We have received some new images from the manufacturer of our pressure vessel, with the four elbows in various states of assembly. These images put into perspective the scale of the new facility. We will have more updates coming soon.
Compressed Air Wind Tunnel: The Pressure Vessel
The main component of our new wind tunnel facility is the pressure vessel shell. The facility has been designed to optimize size while achieving moderately high pressures to create the ideal environment for testing at high Reynolds numbers. With a pressure rating of 500 psi, we can achieve 34 times the atmospheric density of air, and only minor increases in the viscosity.
Our facility is also large, with a maximum test section size of 40″ in diameter, meaning we can test relatively large models at very high Reynolds number values, approaching 1 million per inch.
New Compressed Air Wind Tunnel Under Construction!
We are excited to announce that fabrication has begun on our new compressed air wind tunnel facility!
This tunnel will be unique in it’s size and pressure ratings, allowing for new access to high Reynolds number flows. Internal air pressures of 500 psi will be possible meaning we can achieve densities which are 34x that of atmospheric air. Right now work is being completed on the pressure vessel “shell” that houses the wind tunnel. Total weight of the facility will be over 100,000 pounds!
The test section will be modular, with the largest internal diameter being a circular 40″ cross section. Inside we will be able to test relatively large models of wind turbine and helicopter rotors, airfoils, full aircraft models, and many other configurations.
We will continue to post news about this exciting facility as work progresses.
Welcome to our new graduate students!
Sean Wang and Constantinos “Costa” Kandias have joined the lab, welcome!
Sean joins from our Penn State Aerospace undergraduate program and will be working on structural analysis of 3-D printed composite blades as well as PIV of wind turbine wakes at high Reynolds numbers.
Costa joins us from York University and will be working on rotor acoustic scaling using compressed air.
Summer Students Participate in Research Experience for Undergraduates
Joshua Forrest, Andrew Shields, and Yoon-Jae “Jake” Lee were all chosen to participate in the Penn State Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) this summer.
The program information and website can be found here: https://sites.psu.edu/mcreu2020/
Final poster presentations can be accessed below:
Josh’s project on “Designing an Aerodynamically Scaled Wind Turbine Model”
Andrew’s project on “Acoustic Far-Field Predictions of Small-Scale Rotorcraft Under Increased Air Pressure”
Jake’s project on “Constant Current Hot-film Anemometer for the Velocity Fluctuation Measurements”
The Miller Lab
Welcome to the Miller Lab! We study the fluid mechanics of unsteady and rotating systems with a variety of experimental methods. Please have a look around our website, you can contact me here.