Module lV Compressible Fluid Flow Vii Sermester

Wind Tunnels
Awind tunnel is alaboratory facility for producing a jet of air or any other working
substance that can be used for testing of acrodynamic models. Wind tunnels can be subsonic,
transonic or supersonic, depending on the flow Mach number in the test section. Wind
unnels can also be classified as closed or open type wind tunnels. In open type wind tunnel
the atmospheric air is taken in and cxhausted to the atmospherc.
A wind tunnel generally consists of a driving unit, a settling chamber, accelerating duct
or a
(nozzle), test section and a diffuser. The driving unit consists of a fan, blower
compressor driven by an clectric motor. The location of the driving unit depends on the type
of the tunncl. The flow from the compressor/blower or a fan is settled in a large chamber
called the setling chamber that is provided with wire gauzes and array of honeycombs to
straighten the flow and remove irregularities in it. The settling chamber supplies the flow to
the nozzle located down stream. This is designed to accelerate the flow from the neariy
stagnation conditions of setling chamber to the required test section velocity. The nozzle
discharges the jet into the test section. The model to be tested is fixed in the test section using
suitable supports. Atransparent window of strong glass is often provided on the sides of the
test section. This facilitates in handling the models and the instruments and also permits the
optical mcasurements in the flow over the model surfaces. The diffuser collects the flow from
the test scction and raises the pressure of the air for discharging it into the atmosphere or the
return circuit.

Types of wind tunnels

Blower tunnels

The air from the blower or fan enters the settiing chamber through a diffuser to
reduce
pressure loss. The contraction or the nozzle feeds the test section with an air jet at
nearly
ambient conditions. This is a special advantage of this tunnel since the models
and the
instruments can be easily manipulated during the operation of the tunnel.

Dluser icst setn

Setthng chamber

Blower types are especially useful for conducting low

turbine and compressor blades. speed (M<1) tests on cascades of

VENKITARAJ KP Department of Mechanical Engineering, CE Adooi

 Compressible Fluid Flow
VIII Semester
Module lV

Suction tunnels
subsonic testing of
tunnels are open type tunnels and also used for
wind contraction (nozzle) by an
Suction type Air is sucked into the tunnel through a Therefore
aerodynamic models.
entire tunnel is slightly below atmospheric pressure.
exhaust fan.The air jet in the drive the fan is comparatively
given velocity in the test section the power required to
for a
less.
Gauzes
ionc combs Mode!

Test sectio1 Dilfuser LDistribhütot

Contrac0) 3ndsics

Induction tunnels
downstream of the
section is induced by introducing a high pressure air quantity of
The flow in the test Sucha tunnel is used when there is a small
annular nozzle.
test section through an
available.
high pressure air is
Annular jot

Test scclion Diluser

Nozrle
HP air

independent of the
induction tunnel is that its operation is
The great advantage of an compressors are used to ill the large
reservoirs at the
compressor characteristics. The any convenient time even
when the power is
tunnel may be operated at range of
Tequired pressure. The of tunnels can be designed for a wide
compressors. This type
not available to run the
super sonic (M<2.5)
Mach numbers both subsonic and
Supersonic wind tunnels
unity. A
tunnels the Mach number in the test section is greater than
In supersonic wind
types
supersonic wind tunnel can be of three
i. Continuous open circuit type
ii. Blow down or intermittent type

Engineering, CE Adoor
VENKITARAJ KP | Department of Mechanical
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