DESIGN OF WIND TUNNEL (FLUID FLOW ANALYSIS)

NELTON KOO CHWEE YANG

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements

for the award of the Degree of

Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering

Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG

JUNE 2012
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ABSTRACT

A low speed wind tunnel was design and fabricate. The project covered the process of
design and fabrication of the small wind tunnel. In completing this project, a computer
aided drawing (CAD) called Solid Work is use to design the wind tunnel. Experiment
conducted after build the wind tunnel to find drag coefficient of a sphere. The drag force
on a sphere in an air stream was measured at various free stream velocities below 100
m/s. This was done in a low speed wind tunnel using an integral balance system to
measure the drag force and a Pitot tube and to measure the velocity. The raw data were
processed according to classical equations of fluid mechanics which define the drag
coefficient. An impression of fluid field flow around a sphere is also capture using
white smoke. Method of analysis the flow in test section was shown by using strings.
The experimental results are compared to published results over the range tested.
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ABSTARK

Terowong angin subsonik direka dan dibina. Projek ini merupakan proses reka bentuk
dan fabrikasi terowong angin. Rekaan terowong angin dilukis dengan bantuan computer
aided drawing (CAD) iaitu Solid Work. Experimen dijalankan untuk mencari pekali
rintangan sfera diuji di terowong angin ini. Daya ringtangan suatu sfera diukur pada
variasi kelajuan bawah 100 m/s. Ia boleh diuji melalui terowong angin dengan
menggunakan sistem imbangan bagi mengukur daya ringtangan dan tiub pitot
digunakan untuk mengukur kelajuan. Data diambil dan diproses dengan rumus cecair
mekanik bagi mendpatkan nombor pekali ringtangan. Gambaran pegerakan udara pada
sfera ditangkap dengan menggunakan kamera. Asap digunakan untuk melihat pegerakan
udara pada sfera. Kaedah tali benang juga digunakan untuk menganalisis pegerakan
udara di dalam kebuk ujian terowong angin. Keputusan experimen dibandingkan
dengan keputusan theori di buku.
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TABLE OF CONTENT

Page

EXAMINER’S APPROVAL DOCUMENT ii

SUPERVISOR’S DECLARATION iii

STUDENT’S DECLARATION iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v

ABSTRACT vii

ABSTRAK viii

TABLE OF CONTENT ix

LIST OF TABLES xiv

LIST OF FIGURES xv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xvii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Wind tunnel 1

1.1.1 History 1
1.1.2 Wind tunnel 2
1.1.3 Fluid flow 3

1.2 Problem Statement 4

1.3 Objectives 4

1.4 Project Scopes 4

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 5

2.1 Fluid Mechanics Terminology 5

2.2 Testing Parameter 6

2.2.1 Flow Consideration 6

2.2.2 Reynolds Number 7
2.2.3 Mach Number 7
2.2.4 Froud Number 8
2.2.5 Boundary Layer 8

2.3 Wind Tunnels 9

2.4 Classification of Wind Tunnel 10

2.4.1 Based on range speed 10

2.4.2 Based on flow circulation 11

2.5 Basic component of Low Subsonic Wind Tunnel 13

2.5.1 Test Section 14

2.5.2 Contraction Cone 15
2.5.3 Settling Chamber and Screens 15
2.5.4 Diffuser 16
2.5.5 Driving unit 16

2.6 Wind Tunnel testing 16

2.6.1 Wind tunnel testing preparation 17

2.6.2 General testing procedure 17

2.7 Testing Model 18

2.7.1 Aerofoil models 18

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2.7.2 Aircraft models 18

2.8 Measurement techniques 19

2.8.1 Pressure measurement 19

2.8.2 Force measurement 20

2.9 Wind Tunnel Interference 21

2.9.1 Test section wall interferences 21

2.10 Flow visualization 22

2.1.1 Wool tuft technique 22

2.1.2 Oilflow technique 23
2.1.3 Smoke technique 23

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 25

3.1 Introduction 25

3.2 Initial paper work 26

3.3 Design work 26

3.4 Building the prototype wind tunnel 27

3.4.1 Contraction cone 27

3.4.2 Test section 28
3.4.3 Diffuser 29
3.4.4 Fan 30
3.4.5 Wind tunnel assembly 30

3.5 Testing the wind tunnel 32

3.6 Fluid flow analysis 32

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3.6.1 Flow impression in test section 32

3.6.2 Flow impression of sphere 33
3.6.2 Drag of sphere 33

CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION 36

4.1 Specification of Wind Tunnel 36

4.1.1 Results 36

4.2 Fluid flow in test section 39

4.2.1 Discussion 40

4.3 Fluid flow around an object 40

4.3.1 Discussion 41

4.4 Drag coefficient calculation 42

4.4.1 Results 42
4.4.2 Graph 43
4.4.3 Discussion 44

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 45

5.1 Conclusion 45

5.2 Recommendation 46

REFERENCES 47

APPENDICES 49

A Gantt chart 50

B Isometric drawing of Wind Tunnel 51

C1 Fabrication of Small Wind Tunnel 52

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C2 Analysis of fluid flow in test section 53

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LIST OF TABLES

Table No Title Page

3.1 Specification of wind tunnel 25

4.1 Wind tunnel specification 36

4.2 flow observation in test section with various air speed 39

4.3 Initial condition of experiment 42

4.4 Drag coefficient of ping pong ball 42

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No Title Page

2.1 Drag force on sphere 6

2.2 Velocity profile for boundary layers along the wall 9

2.3 Open circuit wind tunnel 11

2.4 Closed circuit wind tunnel 12

3.1 Research methodology flow chart 25

3.2 Contraction cone 28

3.3 Test section 29

3.4 Diffuser 29

3.5 Fan unit 30

3.6 Spring connector 31

3.7 Installation of rubber gasket 31

3.8 Complete assemble of wind tunnel 32

3.9 Pitot tube 32

3.10 Smoke generator 33

3.11 AC inverter use to control the current frequency 34

4.1 Design wind tunnel from solid work (Dimension in mm) 37

4.2 Side view of wind tunnel (Dimension in mm) 37

4.3 Front view of wind tunnel (Dimension in mm) 38

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4.4 Top view of wind tunnel (Dimension in mm) 38

4.5 Tuberlent flow at air speed of 23 m/s in test section 39

4.6 Tuberlent flow at air speed of 58 m/s in test section 40

4.7 Flow of air around sphere without smoke 41

4.8 Flow of air around sphere with smoke impression 41

4.9 Drag versus air velocity graph 43

4.10 Drag coefficient versus Renolds number graph 43

4.11 Experimental Values of Drag Coefficient vs. Reynolds Number 44

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

FD Drag force in N

CD Drag coefficient

Re Reynolds number

D Diameter of sphere in m

ρ Density of air in kg/m3

u∞ Velocity of air stream in m/s

P Atmospheric pressure in N/m2

Δp Pressure difference in manometer in N/m2

Δh Difference in heights of liquid in manometer in mm

T Atmospheric temperature in Kelvin

μ Viscosity of air in kg/m-hr

ρo Density of oil in manometer in kg/m3

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 WIND TUNNEL

1.1.1 History

Discovery and development by experimental means has been its lifeblood,

extending all the way back to George Cayley. In 1804, he built a whirling arm apparatus
for testing aerofoil. This was simply lifting surface (aerofoil) mounted on the end of
long road, which was rotated at some speed to generate a flow of an air over the aerofoil.
In modern aerospace engineering, the workhorse for such experiments has been
predominantly the wind tunnel, so much such that today most aerospace industries,
government and university laboratories have a complete spectrum of wind tunnels
ranging from low subsonic to hypersonic speeds.[19]

In other side, the enormous advances in computer technology both computer

hardware and numerical methods have possible to model the fluid flow more accurate.
The setup of model can be performed easily. This question comes up, whether
theoretical calculation could one day substitute wind tunnel tests altogether. At present
the computational method can surely predict the simple models such as real flow in
wind tunnel still requires a large time consuming therefore it is still difficult and
expensive. In addition the computational method still provides the calculation of drag
not satisfactory compare to the wind tunnel results. Thus, for aeronautical developments
wind tunnel testing will remain predominant in foreseeable future. [19]
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However, besides for aerospace applications, the experimental techniques using

wind tunnel also have broad applications in many other branches of science and
engineering such in automotive and architecture. For automotive applications, the
experimental techniques in wind tunnel may be used to predict aerodynamic
characteristics of designed racing cars and other high performance vehicles. For
architecture applications, the wind tunnel may be used to simulate the pollutant
condition happened around buildings in the city. [19]

The scientists work in experimental techniques of wind tunnel is somewhat

different than of engineers. Scientists are engaged in fundamental research, engineers
make experiments in course of the project. Their detailed investigations are aiming at
the improvement of basic knowledge about the physics of fluid flow. The results may
provide the foundation of new theories, or are used to evaluate or scrutinize existing
theories or supplement them. Quite often they don’t appear have any direct bearing on
practical engineering problems. For engineering purposes test techniques to be
employed during project work must be proven standard, reliable, quick to use and
possibly cheap. The test results must be provide comprehensive information such as the
aerodynamic characteristics of a tested aerodynamic configuration. Details of the flow
are studied just with the particular purpose of deducing improvements for the
configuration. In general the test results must be comprising a proof, that the design
targets are being met and safe. [19]

1.1.2 Wind tunnel

A wind tunnel is a device designed to generate air flows of various speeds

through a test section. Wind tunnels are typically used in aerodynamic research to
analyze the behaviour of flows under varying conditions, both within channels and over
solid surfaces. Aerodynamicists can use the controlled environment of the wind tunnel
to measure flow conditions and forces on models of aircraft as they are being designed.
Being able to collect diagnostic information from models allows engineers to
inexpensively tweak designs for aerodynamic performance without building numerous
fully-functional prototypes. In the case of this project, the wind tunnel will serve as an
educational and research tool to analyze basic flow principles. [2]
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The wind tunnel provides great benefits for aerodynamic tests compared to free
flight testing, that is:

i. Specified flow condition such as Mach number and incidence can be achieved
sustained much easier in a wind tunnel.
ii. Dangerous, uncontrollable flight condition may safely investigate in wind
tunnel.
iii. Data acquisition and processing is simpler with direct connection to ground
based equipment.

The main disadvantage of wind tunnel is that it is seldom possible to reproduce

the condition of full scale motion exactly. This is mainly due to the use of scaled models
for reason of tunnel cost and power consumption. [2]

1.1.3 Fluid flow

For centuries, fluid flow researchers have been studying fluid flows in various
ways, and today fluid flow is still an important field of research. The areas in which
fluid flow plays a role are numerous. Gaseous flows are studied for the development of
cars, aircraft and spacecrafts, and also for the design of machines such as turbines and
combustion engines. Liquid flow research is necessary for naval applications, such as
ship design, and is widely used in civil engineering projects such as harbour design and
coastal protection. In chemistry, knowledge of fluid flow in reactor tanks is important;
in medicine, the flow in blood vessels is studied. Numerous other examples could be
mentioned. In all kinds of fluid flow research, visualization is a key issue [3]
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1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

This paper will focus primarily on the fabrication process of small scale wind
tunnel, flow visualization analysis on an object and calculation of drag coefficient of an
object through experiment.

1.3 OBJECTIVES

i) To develop a small scale wind tunnel for educational and research purpose.
ii) To get an impression of fluid flow around a scale model of a real object.
iii) To calculate the drag coefficient of object design.

1.4 PROJECT SCOPES

i) To find the design fundamental for a small wind tunnel.

ii) Make the research for small wind tunnel background and contruction.
iii) To find the best material to be used and estimate the cost for model
construction.
iv) To study the flow visualazation of an object design.
v) To determine the drag coefficient of an object design.
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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 FLUID MECHANICS TERMINOLOGY

Drag is the component of force acting on a body that is projected along the
direction of motion. Both shear forces and pressure induce drag on a body in motion.
Shear forces, known as skin friction drag, are more significant in streamlined objects,
while the pressure drag is more significant in blunt objects [14] Figure 2.1 shows the net
drag force acting on a cylinder.

The drag force is often non-dimensionalized as a function of Reynolds number.

This is then referred to as the drag coefficient (Eqn2.1). Similarly, the pressure acting
on each differential element of an object may be normalized by the dynamic free stream
2
pressure to obtain the pressure coefficient (Eqn2.2). This quantity may also be

rewritten as the reduced pressure coefficient (Eqn2.3).

D=
(2.1)

(2.2)

(2.3)
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Figure 2.1: Drag force on sphere

2.2 TESTING PARAMETER

2.2.1 Flow consideration

In wind tunnel testing, the real configurations such an aircraft and its
components are usually scaled down to become the corresponding small size model that
can be installed in test section of wind tunnel. In order to obtain similar flow condition
in the wind tunnel as free flight at full scale, it requires more than just to ensure
geometrical similarity of the model. One also has to take care that forces produced by
flow are in the same relationship to each other. [14]

In fluid dynamics there exist a number of similarity parameters. They represent

the relation of the various forces in a fluid flow such as:

i. Inertia forces = V2
ii. Viscous forces = μV/I
iii. Compression forces = a2
iv. Gravity forces = gI

All forces here are taken per unit area. Similarity parameters are formed by
relating the various forces to the inertia force. They include Reynolds number, Mach
number and Froud number.[2]
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2.2.2 Reynolds number

The Reynolds (Re) number is a quantity which engineers use to estimate if a

fluid flow is laminar or turbulent. This is important, because increased mixing and
shearing occur in turbulent flow. [2]

The Reynolds number is calculated using mean velocity, pipe diameter, density,
and viscosity, and is valid for any fluid. The Reynolds number is also dependent upon
the geometry of the pipe, as well as the roughness of the walls. Analysis of the
Reynolds number using the dimensionless forms of the Navier Stokes equations reveals
that the Reynolds number is really a ratio of inertial forces to vicious forces. As of yet,
no successful analytic methods for determining Reynolds numbers have been developed
due largely to the difficulty associated with predicting turbulent flow, and so Reynolds
numbers for flow through pipes or around immersed objects must be determined
experimentally. We define Reynolds number as

(2.4)

The Lchar is the length characteristic of geometry and V is a velocity appropriate

for the flow. Osborn Reynolds identifies this parameter in1883 as being important in
fluid mechanics. If Re < 2100 it is said to be in laminar and Re > 4000 is in turbulent
state. [2]

2.2.3 Mach number

This number relates the compressibility to the inertia forces. Its similarity is
important when noticeable variations of density and temperature occur at high flow
velocities.[9] The Mach number is defined as:

Ma =
(2.5)
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2.2.4 Froud number

This number relates the gravity to the inertia forces. Its similarity is important
when gravity forces are involved. This is important for model drop tests. It is also
interesting when waves occur such when the hydrodynamic analogy is used to simulate
supersonic waves.[9] The Froude number is defined as:

Fr = (2.6)

When the two flow parameters such as Mach number and Reynolds number and
the objects are geometrically similar, the flows will be dynamically similar and the
results from investigating one flow should be transferable to the other. [2]

For example suppose want to improve the design of a golf ball. You want the
ball to have as small a drag force as possible. If the golf ball 0.04 meter in diameter,
travel at 25m/s and at sea level air, then it has Reynolds number of 68,200 based on its
diameter and its travelling at Mach number of 0.06. You can make a large model of a
golf ball, say 0.2 in diameter and tested it in your wind tunnel as long as you match the
Reynolds number. Mach number is so low and can be ignore, there is no significant
compressibility effects in the flow field. In this case you should you should run your
wind tunnel with a free stream velocity of 5m/s to match Reynolds number. Under these
conditions the boundary layer on the golf ball and the wake behind it will be perfectly to
scale. If the golf ball in flight has a boundary layer of 0.001 meter thick at one point,
then the model will have boundary layer of 0.005 meter thick its corresponding point.
You are free to test all sort of dimple design and the drag coefficients measure will be
the sane drag coefficient the ball would experience at 25 m/s. [2]

2.2.5 Boundary layer

Boundary layers are regions of fluid located immediately adjacent to an

immersed object or wall in which flow velocities are governed by viscous forces. Drag
forces and most of the heat exchange experienced by the object are due to fluid in this
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region. Boundary layers typically begin as a very thin region of laminar flow that
thickens with increasing Reynolds numbers and then gradually transitions to a turbulent
layer flowing over a viscous sub layer. Flow outside of the boundary layer is
independent of Reynolds number criteria. Figure 2.2 shows boundary layer of a flat
plate. [21]

Figure 2.2: Velocity profile for boundary layers along the wall

2.3 WIND TUNNELS

Wind tunnel is a device used to investigate an interaction between solid body

flows in wind tunnel can be performed in term of:

i. Monitoring physical flow phenomenon such as laminar, tuberlent and

separation flows, vortex and shock wave.
ii. Measuring aerodynamic quantities such as pressure, skin friction, lift, drag
and moments.

In order to monitor the flow phenomenon and measure aerodynamic quantities,

engineers require measuring equipments and measurement techniques. One
experimental aerodynamic problem can be solved by some different measurement
techniques. In addition, for a special problem of experimental aerodynamic sometimes
requires a specific wind tunnel construction. [9]
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The aerodynamic problems can be distinguished in two matters:

i. External aerodynamics, that is solid body immersed in the flow such as

around wings or aerofoils.
ii. Internal aerodynamics that is flow moving inside the body such as ducts,
pipes and turbines.

2.4 CLASSIFICATION OF WIND TUNNEL

2.4.1 Based on speed range

The most appropriate classification of wind tunnels is by the speed range they
cover. The classification of wind tunnels based on the speed range includes:

i. Low speed wind tunnel

The flow velocity in low subsonic wind tunnel is of the Mach number range
of zero till 0.3. Viscous and inertial forces are dominant while
compressibility effects are negligible.
ii. High speed wind tunnel
The designation high speed usually includes high subsonic, transonic and
low supersonic regimes, so that the range of the flow velocity for high speed
wind tunnel is of Mach number between 0.3 and 1.4. Here, in principle,
compressibility effects are of dominant importance. However, viscous
effects also play an important part in particular when shock boundary layer
intersection leads to flow separation.
iii. Supersonic wind tunnel
The flow velocity in supersonic wind tunnel is the range of Mach number of
1.4 till 5.0. Compressibility effects are dominant. The pressure disturbance
raises in the flow field propagating downstream.
iv. Hypersonic wind tunnel
The flow velocity in hypersonic wind tunnel is of Mach number above 5.0.
It is desired to allow real gas effects to occur. This requires that besides the
high Mach number in test section also high total temperatures are provided.
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The high temperatures, which are linked with high pressures, yield vibration
of the gas molecules, possibly causing dissociation and ionization. These are
dominant features of hypersonic flows where the gas can no longer be
treated as an ideal gas. [9]

With increasing Mach number the tendency to intermittent operating wind

tunnels linked with an appropriate energy storage arrangement, becomes more and more
compelling. However, for measurement of low subsonic flow, the continuously
operating wind tunnel is more preferred. [9]

2.4.2 Based on flow circulation

The other wind tunnel classification based on flow circulation is divided into
open circuit wind tunnel and closed circuit wind tunnel.

i. Open circuit wind tunnel

Open circuit wind tunnel is first type of wind tunnel built. The tunnel is
usually referred to as an Eiffel type. Such a wind tunnel consists of a nozzle,
at test section, a diffuser and a driving unit. The principle work of this wind
tunnel is a direct sucking of the atmospheric air lying outside of the wind
tunnel brought into the tunnel settling chamber and continued to the end of
the wind tunnel using a driving unit then the air is threw away to atmosphere.
The position of driving units can be at the downstream end where the tunnel
is operated as suction tunnel while otherwise it would be termed a blow down
tunnel. The suction tunnel is more preferred in a design by a reason of airflow
quality.
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Figure 2.3: Open circuit wind tunnel

ii. Closed circuit tunnel

Closed circuit tunnel has been developed to reduce the amount of used energy.
This tunnel is also called as Gottingen type. The principle work of this tunnel is
by circulating the used airflow passing by the diffuser to the settling chamber
using the connecting channel. The closed circuit tunnel consists of three types
including single and double return. Of these, only the first is in general
acceptance at present. In the double return arrangement, the particular air that
scrapes along the wall of the return passages forms wakes in the centre of the
jet and hence passes directly over the model. Unless the contraction ratio is
large, this air is extremely tuberlent and tends to make the interpretation of the
test data difficult. The fans are preferred attach on the connecting channel by
reason of a protection from the model failure and of good from standpoint of
fan efficiency.

Figure 2.4: Closed circuit wind tunnel