DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOW - SPEED WIND TUNNEL

Abstract

The wind tunnel is an important system for testing in the research and development of aeronautical, automotive, and industrial designs that focus on the aerodynamic characteristics of moving objects. This paper presents the design and fabrication of an open-circuit wind tunnel with a test section measuring 500 × 500 mm. Within this section, wind speeds can reach a maximum of 15 m/s, as measured by the Extech SDL350 anemometer. The aerodynamic forces are recorded using the GPB160-1 load cell system. Experiments were conducted on three models: cubes, spheres, and cylinders, at velocities of 10 m/s and 15 m/s. Compared to the reference values, the errors for the cubic model were 4.57% at 10 m/s and 4.95% at 15 m/s. Similarly, the errors for the spherical model were 3.61% at 10 m/s and 4.61% at 15 m/s, while those for the cylindrical model were 3.6% at 10 m/s and 4.6% at 15 m/s. The test results demonstrated that the wind tunnel exhibits high reliability and stability. This system contributes to developing of shape-optimized designs, enhancing aerodynamic performance and vehicle safety.