Development of the experimental facility for testing of aerodynamic shapes

The School of Engineering and Information Technology (SEIT) at Charles Darwin University (CDU) is moving toward project based teaching strategies. The success of this approach, particularly where specialist subjects such as Fluid Mechanics are concerned, relies heavily on the available infrastructure, and particularly the experimental facilities. Although CFD is widely used to analyse the flow in various applications including aerodynamic shapes, experimental validation is sometimes necessary. Before this project, the wind tunnel at SEIT did not have the relevant measurement equipment installed for comprehensive investigation of aerodynamic shapes.

In this work, the measurement and observation devices were designed and deployed to enhance the performance of the wind tunnel and expand the range of activities which can be performed. The lift and drag measurement is achieved via a two-component force balance. Three different attachments have been manufactured to allow for testing of small and large bulk objects, and airfoil type models. Thermocouples are embedded within the flexible tubes of a 16-channel water-based manometer which enable measurement of pressure and temperature distribution along the surface of the object providing the students with better understanding of fluid patterns. Additionally, a smoke wand installed upstream of the test section enables flow visualization.

Student's responses indicate that the newly installed instrumentation helped in understanding of complex theoretical concepts which in turn inspired students to conduct further research in fluid mechanics. Overall, this work enabled new research and innovation opportunities at CDU in the field of aerodynamics and turbomachinery.