Wind Tunnel Technology

Where was the first closed circuit wind tunnel built?

• Salzberg

• Gottingen

• Milan

Who built the first wind tunnel?

• Brunel

• Gustav Eiffel

• Stephenson

Why do most car racing teams use closed loop wind tunnels?

Why do closed loop wind tunnels need to be cooled?

Why is the fan mechanically isolated from the ground and the structure of the tunnel by a seismic mass?

What fluid dynamic problems do fans introduce into the air flow?

Why are static vanes placed downstream of the fan?

What is the maximum air velocity in the Sauber wind tunnel

• 288km/hr

• 540m/s

• 80 m/s

Why does the cross section of the wind tunnel expand progressively after the fan, until it reaches the contraction just before the test section?

• It maintains the working area of the tunnel by compensating for the build up in boundary layer.

• It reduces the friction losses between the air and the wall of the wind tunnel.

What are the disadvantages of a closed loop wind tunnel?

• High cost of construction.

• More difficult to operate and maintain than an open loop tunnel.

• Takes up greater space than an open loop tunnel.