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Educational Wind Tunnel (EWT) System

The AEROLAB Educational Wind Tunnel (EWT) System is a powerful tool for educators and researchers, alike. With many optional features available, the budget-conscious user can start with a basic system and upgrade as needs change or funding becomes available. The Complete EWT System is an easy-to-use, all-in-one fluids / aerodynamics laboratory. Optional features include instrumentation, data acquisition, models and probes. Contact AEROLAB and build a system today!

Perfectly scaled for high school or university use, the basic EWT system is also popular with small technical businesses needing an accurate, reliable testing device.

Common Applications:

Education, research, testing, calibration

Performance Specifications:

  • Airspeed Range - 10 mph (4.5 m/s) to 145+ mph (65 + m/s)
  • Turbulence Level - less than 0.2%
  • Reynolds Number (per foot) - 1.4 x 10^6 /foot

EWT Test Section
  • Test Section Dimensions - 12”x12”x24” (30.5cm x 30.5cm x 61cm)
  • Length - 15 feet (4.6m)
  • Width - 42 inches (1.1m)
  • Height - 6 feet (1.8m)
  • Weight - approximately 600 pounds (272 kg)
  • Power - 10 hp (7.5 KW) electric motor
  • Mobility - Four (4) industrial-grade steel casters with polyurethane wheels
  • Fiberglass Construction - Accurately-formed, rugged, and strong
  • Honeycomb Flow Straightener - Expanded aluminum, 4-inch deep hexagonal cells
  • Turbulence-reducing Screens - Two (2) 20x20 (mesh) stainless steel screens
  • Contraction Contour - 9.5:1 propietary contraction
  • Static Pressure Ring - Non-invasive access to test section static pressure used for airspeed indication
  • Test Section - Anodized aluminum structure with integrated yaw table
  • Visibility - Two (2) top-hinged Acrylic side doors and one (1) top window
  • Diffuser - 6-deg included divergence angle with an expansion ratio of 1:3
  • Motor Control - Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), configurable to all international Voltages
  • Noise Attenuator - Integrated double-walled construction
Data Acquisition, Display and Control (DAC) System
  • National Instruments hardware and LabVIEW software (no license necessary)
  • Capable of monitoring: Force/Moment Balance output, pressures, model angle of attack, and temperature (additional hardware required)
  • Capable of setting and maintaining wind tunnel airspeed (dynamic pressure) regardless of model orientation
  • Dell desktop computer with required peripherals included
3-Component Force/Moment Sting Balance
  • Simultaneously measure Normal Force, Axial Force, and Pitching Moment
  • Quickly reconfigurable to measure Side Force, Axial Force, and Yawing Moment
  • 3/8-inch outside diameter sting mount
  • Adaptable to alternate model positioning systems
  • 1st-order Factory calibration (supplied with Balance-specific calibration bar)
Model Positioning System (MPS)
  • Designed specifically for the EWT (but adaptable to other test sections)
  • Parallelogram design keeps models centered regardless of pitch angle
  • Manually operated (gearbox) pitch control +/- 20-deg

Drag Model Set

  • Mountable to a 3/8-inch sting
  • Five (5) model set
    • teardrop
    • backward cup
    • sphere
    • forward cup
    • circular flat plate

1:48 th Scale F-16 Model

  • 11.5 inches (29.2cm) long with 7.5 inch (19cm) span
  • Mountable to a 3/8-inch Sting

Wing with Slat and Flap

  • Clark Y-14 airfoil
  • Adjustable slat and flaps
  • Mountable to a 3/8-inch Sting
  • 9.875 inch (25cm) span and 3.5 inch (9cm) chord

Pressure Cylinder

  • 24 flush-mounted pressure taps along its circumference
  • Angular position is manually set from the yaw table (vertical mount)
  • Outside diameter of 4 inches (10.2cm)
  • Supplied with all necessary tubing

Pressure Wing

  • 18 flush-mounted pressure taps around the Clark Y-14 airfoil
  • Angular position is manually set from the yaw table (vertical mount)

Boundary Layer Plate and “Mouse”

  • 10-tap total pressure probe (“mouse”)
  • Three streamwise mouse stations along the length of the flat plate
  • Pressure taps ascend at an angle to span the boundary layer

Wake "Rake"

  • 18 total-pressure ports
  • Ports span ~1.75 inches (4.445cm)
  • Probe Length ~10 inches (25.4cm)

Yaw Probe

  • Three pressure ports with 60-deg spacing
  • Overall length of 10.5 inches (26.7cm), outside diameter of 0.125 inches (32mm)
  • Mounts easily in EWT test section window probe port
  • Adjustable triangular base for angle indication

Pitot-static Probe

  • Rounded tip total-pressure port and 6 static ports
  • Mounts easily into the test section window
  • Reaches 2.6 inches (6.6cm) forward of the bend and extends 13 inches (33cm) to the bend witn an outside diameter of 0.125 inches (32mm)

Turbulence Sphere

  • Highly polished
  • 4 inch (10.2cm) diameter
  • Mountable to a 3/8-inch sting
  • Critical Reynolds number determination with balance data only - sphere has no pressure ports

Multi-columnn Manometer

  • 24-tube
  • 0 – 14 inches (0 – 35cm) of water
  • Anodized alumnimum, glass tubes, brass fittings and silicone tubing
  • Silk screen scale and grid
  • Mounts to the EWT

Model Storage and Display Cabinet

  • Plexiglas top-hinged door with aluminum handle
  • Convenient storage for models, tools and documentation

Smoke Generator

  • Electrically operated
  • Produces think white smoke for flow visualization
  • Includes one gallon (3.79 liters) of smoke fluid

Pressure Transducer Array

  • High-accuracy solid-state absolute pressure transducers available in 12,18 and 24-Channel blocks
  • RS 485 communication simplifies and reduces wiring
  • Anodized aluminum housing
  • Directly integrates with the EWT DAC or as a stand-alone unit (USB interface)

Pressure Spheres (Turbulence)

  • Set of 4 Spheres
  • EWT model positioning system mount provided
  • One (1) total port and one (1) static port (averaged from four (4) 22.5-deg static ports)
  • Storage case included

3/8-inch "Dummy" Sting

  • A low-risk alternative for mounting visualization or pressure models
  • Identical dimensions to the 3/8-inch sting

Related Products:

AEROLAB has been designing and building custom open circuit and closed circuit wind tunnels for decades. If an EWT can’t fill your needs exactly, contact AEROLAB with a set of specifications. A custom wind tunnel system can be designed and a formal quotation will be offered.