Compact open circuit wind tunnels
Suction type open circuit wind tunnel with fan array
We started this project in May 2026 to add more flexibility to the first wind tunnel design. Rather than using a blower, we turned to the suction type and an array of fans to naturally improve the flow quality (turbulence intensity and angularity) while keeping the tunnel affordable.
The requirements included:
1) The maximum tunnel length
2) The maximum cross-section size
3) The minimum working section size, and
4) The speed in the working section.
It was interesting to explore a wide range of speeds in the working section and track how the required power increases with speed.
We also ran the design and analysis for three cross-sectional shapes: round, square, and square with rounded corners. While the trends are obvious, it is helpful to estimate and compare the numbers.
The current state of the project:
exploring the design space and specifying the project requirements.
We started this project in May 2026 to add more flexibility to the first wind tunnel design. Rather than using a blower, we turned to the suction type and an array of fans to naturally improve the flow quality (turbulence intensity and angularity) while keeping the tunnel affordable.
The requirements included:
1) The maximum tunnel length
2) The maximum cross-section size
3) The minimum working section size, and
4) The speed in the working section.
It was interesting to explore a wide range of speeds in the working section and track how the required power increases with speed.
We also ran the design and analysis for three cross-sectional shapes: round, square, and square with rounded corners. While the trends are obvious, it is helpful to estimate and compare the numbers.
The current state of the project:
exploring the design space and specifying the project requirements.
