City’s T5-transonic wind tunnel facility is part of the National Wind Tunnel Facility consortium. It is a closed-return type induction driven tunnel and is one of only two transonic facilities available in the UK academic sector. A combination of facility suitability, available instrumentation, technical knowhow and dedicated support makes the T5 tunnel best suited for the ALFA Seal project. Details of the tunnel characteristics and instrumentation are given below.
Tunnel Characteristics
- Transonic / Supersonic closed return type, induction driven
- Mach Number range: M0.3 – M0.99 (for ALFA Seal)
- Test Section Size: 0.2 m x 0.25 m x 0.5m
- Transonic liners on the top/bottom walls to abate shock reflections/wall interference
- Turbulence management system – Honeycomb flow straightener + 3 screens
- Laminar flow – Recorded existence of turbulent spots on a flat-plate with a sharp leading edge
- Quartz glass windows on side walls for optical access
- Total pressure ~ 101325 Pa (slightly less at transonic velocities)
- Run time ~ 90 seconds at M0.5-M0.6