Assessment of Wind Tunnel Test Section Dimensions Using CFD

Abstract

The present study is an assessment of the test section dimensions of a 3/4 open-jet type wind tunnel using CFD. A virtual wind tunnel was created out of the test section of the 1:15 scale wind tunnel. Simulations were carried for the flow inside the empty wind tunnel, with different test section height and different section width. Similar simulations were also carried out when a vehicle is placed in the test section. The vehicle at the yawing condition was simulated as well. To complete the assessment, flow over the same vehicle in a semi-infinite domain was simulated as a reference state. The simulation was carried out in the framework of the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. In each case, the pressure distributions and the aerodynamic forces were used to assess the effect of wind tunnel height and width. Based on the nozzle site and the test section length used in our model wind tunnel, the present study leads to a wind tunnel test section height and a test section width that consider both the aerodynamic effect and the construction cost.