Otimização e instrumentação de um túnel de vento

Abstract

Studies of aerodynamics and fluid mechanics use wind tunnels as a tool in a controlled environment to develop concepts and tests for different purposes. Be for the didactic or market objective, the wind tunnels can fulfill the function of the calibration of instruments, conducting experiments for scientific and technological development, improvement of aerodynamic parameters etc. Through an exhaust fan or fan a pressure variation, which generates movement in the fluid and this, when influencing the object in question, is studied by virtue of the search for knowledge of its variables (mainly speed, temperature and pressure). Given this, this work proposes to design, construct, test, instrument and compare the results obtained from the sensor readings in a wind tunnel already existing parameters for various variable parameters of your geometry to optimize it. It was designed and developed a nozzle, screen, hive, inner liner, brackets and programmed and calibrated pressure and velocity sensors to create a quality around a wind tunnel. From computer-aided engineering (CAE), it was possible to design, compare and develop the geometries needed to optimize the wind tunnel. A nozzle was constructed of wood, aluminum and coated with Semi-rigid PVC with the purpose of studying its influence on the increase of speed in the tests. A stabilization chamber was constructed in hexagonal shape with the use of a plastic, cardboard and wood for the purpose of stabilizing and reducing the intensity of turbulence inside the wind tunnel. It was still necessary to develop a instrumentation that was feasible and responsible for measuring the desired design parameters. This instrumentation was integrated to a virtual platform for monitoring and remote control of variables. The tests were performed in the Laboratory of Aerodynamics and Mechanics of Fluids from the Federal University of Ceará, from which speed data were collected, pressure and temperature from the variation of the rotation of an extractor coupled to the diffuser of the wind tunnel. It was possible to observe a slight increase in speed in the test section after insertion of the corrected nozzle and a sudden decrease in turbulence intensity. Still in the section of tests an approximation between the data measured in laboratory and those of computational simulation.