Big Wind Tunnels - It's Not Everyday

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The discussion centers around a wind tunnel testing project involving a large model aircraft, with participants expressing excitement about the scale and capabilities of the wind tunnel. The model, designed by American Dynamics, is notable for its size, with each red blade matching the height of a participant who is 6'4". Initial tests have reached speeds of 205 mph, and further testing will include static and dynamic assessments. Participants share insights about the wind tunnel's operation, including safety precautions and the potential aerodynamic challenges faced at high angles of attack. There is also a light-hearted exchange about the fun aspects of working with such technology, including humorous suggestions for using costumes in the wind tunnel. The conversation touches on historical aircraft like the Avro Arrow and discusses the evolution of wind tunnel design, emphasizing the technical aspects and the excitement of aerospace engineering.
Cyrus
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Mmmmmmmmmmmm yeah.... not everyday you get to use one of these.

I'll post more pictures once we start running wind tunnel tests. I'm 6'4", each red blade is as tall as I am.

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/1333/pict0389.jpg

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2746/pict0388v.jpg

Relative size (not me)

charles-geisbert-fan.png


F-18 in said tunnel (not our model)
F18-bm.png
 
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That is awesome! How cool is that?!??
 
nice, just don't stick your hand in there
 
That's a pretty bad *** wind tunnel. All the wind tunnels I used to work with were to so lame.

On a side note, has anyone ever seen the wind tunnel they used to develop the A380?
 
Yeah but can you set it to suck?
 
nice!

(a word of caution: as tempting as it may be, I don't think it's safe to speak into it and do the "electric fan robot voice" with this one)
 
Cool machine, Cyrus!

What's the max wind speed?



BTW, did I mention that I've signed you up for ABC's Bachelor TV show? :biggrin: You can use your dating expertise!
 
Very cool Cyrus. Have you guys run an Avro Aero (original 1950s CDN jet fighter shut down by Eisenhower as a threat to US security) in there?! I wonder how it would fair in such a modern wind tunnel. Dig your job man!
 
Fast enough for you? We topped off at about 205mph.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/663/pict0397l.jpg

Ffkg1G-g3Gg&feature=channel_page[/y...he CNC machine making and painting the model.
 
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  • #10
Man, it is good to see a bunch of nerds who get just as excited about stuff like that as I do. :biggrin:
 
  • #11
Cool, Cyrus! Next we want to see you in the tunnel at 205. :biggrin:

Cyrus said:
We spent nearly a month on the CNC machine making and painting the model.

Did you guys design this?
 
  • #12
Ivan Seeking said:
Cool, Cyrus! Next we want to see you in the tunnel at 205. :biggrin:



Did you guys design this?

The model is by a company I work for called American Dynamics. They designed it and I helped them make it in-house.
 
  • #13
Very cool!

Especially how your interest in model planes has led straight to this...really great, and probably pretty unusual. Fantastic!
 
  • #14
That is a very cool model Cyrus. The stealth aspects of it are interesting. Just curious, How do you test it at higher speeds. Are these tests just used to make sure it can take off and land?
 
  • #15
I think the only your job could be more fun is if your wind tunnel were vertical and you could take breaks and "fly" in it!
 
  • #17
moe darklight said:
nice!

(a word of caution: as tempting as it may be, I don't think it's safe to speak into it and do the "electric fan robot voice" with this one)

:smile:
 
  • #18
I didn't think of that! With a megaphone, you could make yourself sound like a 200-ft tall Darth Vader.

Do it do it do it do it do it.
 
  • #19
baywax said:
Very cool Cyrus. Have you guys run an Avro Aero (original 1950s CDN jet fighter shut down by Eisenhower as a threat to US security) in there?! I wonder how it would fair in such a modern wind tunnel. Dig your job man!

Have I got a link for you.

http://www.avroarrow.org/Jim Floyd/JamesFloydRAeS10.html
 
  • #20
I hope you're not showing us any classified information!

Is it loud, or does it run quietly?

When was the last significant advance in air tunnel design?
 
  • #21
That looks like a LOT of fun, Cyrus! Glad you're enjoying what you're doing. :)
 
  • #22
awesome looking model, so sleek! Cool stuff Cyrus
 
  • #23
Looks impressive, but aren't you concerned that there will be a significant loss of trust and engine stalls at high angle of attacks (high g/low speed) conditions? Obviously, the inlet is being shielded off by the nose section then.

Perhaps you have thought of an auxillary inlet underneath, opening in those conditions.
 
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  • #24
baywax said:
Very cool Cyrus. Have you guys run an Avro Aero (original 1950s CDN jet fighter shut down by Eisenhower as a threat to US security) in there?! I wonder how it would fair in such a modern wind tunnel. Dig your job man!
It would have fared just fine since the aircraft did pretty well in its flight testing and did not have any really aerodynamic issues (there were plenty of others though). By the way, we have had subsonic tunnels like this since before WWII. That is the only kind of tunnel Avro would have had at their disposal. They did some higher Mach testing with scaled models on missiles.

That is only a theory as to why it was discontinued. There are a lot of theories out there. Don't get Danger and myself started...

Why bring up the CF-105? It's just a bit off topic.
 
  • #25
Andre said:
Looks impressive, but aren't you concerned that there will be a significant loss of trust and engine stalls at high angle of attacks (high g/low speed) conditions? Obviously, the inlet is being shielded off by the nose section then.

Perhaps you have thought of an auxillary inlet underneath, opening in those conditions.
I feel sorry for the powerplant provider. It looks like they'll have some serious inlet distortion to deal with. Perhaps the vehicle won't be experiencing real hard maneuvering.
 
  • #26
Go Terps!
 
  • #27
Awesome. But Raiders of the Lost Ark immediately comes to mind...the Flying Wing scene I mean.

So, yes, you'll definitely not want to get too close to those fan blades. Might end up like this guy...


trivia_08.jpg
 
  • #29
Very nice.

Is that you behind the smoke emitting machine (ok, what do you really call it?)?
 
  • #30
lisab said:
Very nice.

Is that you behind the smoke emitting machine (ok, what do you really call it?)?

It's called a smoke wand.
 
  • #31
Cyrus said:
It's called a wand.

Oh, that's magical :wink: .
 
  • #32
Oh yeah, and the blades in the wind tunnel. I found out they are from a B-29! The fan unit is powered by 2000HP and costs about $900/hr to run. We've got about $50k worth of time (2-weeks).

B-29%20frontal%205-15-44.jpg
 
  • #33
Make sure the building is well anchored!
 
  • #34
Cyrus the virus, you are a big NERD! Haha, seriously, this is redic that you're posting this stuff everywhere. You are hilarious.
 
  • #35
Damn straight. BTW, she works at the company and she loves penguins...
 
  • #36
Cyrus said:
Oh yeah, and the blades in the wind tunnel. I found out they are from a B-29!

Would a more modern propeller cause less turbulence? Might turbine blades otherwise excel in a wind tunnel?
 
  • #37
Loren Booda said:
Would a more modern propeller cause less turbulence? Might turbine blades otherwise excel in a wind tunnel?

For your first point, probably yes. Keep in mind, the blades are twisted slightly from what they would normally be on the B-29 aircraft. I think the tips of the blades are also squared off, as the one in the picture of the aircraft has somewhat round tips. But the tunnel has flow straightners (which you can see in the pictures that looks like honeycomb). All props, no matter how modern, will cause swrill in the air behind them.

Turbine blades don't really push the air behind them like a prop do. It's the hot gasses that accelerate the air out the back. The turbine blades purpose is to compress the air for the fuel to burn with. The high speed air is a result of the combustion. That being said, you don't want hot exhaust gasses inside a tunnel. Then you'd have lots and lots of smoke everywhere.
 
  • #38
Well, it looks like this program got some press. I posted an article from the only trade magazine I read anymore, Aerospace Testing International. It is an awesome magazine.

http://www.scribd.com/share/upload/12670911/1csxn9hgknr0pp1qjt68
 
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  • #39
Very cool Cyrus. I use to program CNC machines and worked for a company that made aviation and general military parts for the government. I can tell there's probably quite a bit of time in that model.
 
  • #40
Hi Fred,

Thanks for posting that article!
 
  • #41
Joslyn you stalker NERD! :)
 

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