Filton Low Speed Wind Tunnel

Lecture Overview

•Why do we need low speed wind tunnel testing•Wind tunnel technology •Instrumentation overview•Expected daily tasks•Individual projects•Conclusions •Questions and answers

Why Low Speed Wind Tunnel Testing is Needed

•Take of and landing

•Refuelling of aircraft in the air

•Testing ground effects

Wind Tunnel technology 2

Wind Tunnel technology 3

Wind Tunnel technology 4

Wind Tunnel technology 4

Details

•Date built 1955•MAX.SPEED 97 m/s, 318 f/s, 218 m.p.h, 188 knots. (0.28 MACH No.) (EMPTY TUNNEL)•6 - components, electro-mechanical, virtual centre under floor Balance•Fluorescent, Ultra Violet and Photo-floods•Used for tests on Concorde

Wind Tunnel Instrumentation•Analogue to digital conversionoTail plain pressuresoWing pressuresoFuselage pressuresoModal Temperatureo IncidenceoVibration

•Control and automationoPitchoYawoNeedle valve control for HP air engine

simulation

Wind Tunnel Instrumentation•Hardware usedoNI instrument DAQ modulesoNI PXI SoftwareoPIC MicrocontrolleroPSI8000 SystemoGE Druck pressure sensorsoCustom Built LOLA Actuator

•SoftwareoLab viewoMP Lab IDEoC CompileroC++ For tunnel specific applications

Wind tunnel Responsibilities•Report writing for every wind tunnel modaloModal Instrumentation ReportoFacility Instrumentation ReportoOperations Report

•Wind tunnel electrical stock control•Wind tunnel instrumentation support•Modal configuration support

•Support from Co workersoGood team spiritoEvery one willing to help oManufacturing team a little hard sometimes

Individual Projects 1 •Remote DVD ControlleroPIC Microcontrollero RS232 communicationso IR InterfaceoPWM Output oPCB component design and manufacturer

•Modal position DAQoPIC microcontrolleroTCP/IP communication protocoloRS232 capability o24 bit ADC implementation

Individual Projects 2 •Remote control for DC MotoroAnalogue circuit principlesoUnipolar switching circuit for two directionsoLimit and safety circuit implementation

•HP Air (Torbar) DAQ oPIC Microcontrollero64 bit ADC via SPIoRS232 protocoloTCP/IP ProtocoloTime crucial code expectationoUsed to test IPEKA Counter rotating prop blades

for aircraft

Biggest Success•DAQ Instrumentation for use with real live projects

Worst Mistake•Destruction of actuator costing around £10,000

Most usefull module•Digital Signal Processing-2nd year •Embedded systems -2nd year•Analogue circuit principles -1st year

Least useful module•Group project management

Conclusions•Valuable experience in the work place•Practical experience to enhance the subjects learnt at UWE•Real sense of being part of a team •Real team work experience•Pressure to meet deadlines•Gave me a real interest in Engineering as a whole•Return job possibilities

Questions ??