Research in Experimental Aerodynamics Laboratory in METUWIND mainly focuses on wind turbine blade aerodynamics, flow control devices, wake interactions and wind farm simulations.

Experimental studies involve optical flow measurement techniques such as 2D or stereoscopic time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) as well as pressure and force measurements on scaled turbine rotor models and 2D wing models. Experimental setups and facilities used in the studies are described below.

Wind Tunnels:

• METUWIND/RUZGEM C1: Small Scale Suction Type Wind Tunnel
• METUWIND/RUZGEM C2: Continuous Flow Blower Type Wind Tunnel
• METUWIND/RUZGEM C3: Medium Scale Suction Type Wind Tunnel
• METUWIND/RUZGEM C4: Open-Jet Wind Tunnel
• METUWIND/RUZGEM Large Scale Wind Tunnel

Measurement Systems:

• Model Wind Turbine Test Rig
• High Precision Force/Moment Balance
• Particle Image Velocimetry (TSI Incorporated)
• Pressure Measurement
• Data Acquisition System

METUWIND C1

Specifications:

• Small scale suction type wind tunnel
• Axial fan driven by a 4 kW electric motor
• Flow conditioning (honeycombs and screens)
• Plexi-Glass transparent test section
• 0.3m x 0.3m square cross-section
• 25 m/s maximum velocity, Turbulence Intensity < 0.5%

Applications:

• Hot-wire and multi-hole pressure probe calibration

METUWIND C2

Specifications:

• Continuous Flow Blower Type Wind Tunnel
• Radial intake driven by a 18.5 kW electric motor
• Flow conditioning (honeycombs and screens)
• Plexi-Glass transparent test sections
• 0.6m x 0.6m square cross section
• 0.6m x 0.3m rectangular cross section
• 18 m/s maximum velocity, Turbulence Intensity < 1%

Applications:

• Active flow control on rectangular wings
• Active flow control on turbomachinery cascade test setup
• Wake measurements of bridge models

METUWIND C3

Specifications:

• Medium scale suction type wind tunnel
• Axial fan driven by a 45 kW electric motor
• Flow conditioning (honeycombs and screens)
• Plexi-Glass transparent test section
• 1m x 1m square cross section
• 25 m/s maximum velocity, Turbulence Intensity < 1%

Applications:

• Load measurements on 2-D airfoils and bridge models
• Surface pressure measurements on wing models
• Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) measurements
• Wake measurements on blades
• Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements

METUWIND C4

Specifications:

• Open-Jet Wind Tunnel Facility
• Axial fan driven by 45 kW electric motor
• Flow conditioning (honeycombs and screens)
• 1.7m jet exit diameter  
• 10 m/s maximum velocity, Turbulence Intensity < 2.5%

Applications:

• Model wind turbine testing and measurements
• Flow field measurements using Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) system
• Flow field measurements using Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry ( TR-PIV) system

METUWIND Large Scale Wind Tunnel:

Specifications:

• Closed Loop
• 54 m x 18 m footprint
• Interchangeable Aeronautical/Open-jet Test Sections
• Multi-purpose:
• 2.5 m x 2.5 m x 10 m Aeronautical Test Section
• Max Speed: 80 m/s
• Tu_x &lt: 0.1%
• Contraction Ratio = 7.84:1
• 3 m x 7 m x 20 m Boundary Layer Test Section
• Max Speed: 26 m/s
• Tu_x &lt: 2%
• 3 m diameter Open-jet
• Max Speed 66 m/s
• Tu_x &lt: 0.3%
• Contraction Ratio = 6.93:1
• Driven by a 6x315 kW axial fan array (Total 1.8 MW, 2 m diameter fans)
• Steel main structure. Test sections are mainly wood and Plexi-glass situated on steel frames.
• Large Plenum around the Open-jet test section
• Multiple honeycombs and screens
• 750 kW cooling system
• High precision external balance system
• Automated Facility Control System
• 60 m x 20 m x 15 m Hangar with large access doors and a 10 ton overhead crane
• 3 MW transformer

Model Wind Turbine Test Rig

Specifications:

• 1 m to 1.4 m diameter rotors (adjustable pitch angles)
• Ability of air injection from hub to the channels in blade roots to investigate active flow control for various applications
• Driven by 1.5 KW Panasonic Servo Motor
• Equipped with HBM T20WN/5 Nm torque transducer
• Equipped with a 6-axis ATI Force/Torque transducer

Applications:

• Performance measurements studies
• Flow field measurements studies
• Active flow control studies
• Passive flow control studies

High Precision Force/Moment Balance

Specifications:

• Load balance system equipped with 6-axis ATI Force/Torque transducers
• Equipped with a stepper angle motor for angle of attack adjustment

Applications:

• Aerodynamic characteristics measurements of wing and bridge models in wind tunnels

Particle Image Velocimetry

Specifications:

• TSI Incorporated
• Two Dimensional, Stereoscopic, Time-Resolved, Particle Image Velocimetry System
• Litron LDY304 series diode pumped Q-switched Nd: YLF high repetition rate (0.2-20 kHz) laser. The laser is a dual power, dual cavity with output energy at 1 kHz at 527 nm up to 30 mJ per laser head per pulse
• Two 12-bit high speed (Phantom V640) digital camera with a maximum resolution of 2560x1600 pixels at a frequency of 1.5 kHz (4 megapixel at full resolution) and 16 GB of internal memory buffer
• A Model 610036 LASER PULSE Synchronizer
• A 3-Axis ISEL heavy duty traverse system utilized for capturing image data at multiple planes in a flow.
• A six-jet oil droplet generator that utilizes a Laskin nozzle to generate droplets of 1 µm in diameter, used for flow seeding. Pressurized air atomizes oil in the generator reservoir to produce the droplets. These generators are best used with olive oil.
• INSIGHT 4G Acquisition Data System Software
• LASER PULSE Light Arm
• Various Light Sheet Optics. Various camera lenses and filters
• Breadboard, Laser safety Glasses

Pressure Measurement

Specifications:

• 128-channel ESP pressure scanner units
• DTC Initium DAQ pressure measurement system
• 16-channel DSA pressure Scanner from Scanivalve Corp

Applications:

• 5-hole pressure probe
• Pitot-static pressure probes
• Kiel probe
• Surface pressure measurements on wings

Data Acquisition System

Specifications:

• NI Compact DAQ -9172 8 slot USB Chassis
• 2 x 32-channel NI-9205 analog input module
• 8-channel NI-9472 24 V Sourcing Digital Output
• 4-channel NI-9211 Thermocouple analog input module
• NI Compact RIO-9076 4 slot Ethernet Chassis
• NI-9512 1 Axis Stepper Drive Interface Module
• LABVIEW programing software

Applications:

• Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) Measurements
• Pressure Measurements
• Motion Control Measurements