Title: Simulation and model support correction for slotted wall transonic wind tunnels

Authors: Alexander Heidebrecht

Addresses: DLR, Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology, Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany

Abstract: Simulating the flow inside a wind tunnel can be useful for many purposes from planning experiments and design of a wind tunnel or components to CFD code validation or correction of wind tunnel measurements. This paper shows a CFD representation of a model plus support in a transonic wind tunnel flow and investigates its usefulness. Based on computational results, conclusions are drawn regarding support interference. The outline for a full support correction method is presented, including model support, mounting effects and buoyancy as well as other interferences due to non-uniform pressure distribution in the test section. The wind tunnel regarded is the European transonic windtunnel (ETW).

Keywords: wind tunnel simulation; European transonic wind tunnel; ETW; slotted walls; transonic wind tunnels; model support interference; model validation; CFD; computational fluid dynamics; wind tunnel correction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESMS.2013.052378

International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation, 2013 Vol.5 No.1/2/3, pp.33 - 43

Published online: 29 Aug 2014 *

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