1. The Beginner’s Guide to Wind Tunnels with TunnelSim and TunnelSys
Tom Benson
Inlets and Nozzles Branch
NASA Glenn Research Center
Carol Galica
Educational Programs Office
Anthony Vila
Mechanical Engineering Student
Vanderbilt University
4 Jan 10

2. OUTLINE Background / Rationale Beginner’s Guide to Wind Tunnels (BGT)
TunnelSim
TunnelSys
Summary

3. BACKGROUND
For the past 12 years, NASA Glenn has been building a web-based textbook, the Beginner’s Guide to Aeronautics,
(BGA) that includes information about airplanes, turbine engines, model rockets, kites, baseball, compressible aerodynamics and hypersonic aerodynamics.
The textbook includes scientific and mathematical descriptive pages, interactive Java applets, teacher created activities, podcasts, and PowerPoint presentations.

4. Sample Web Pages FoilSim software Beginner’s Guide To Aeronautics

5. The Beginner’s Guide to Wind Tunnels (BGT)
Create a new section of the BGA dealing with
Wind Tunnels
Wind Tunnel Testing
(Web version of Pope’s Wind Tunnel Testing)
Gather existing web-based information
Develop new web pages and interactive software

6. BGT Index - Part 1

7. Typical Web Pages
Strain Gage
Low Speed Tunnel

8. BGT Index - Part 2

10. TunnelSim – Software to Design a Tunnel
A Java applet that solves the one-dimensional continuity equation through an open tube. Flow assumed to be incompressible and inviscid.
Student can vary geometry or flow conditions at the bellmouth, test section, or diffuser, and the program computes conditions at all other places through the tunnel
Output includes variation through the tunnel and conditions in the test section
Violations of assumptions are flagged.
On-line user’s manual and BGT support for science and math.

11. TunnelSim

12. TunnelSys – Software for Design Class
Three Java applications dealing with three aspects of wind tunnel testing:
Design of Wind Tunnel Model
Wind Tunnel Testing Techniques
Data Post-Processing
Programs pass information to each other by data files
Suggest a fourth team member to act as program manager
Based on FoilSim – determine lift performance of a wing design
On-line user’s manual and demonstration applets

13. TunnelSys – Design Program

14. TunnelSys – Test Program

15. TunnelSys – Processing Program

16. Future Plans
Later versions of TunnelSim to include closed circuit tunnels, loss estimates in the corners, and power requirements for the motor
Later versions of TunnelSys to include drag estimation, and lift calculation based on user static pressure number and location.
Additional web pages and topics to be added based on user feedback on current configuration.

17. SUMMARY
A new section of the BGA has been developed which deals with the subject of wind tunnels and wind tunnel testing techniques. Site became active in September, Access by entering “Beginner’s Guide to Wind Tunnel” in your search engine.
Two major Java programs have been developed; TunnelSim for the design and analysis of a low speed wind tunnel, and TunnelSys for use in a design class dealing with model design, testing, and post-processing
Later versions of software and web pages to be determined by user feedback and NASA support.

18. This work was supported by Tony Springer Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) NASA Headquarters and NASA Glenn Educational Programs Office

19. QUESTIONS ?