Wind Tunnel Laboratory (JD1608)

The Wind Tunnel Laboratory houses a closed circuit subsonic wind tunnel with a 4 square foot, atmospheric pressure test section, capable of speeds from 50 to 200 miles per hour. The tunnel includes a force balance and data acquisition unit to measure lift, drag, and pitching moment on various models. This tunnel is used by students in ME 491, as well as students studying special topics related to senior design and Masters projects.

A simple open loop tunnel capable of generating low Reynolds number flows is also available for instructional use in ME 491. The test area cross section has a 14" diameter, and a mechanical force balance is used for determination of the lift and drag coefficients of small airfoils. A multi-tube manometer system is also available for measuring external pressure distributions over cylinder and wing models.