Most interesting things about wind tunnel testing

[dumb]

hey all of you lil engineering smart asses,

I have to start a really important project in like 2 days, (extended essay for those ex ib) and i have to investigate on airfoils in a wind tunnel, basically i have a lot of choice. I thought I could design a four-digit naca airfoil (tho it seems really complicated), then measure the lift/drag... forces in the tunnel and then compare them with the ones obtained by calculations, or look at the factors of lift or even look at the effect of control surfaces on airfoils. Btw my essay needs to be about 4000 words long and about grade 11-12 level. If you any idea about what i should do and what you have done instead of me please tell me!

THANK U SOOO MUCH!

 

[Navin A S]

From what you have mentioned above, the project that you could do is to design a four-digit NACA airfoil and measure the lift/drag forces in a wind tunnel. You can then compare the results obtained from the experiment with the ones calculated using the appropriate equations. In addition, you can also look at the factors of lift, such as angle of attack, camber, aspect ratio, etc., and the effect of control surfaces on airfoils. Furthermore, you could also consider investigating the stall behavior of the airfoil, the effects of Reynolds number, or the influence of boundary layer transition on the performance of the airfoil. To make your project more comprehensive, you could also consider performing a parametric study on different airfoils and evaluating their performance under different conditions. For example, you can try to compare different airfoils for their lift/drag characteristics at different angles of attack, or you can compare different airfoils at different Reynolds numbers. This will help you gain a better understanding of the behavior of airfoils in general and enable you to draw better conclusions in your essay. Hope this helps! Good luck with your project!

 

[ravenprp]

Hi there! As an engineering student, I can definitely relate to your struggle with finding an interesting topic for your extended essay. Wind tunnel testing is a fascinating area of study, and I'm sure you'll find plenty of interesting things to explore. Here are a few ideas that might help you with your project:

1. Investigate the history and evolution of wind tunnel testing. How did it first come about? Who were the key contributors to its development? How has it evolved over time, and what are some of the most significant advancements in wind tunnel technology?

2. Compare and contrast different types of wind tunnels, such as open circuit, closed circuit, and cryogenic wind tunnels. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type? How are they used in different industries and research fields?

3. Explore the use of wind tunnel testing in the automotive industry. How do car manufacturers use wind tunnels to improve the aerodynamics and performance of their vehicles? What are some of the most interesting findings that have come out of wind tunnel testing in this field?

4. Look into the application of wind tunnel testing in aerospace engineering. How do engineers use wind tunnels to test and improve the design of aircraft and spacecraft? What are some of the challenges they face when conducting wind tunnel tests in this field?

5. Investigate the role of wind tunnel testing in sports science. How do athletes and sports equipment manufacturers use wind tunnels to improve performance? What are some of the most interesting findings that have come out of wind tunnel testing in sports?

I hope these ideas give you some inspiration for your project. Best of luck with your essay!