Assessment and Improvement of Flow Quality in a Small Footprint Additively Manufactured Wind Tunnel
Open Access
- Author:
- Sappa Veena Venkata, Niveditha
- Graduate Program:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- June 10, 2024
- Committee Members:
- Tamy Guimarães, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Robert Francis Kunz, Committee Member
Mary Frecker, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- Optimal flow quality
Low-speed wind tunnel
Flow uniformity
Aerodynamic testing
Additive Manufacturing - Abstract:
- Achieving optimal flow quality is a priority in assessing the performance of wind tunnels, especially in low-speed applications. This thesis presents an approach to improving flow quality in a low-speed wind tunnel by incorporating additive manufactured connectors (flanges) at locations identified with gaps, misalignment, and orientation issues. Six flanges were strategically placed at both ends of the test section and contraction side in pairs. These modifications are aimed at reducing flow disruptions and enhancing flow uniformity, which are critical for accurate and reliable aerodynamic testing. Improved flow stability and uniformity are essential in wind tunnels for accurate and repeatable aerodynamic testing and should provide a controlled environment where airflow closely simulates real-world conditions, enabling precise measurement of aerodynamic properties. The effectiveness of these modifications was assessed through the analysis of velocity profiles and turbulence intensity at different locations along the wind tunnel test section. Experimental data were gathered from pressure readings obtained using pitot-static tubes connected to a Scanivalve pressure scanner and converted to velocity values using Bernoulli's equation. The obtained data were compared before and after the integration of these flanges. Results indicated a significant improvement in flow uniformity and a decrease in turbulence intensity post-intervention. Moreover, the velocity profiles exhibited a more consistent and predictable behavior, indicative of improved flow stability. These findings address the flow quality concerns within the low-speed wind tunnel setups, offering insights for optimizing performance in various aerodynamic testing environments.