Improving Aerodynamic Efficiency
UD's Low-Speed Wind Tunnel Lab serves as a research and teaching hub for engineering students to explore ways to improve aerodynamic efficiency. This is achieved through a variety of aerodynamic techniques including:
- Force-based experiments
- Pressure wake surveys
- Optical flow diagnostic techniques
- Hot-wire anemometry
- Flow visualization
The test section of the low-speed wind tunnel can be converted from an open-jet configuration to closed-jet. The lab also also houses a state-of-the-art shuttering system, which can modulate the frequency of the freestream up to 5Hz with programmable profiles (sinusoidal, sawtooth, hover to forward flight transition, etc).
The lab has supported innumerable class and senior capstone design projects, in addition to research by graduate students.
Lab Capabilities
The wind tunnel has an inlet contraction ratio of 16:1 with the test section inlet of 30 in. x 30 in. The length of the test section is 6 ft. with the collector of 44 in. x 44 in. The maximum speed of the tunnel is 90 mph (40 m/s).
