Wind Tunnel Laboratory

This space is both a classroom and a laboratory for aerodynamics courses. Both teaching and testing take place here, allowing students both a theoretical and hands-on approach to learning. This facility houses 6 wind tunnels. The wind tunnels are equipped with multi-component force balances for aerodynamic measurement. Additional equipment includes hot wire anemometers, pressure scanners and various flow probes. Water tunnels are available for flow visualization as well as a water table for approximating shock wave behavior. A blow down supersonic wind tunnel (capable of Mach 3.5) is also available for visualizing shock waves using a Shadowgraph/Schlieren system.

The facility is used for undergraduate classes which include experimental aerodynamics, propeller design and analysis as well as senior design. Current research includes low Reynolds number aerodynamics, flow control, slender wing aerodynamics, non-planar wings and morphing.

This laboratory is next to the Robotics Lab and has direct access to the Propulsion Lab.

Equipment

• Two 1' x 1' wind tunnels (equipped with 3 and 6 component platform balances)
• One 2' x 2' blower wind tunnel (equipped with 6 component sting balance)
• One 32" x 45" closed circuit wind tunnel (equipped with a 6 component Pyramidal balance and a 6 component platform balance) 
• One 2" x 4" supersonic wind tunnel 
• One 5" by 12" smoke flow visualization tunnel
• Two water tunnels (with dye injection systems)
• One water table