values are denoted with a “i”

and downstream values are denoted with a “ii”. These values were vital in helping us determine

all the values in the lab.

Experimental Data & Results:

Raw Data:
Y(in) Pguagev(i) (Pa) deltaP(i) (Pa) Pguagev(ii) (Pa) deltaP(ii) (Pa)

0 220.649625 209.86231 299.102825 118.660465

 0.25 216.726965 209.86231 325.58078 128.467115

0.5 217.70763 208.881645 328.522775 137.2931

0.75 216.726965 208.881645 318.716125 146.119085

1 218.688295 209.86231 302.04482 214.765635

1.25 220.649625 210.842975 295.180165 232.417605

1.5 219.66896 210.842975 285.373515 241.24359

1.75 220.649625 211.82364 279.489525 249.08891

2 220.649625 212.804305 271.644205 253.01157

2.25 221.63029 212.804305 265.760215 255.953565

2.5 221.63029 213.78497 264.77955 253.992235

2.75 217.70763 209.86231 257.914895 249.08891

2.88 218.688295 207.90098 255.953565 245.16625

3 218.688295 0 255.953565 0

*Used conversions 1mmH2O = 9.80665 and 1 inch = 0.0254 m.

Modified Data:
Y(m) Pguagev(i) (Pa) U1 (m/s) U1^2 (m^2/s^2) (p1+p2) (deltaY)/2 (u1^2+u2^2) (deltaY)/2

0 220.649625 18.51033071 342.6323429 1.388670673 2.175715377

0.00635 216.726965 18.51033071 342.6323429 1.379329839 2.17063193

0.0127 217.70763 18.46703163 341.0312571 1.379329839 2.165548483

0.01905 216.726965 18.46703163 341.0312571 1.382443451 2.17063193

0.0254 218.688295 18.51033071 342.6323429 1.394897896 2.180798824

 0.03175 220.649625 18.55352874 344.2334286 1.398011507 2.185882271

0.0381 219.66896 18.55352874 344.2334286 1.398011507 2.190965719

0.04445 220.649625 18.59662642 345.8345143 1.401125119 2.201132613

0.0508 220.649625 18.63962446 347.4356 1.40423873 2.20621606

0.05715 221.63029 18.63962446 347.4356 1.407352342 2.211299507

0.0635 221.63029 18.68252354 349.0366857 1.394897896 2.196049166

0.06985 217.70763 18.51033071 342.6323429 0.720489672 1.126085211

0.073152 218.688295 18.42363079 339.4301714 0.666561923 0.517291581

0.0762 218.688295 0 0 0 0

Total Sum: 16.71536039 25.69824867

The following equations were used for the modified data:

H H
F sx =D+w ∫ ❑ Pi dy−w ∫ Pii dy❑❑ (1)
0 0

Equation (1) helped us find equation (2) once applying it to the Trapezoidal rule.
H H H H
D=2 w∫ P guagev (i ) dy −2 w∫ Pguagev (ii) dy −2 ρ w∫ u dy +2 ρ w ∫ uii dy
2 2
i (2)
0 0 0 0

𝑃 𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒𝑣I =𝑃 𝑎𝑡𝑚 − 𝑃 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 (3)

𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒𝑣II =𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 − 𝑃𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 (4)

u(i)=√❑ (5)

u(ii) =√ ❑ (6)
Equations (5) and (6) helped us find the velocity of the fluid flowing through the tunnel.

Analysis & Discussion:

1. Determine the drag force and the associated drag coefficient for a cylinder for one air speed

using the physical wind-tunnel.

Drag Force = 2.1422

 Drag Coefficient = 1.97

2. Calculate the Reynolds number of the flow over the cylinder.

Reynolds number = 32,054.33

4. Plot the profiles of velocity and gauge vacuum pressure at the upstream and downstream

sections of the wind-tunnel.

Conclusion:

This lab was very useful in understanding pressure and how wind tunnels can be vital in

learning how fluid flows around objects. The use of the open wind tunnel and the pitot static

probe allowed for measurements to be taken of the fluid. Then by following certain mathematical

methods, the drag force and drag coefficient can be found.