Model Testing of a Sub-Sonic Wind Tunnel

A subsonic wind tunnel was designed for laboratory use. The design is for an open-circuit, closed-test-section wind tunnel that is about 9 ft. by 3ft, and can be taken apart for storage and transportation. The wind tunnel is designed mainly for use in fluid mechanics laboratory and this justifies the size, the material and equipment specifications and, the cost. Each of the sections are designed and constructed independently and then assembled. Models of different shapes and sizes can be tested to study the aerodynamic forces interacting. Major results obtained from the study are: Lift and Drag forces, coefficient of lift (CL) and coefficient of drag (CD) and Reynolds’ number. Other parameters include: volumetric flow rate, static and dynamic pressures, Mach number, flow velocity, density, angle of attack, flow area, air foil chord and span. The Continuity equation and Bernoulli’s equation were useful in determining some parameters in the design.