For Use in Classroom Demonstrations
Spring 2005 ME414 Group E Members:
Valerie Winschel, Joseph Adams,Kyle Budgeon, Craig Kamenjar, Matt Richter
The Problem
During the Spring 2002 semester, an ME414 design group under the sponsorship if Professor Savas Yavuzkurt, known as the Streamlions, was in charge of designing and constructing a portable subsonic wind tunnel, for use in a classroom setting. Though technically portable and subsonic, the Streamlions’ final product was not exactly what the sponsor needed. At 30 lbs in weight and 3 feet in length, the wind tunnel was quite awkward to transport. Also, with no practical flow visualization, not much could be demonstrated to students in mechanical engineering courses.
The Solution
As a result of these shortcomings, our group designed and built a wind tunnel even more portable than the previous one. By taking the specifications found within the Streamlions’ report and familiarizing ourselves with the workings of the old tunnel, we created an updated and improved model. The new tunnel is less than twice the size and weight of the previous one and also offers flow visualization, so that engineering students can see flow patterns around various objects at different speeds.
This new tunnel is made almost entirely out of Plexiglas, allowing for maximum flow visualization when the dry ice is added to the air stream. Also important for visualization is the fact that this new tunnel can be placed atop an overhead projector, allowing all students in a classroom the opportunity to view the flow around various test objects, such as a golfball and airfoil.
Another significant improvement is in the manometer for measuring air pressure inside the tunnel. This new manometer is more precise than the previous tunnel's, as it ranges from 0.1 to 1.0 in wg rather than 0 to 3.0 in wg. Though the highest measureable change in pressure will still only be about 0.7 in wg, it will now be easier to read. One final point of improvement is in noise level. On the previous model, the fan was so loud that no one could speak over hum of the fan. The new fan, however, is about as loud as the overhead projector itself, again making it perfect for classroom demonstrations.
Further Reading