NASA 4X4WT_Upgrade

grabcad

Many of the contemporary Wind Tunnels were designed and build more than 50 years ago.Back in those days, force and moment balances as well as simple optical means were the primary wind tunnel model systems together with model and test section pressure plotting.Often accessibility to the test section itself is poor and models are sometimes even assembled in the test section itself.In recent decades optical and acoustical measurements have become more important. Experimental setups such as Pressure Sensitive Paint, Temperature Sensitive Paint, PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) as well as Model deformation measurements and Acoustic Requirements ranging from single microphones to vast acoustic arrays are now almost standard.These tunnel systems have contradictory requirements to the test section configuration.Since the modification of existing wind tunnels to an interchangeable test section configuration is considered out of scope and way to complicated, the given solution addresses two major flaws of most operational wind tunnels.A: General Accessibility of the test section during model install and preparationB: Lengthy and complicated test section configuration changes in between models, model configurations and clients.The simple solution is multiple side wall doors.A flat “Model and sidewall handling area” is flush with tunnel bottom wall, allowing easy access to the tunnel and movement of multiple side walls.The concept here shows three side walls, permanently mounted to the tunnel structure.A half model configuration side wall with turntable, a light glass wall for low speed PIV tests and a third side wall for sensitive paint applications or acoustic measurements.If required the concept can theoretically extended to the inner wall or even more sidewalls that can be lifted into position by an overhead gantry crane whilst prepared elsewhere (similar to the doors in Monsters. Inc.)Concorde and 747-100 are not included in the file