The Beginners Guide to Wind Tunnels

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The Beginners Guide to Wind Tunnels
with TunnelSim and TunnelSys
Tom Benson Inlets and Nozzles Branch NASA Glenn
Research Center Carol Galica Educational
Programs Office NASA Glenn Research
Center Anthony Vila Mechanical Engineering
Student Vanderbilt University 4 Jan 10
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OUTLINE

• Background / Rationale
• Beginners Guide to Wind Tunnels
• (BGT)
• TunnelSim
• TunnelSys
• Summary

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BACKGROUND
For the past 12 years, NASA Glenn has been
building a web-based textbook, the Beginners
Guide to Aeronautics, (BGA) that includes
information about airplanes, turbine engines,
model rockets, kites, baseball, compressible
aerodynamics and hypersonic aerodynamics. The
textbook includes scientific and mathematical
descriptive pages, interactive Java applets,
teacher created activities, podcasts, and
PowerPoint presentations.
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Sample Web Pages
FoilSim software
Beginners Guide To Aeronautics
Pages
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The Beginners Guide to Wind Tunnels (BGT)
Create a new section of the BGA dealing with
Wind Tunnels
Wind Tunnel Testing
(Web version of Popes Wind Tunnel
Testing)
Gather existing web-based information Develop
new web pages and interactive software
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BGT Index - Part 1
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Typical Web Pages
Strain Gage
Low Speed Tunnel
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BGT Index - Part 2
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(No Transcript)
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TunnelSim Software to Design a Tunnel
A Java applet that solves the one-dimensional
continuity equation through an open tube. Flow
assumed to be incompressible and
inviscid. Student can vary geometry or flow
conditions at the bellmouth, test section, or
diffuser, and the program computes conditions at
all other places through the tunnel Output
includes variation through the tunnel and
conditions in the test section Violations of
assumptions are flagged. On-line users manual
and BGT support for science and math.

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TunnelSim
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TunnelSys Software for Design Class
Three Java applications dealing with three
aspects of wind tunnel testing
Design of Wind Tunnel Model
Wind Tunnel Testing Techniques
Data Post-Processing Programs pass
information to each other by data files Suggest
a fourth team member to act as program
manager Based on FoilSim determine lift
performance of a wing design On-line users
manual and demonstration applets

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TunnelSys Design Program
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TunnelSys Test Program
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TunnelSys Processing Program
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Future Plans

• Later versions of TunnelSim to include closed
  circuit tunnels, loss estimates in the corners,
  and power requirements for the motor
• Later versions of TunnelSys to include drag
  estimation, and lift calculation based on user
  static pressure number and location.
• Additional web pages and topics to be added
  based on user feedback on current configuration.

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SUMMARY

• A new section of the BGA has been developed
  which deals with the subject of wind tunnels and
  wind tunnel testing techniques. Site became
  active in September, 2009. Access by entering
  Beginners Guide to Wind Tunnel in your search
  engine.
• Two major Java programs have been developed
  TunnelSim for the design and analysis of a low
  speed wind tunnel, and TunnelSys for use in a
  design class dealing with model design, testing,
  and post-processing
• Later versions of software and web pages to be
  determined by user feedback and NASA support.

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This work was supported byTony
SpringerAeronautics Research Mission Directorate
(ARMD)NASA HeadquartersandNASA Glenn
Educational Programs Office
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QUESTIONS ?