[NASA Challenge] Transonic Wind Tunnel Test Section Design

Last crawled date: 1 year, 10 months ago

For additional information, explanations, and renders, please see the PDF document labeled “Detailed Explanation”. This is my submission to the NASA Challenge: New Transonic Wind Tunnel Test Section, and serves as a design concept to develop more efficient wind tunnel test sections.

The design consists primarily of two features to greatly enhance the efficiency of current wind tunnels. Most prominently, the conveyor belt system allows for the movement of test sections in and out of the wind tunnel. For a singular wind tunnel, the maximum amount of required test sections is solely two. Given that testing lasts for multiple hours at a time, an inactive test section can be reconfigured for the following test, without the need for more sections — namely, additional test sections would add unnecessary costs. Consequently, the conveyor/turntable design featured in this submission ensures the ability to reconfigure entire test sections while simultaneously allowing for the testing of another section in the wind tunnel.

Secondly, each test section is covered in 264 polycarbonate panels, mounted to the walls. Each panel can be electrically connected to the remainder of the system via a pogo pin connection (again, please see the PDF for greater detail). The panels mount to the frame of the test section, which has been designed with nuts welded to its interior. The test section frame is hollow (with struts for support) to allow for wiring to connect all the panels together. This concept allows for the complete reconfiguration of entire test sections, without needing to construct new frames for the test section exterior. Furthermore, by institutionalizing the mounting of sensors and models in a test section, wind tunnels worldwide can utilize the same mechanism, making it simple to test a model in any tunnel. In essence, this technology potentially could set the stage for institutionalized wind tunnel testing system in the years to come. As a matter of additional redundancy in the system (thus ensuring that panels don't come loose during testing), to remove a panel, one would have to push inwards, pull out, and then in again, making it effectively impossible to dislodge a panel during testing. Sadly, due to time constraints, this wasn't modeled.

If there are questions about the design, I’d be glad to answer them in the comments section! I’d like to give a huge thank you to GrabCAD and NASA for hosting this competition. I wish my fellow competitors the best of luck!