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132-406: Wind tunnels are machines in which objects are held stationary inside a tube, and air is blown around it to study the interaction between the object and the moving air. They are used to test the aerodynamic effects of aircraft , rockets , cars , and buildings . Different wind tunnels range in size from less than a foot across, to over 100 feet (30 m), and can have air that moves at speeds from

264-404: A combustion chamber , and accelerate the exhaust rearwards to provide thrust. Different jet engine configurations include the turbojet and turbofan , sometimes with the addition of an afterburner . Those with no rotating turbomachinery include the pulsejet and ramjet . These mechanically simple engines produce no thrust when stationary, so the aircraft must be launched to flying speed using

396-433: A lifting gas such as helium , hydrogen or hot air , which is less dense than the surrounding air. When the weight of the lifting gas is added to the weight of the aircraft itself, it is same or less than the mass of the air that the craft displaces. Small hot-air balloons, called sky lanterns , were first invented in ancient China prior to the 3rd century BC and used primarily in cultural celebrations, and were only

528-503: A whirling arm apparatus to determine drag and did some of the first experiments in aviation theory. Sir George Cayley (1773–1857) also used a whirling arm to measure the drag and lift of various airfoils. His whirling arm was 5 feet (1.5 m) long and attained top speeds between 10 and 20 feet per second (3 to 6 m/s). Otto Lilienthal used a rotating arm to accurately measure wing airfoils with varying angles of attack , establishing their lift-to-drag ratio polar diagrams, but

660-560: A catapult, like the V-1 flying bomb , or a rocket, for example. Other engine types include the motorjet and the dual-cycle Pratt & Whitney J58 . Compared to engines using propellers, jet engines can provide much higher thrust, higher speeds and, above about 40,000 ft (12,000 m), greater efficiency. They are also much more fuel-efficient than rockets . As a consequence nearly all large, high-speed or high-altitude aircraft use jet engines. Some rotorcraft, such as helicopters , have

792-516: A centrifugal blower in 1897, and determined the drag coefficients of flat plates, cylinders and spheres. Danish inventor Poul la Cour applied wind tunnels in his process of developing and refining the technology of wind turbines in the early 1890s. Carl Rickard Nyberg used a wind tunnel when designing his Flugan from 1897 and onwards. In a classic set of experiments, the Englishman Osborne Reynolds (1842–1912) of

924-435: A distance s 2 = v 2 Δ t . The displaced fluid volumes at the inflow and outflow are respectively A 1 s 1 and A 2 s 2 . The associated displaced fluid masses are – when ρ is the fluid's mass density – equal to density times volume, so ρA 1 s 1 and ρA 2 s 2 . By mass conservation, these two masses displaced in the time interval Δ t have to be equal, and this displaced mass

1056-483: A factor), and so is not directly useful for accurate measurements. The air moving through the tunnel needs to be relatively turbulence-free and laminar . To correct this problem, closely spaced vertical and horizontal air vanes are used to smooth out the turbulent airflow before reaching the subject of the testing. Due to the effects of viscosity , the cross-section of a wind tunnel is typically circular rather than square, because there will be greater flow constriction in

1188-638: A greater wingspan (94m/260 ft) than any current aircraft and a tail height equal to the tallest (Airbus A380-800 at 24.1m/78 ft) — flew only one short hop in the late 1940s and never flew out of ground effect . The largest civilian airplanes, apart from the above-noted An-225 and An-124, are the Airbus Beluga cargo transport derivative of the Airbus A300 jet airliner, the Boeing Dreamlifter cargo transport derivative of

1320-432: A light breeze to hypersonic velocities. Usually, large fans move air through the wind tunnel, while the object being tested is held stationary. The object can be an aerodynamic test object such as a cylinder or an airfoil, an individual component of an aircraft, a small model of the vehicle, or, in the largest tunnels, even a full-sized vehicle. Different measurements can be taken from these tests. The aerodynamic forces on

1452-674: A marginal case. The forerunner of the fixed-wing aircraft is the kite . Whereas a fixed-wing aircraft relies on its forward speed to create airflow over the wings, a kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the wind blowing over its wings to provide lift. Kites were the first kind of aircraft to fly and were invented in China around 500 BC. Much aerodynamic research was done with kites before test aircraft, wind tunnels , and computer modelling programs became available. The first heavier-than-air craft capable of controlled free-flight were gliders . A glider designed by George Cayley carried out

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1584-794: A maximum loaded weight of 550–700 t (1,210,000–1,540,000 lb), it was also the heaviest aircraft built to date. It could cruise at 500 mph (800 km/h; 430 kn). The aircraft was destroyed during the Russo-Ukrainian War . The largest military airplanes are the Ukrainian Antonov An-124 Ruslan (world's second-largest airplane, also used as a civilian transport), and American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport, weighing, loaded, over 380 t (840,000 lb). The 8-engine, piston/propeller Hughes H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose" — an American World War II wooden flying boat transport with

1716-405: A pair of fans driven by 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) electric motors. The layout was a double-return, closed-loop format and could accommodate many full-size real aircraft as well as scale models. The tunnel was eventually closed and, even though it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1995, demolition began in 2010. Until World War II, the world's largest wind tunnel, built in 1932–1934,

1848-575: A particular application, but all are analogous to Bernoulli's equation and all rely on nothing more than the fundamental principles of physics such as Newton's laws of motion or the first law of thermodynamics . For a compressible fluid, with a barotropic equation of state , and under the action of conservative forces, v 2 2 + ∫ p 1 p d p ~ ρ ( p ~ ) + Ψ = constant (along

1980-569: A payload of up to 22,050 lb (10,000 kg). The largest aircraft by weight and largest regular fixed-wing aircraft ever built, as of 2016 , was the Antonov An-225 Mriya . That Soviet-built ( Ukrainian SSR ) six-engine transport of the 1980s was 84 m (276 ft) long, with an 88 m (289 ft) wingspan. It holds the world payload record, after transporting 428,834 lb (194,516 kg) of goods, and has flown 100 t (220,000 lb) loads commercially. With

2112-588: A powered "tug" aircraft. For a glider to maintain its forward air speed and lift, it must descend in relation to the air (but not necessarily in relation to the ground). Many gliders can "soar", i.e. , gain height from updrafts such as thermal currents. The first practical, controllable example was designed and built by the British scientist and pioneer George Cayley , whom many recognise as the first aeronautical engineer. Common examples of gliders are sailplanes , hang gliders and paragliders . Balloons drift with

2244-491: A powered rotary wing or rotor , where the rotor disc can be angled slightly forward so that a proportion of its lift is directed forwards. The rotor may, like a propeller, be powered by a variety of methods such as a piston engine or turbine. Experiments have also used jet nozzles at the rotor blade tips . Aircraft are designed according to many factors such as customer and manufacturer demand, safety protocols and physical and economic constraints. For many types of aircraft

2376-577: A rigid basket or gondola slung below it to carry its payload. Early aircraft, including airships , often employed flexible doped aircraft fabric covering to give a reasonably smooth aeroshell stretched over a rigid frame. Later aircraft employed semi- monocoque techniques, where the skin of the aircraft is stiff enough to share much of the flight loads. In a true monocoque design there is no internal structure left. The key structural parts of an aircraft depend on what type it is. Lighter-than-air types are characterised by one or more gasbags, typically with

2508-461: A streamline) {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+\int _{p_{1}}^{p}{\frac {\mathrm {d} {\tilde {p}}}{\rho \left({\tilde {p}}\right)}}+\Psi ={\text{constant (along a streamline)}}} where: In engineering situations, elevations are generally small compared to the size of the Earth, and the time scales of fluid flow are small enough to consider the equation of state as adiabatic. In this case,

2640-420: A supporting structure of flexible cables or a rigid framework called its hull. Other elements such as engines or a gondola may also be attached to the supporting structure. Heavier-than-air types are characterised by one or more wings and a central fuselage . The fuselage typically also carries a tail or empennage for stability and control, and an undercarriage for takeoff and landing. Engines may be located on

2772-434: A test model can also be determined by performing a wake survey , in which either a single pitot tube is used to obtain multiple readings downstream of the test model, or a multiple-tube manometer is mounted downstream and all its readings are taken. The aerodynamic properties of an object can not all remain the same for a scaled model. However, by observing certain similarity rules, a very satisfactory correspondence between

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2904-431: A wind tunnel type of test during an actual flight in order to refine the computational model. Where external turbulent flow is present, CFD is not practical due to limitations in present-day computing resources. For example, an area that is still much too complex for the use of CFD is determining the effects of flow on and around structures, bridges, and terrain. The most effective way to simulative external turbulent flow

3036-522: Is a lifting body , which has no wings, though it may have small stabilizing and control surfaces. Wing-in-ground-effect vehicles are generally not considered aircraft. They "fly" efficiently close to the surface of the ground or water, like conventional aircraft during takeoff. An example is the Russian ekranoplan nicknamed the " Caspian Sea Monster ". Man-powered aircraft also rely on ground effect to remain airborne with minimal pilot power, but this

3168-483: Is a Bernoulli equation valid also for unsteady—or time dependent—flows. Here ⁠ ∂ φ / ∂ t ⁠ denotes the partial derivative of the velocity potential φ with respect to time t , and v = | ∇ φ | is the flow speed. The function f ( t ) depends only on time and not on position in the fluid. As a result, the Bernoulli equation at some moment t applies in the whole fluid domain. This

3300-462: Is a constant, sometimes referred to as the Bernoulli constant. It is not a universal constant , but rather a constant of a particular fluid system. The deduction is: where the speed is large, pressure is low and vice versa. In the above derivation, no external work–energy principle is invoked. Rather, Bernoulli's principle was derived by a simple manipulation of Newton's second law. Another way to derive Bernoulli's principle for an incompressible flow

3432-495: Is a flow speed at which pressure is zero, and at even higher speeds the pressure is negative. Most often, gases and liquids are not capable of negative absolute pressure, or even zero pressure, so clearly Bernoulli's equation ceases to be valid before zero pressure is reached. In liquids—when the pressure becomes too low— cavitation occurs. The above equations use a linear relationship between flow speed squared and pressure. At higher flow speeds in gases, or for sound waves in liquid,

3564-437: Is a powered one. A powered, steerable aerostat is called a dirigible . Sometimes this term is applied only to non-rigid balloons, and sometimes dirigible balloon is regarded as the definition of an airship (which may then be rigid or non-rigid). Non-rigid dirigibles are characterized by a moderately aerodynamic gasbag with stabilizing fins at the back. These soon became known as blimps . During World War II , this shape

3696-885: Is also true for the special case of a steady irrotational flow, in which case f and ⁠ ∂ φ / ∂ t ⁠ are constants so equation ( A ) can be applied in every point of the fluid domain. Further f ( t ) can be made equal to zero by incorporating it into the velocity potential using the transformation: Φ = φ − ∫ t 0 t f ( τ ) d τ , {\displaystyle \Phi =\varphi -\int _{t_{0}}^{t}f(\tau )\,\mathrm {d} \tau ,} resulting in: ∂ Φ ∂ t + 1 2 v 2 + p ρ + g z = 0. {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial \Phi }{\partial t}}+{\tfrac {1}{2}}v^{2}+{\frac {p}{\rho }}+gz=0.} Note that

3828-405: Is blown or sucked through a duct equipped with a viewing port and instrumentation where models or geometrical shapes are mounted for study. Typically the air is moved through the tunnel using a series of fans. For very large wind tunnels several meters in diameter, a single large fan is not practical, and so instead an array of multiple fans are used in parallel to provide sufficient airflow. Due to

3960-450: Is by applying conservation of energy. In the form of the work-energy theorem , stating that Therefore, The system consists of the volume of fluid, initially between the cross-sections A 1 and A 2 . In the time interval Δ t fluid elements initially at the inflow cross-section A 1 move over a distance s 1 = v 1 Δ t , while at the outflow cross-section the fluid moves away from cross-section A 2 over

4092-478: Is called aviation . The science of aviation, including designing and building aircraft, is called aeronautics . Crewed aircraft are flown by an onboard pilot , whereas unmanned aerial vehicles may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard computers . Aircraft may be classified by different criteria, such as lift type, aircraft propulsion (if any), usage and others. Flying model craft and stories of manned flight go back many centuries; however,

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4224-401: Is constant along any given streamline. More generally, when b may vary along streamlines, it still proves a useful parameter, related to the "head" of the fluid (see below). When the change in Ψ can be ignored, a very useful form of this equation is: v 2 2 + w = w 0 {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+w=w_{0}} where w 0

4356-409: Is defined to be the total pressure p 0 . The significance of Bernoulli's principle can now be summarized as "total pressure is constant in any region free of viscous forces". If the fluid flow is brought to rest at some point, this point is called a stagnation point, and at this point the static pressure is equal to the stagnation pressure . If the fluid flow is irrotational , the total pressure

4488-562: Is denoted by  Δ m : ρ A 1 s 1 = ρ A 1 v 1 Δ t = Δ m , ρ A 2 s 2 = ρ A 2 v 2 Δ t = Δ m . {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}\rho A_{1}s_{1}&=\rho A_{1}v_{1}\Delta t=\Delta m,\\\rho A_{2}s_{2}&=\rho A_{2}v_{2}\Delta t=\Delta m.\end{aligned}}} The work done by

4620-429: Is done on or by the gas (so the simple energy balance is not upset). According to the gas law, an isobaric or isochoric process is ordinarily the only way to ensure constant density in a gas. Also the gas density will be proportional to the ratio of pressure and absolute temperature ; however, this ratio will vary upon compression or expansion, no matter what non-zero quantity of heat is added or removed. The only exception

4752-402: Is flowing horizontally from a region of high pressure to a region of low pressure, then there is more pressure behind than in front. This gives a net force on the volume, accelerating it along the streamline. Fluid particles are subject only to pressure and their own weight. If a fluid is flowing horizontally and along a section of a streamline, where the speed increases it can only be because

4884-527: Is for understanding exhaust gas dispersion patterns for hospitals, laboratories, and other emitting sources. Other examples of boundary layer wind tunnel applications are assessments of pedestrian comfort and snow drifting. Wind tunnel modeling is accepted as a method for aiding in green building design. For instance, the use of boundary layer wind tunnel modeling can be used as a credit for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through

5016-409: Is if the net heat transfer is zero, as in a complete thermodynamic cycle or in an individual isentropic (frictionless adiabatic ) process, and even then this reversible process must be reversed, to restore the gas to the original pressure and specific volume, and thus density. Only then is the original, unmodified Bernoulli equation applicable. In this case the equation can be used if the flow speed of

5148-1105: Is normally called the powerplant , and includes engine or motor , propeller or rotor , (if any), jet nozzles and thrust reversers (if any), and accessories essential to the functioning of the engine or motor (e.g.: starter , ignition system , intake system , exhaust system , fuel system , lubrication system, engine cooling system , and engine controls ). Powered aircraft are typically powered by internal combustion engines ( piston or turbine ) burning fossil fuels —typically gasoline ( avgas ) or jet fuel . A very few are powered by rocket power , ramjet propulsion, or by electric motors , or by internal combustion engines of other types, or using other fuels. A very few have been powered, for short flights, by human muscle energy (e.g.: Gossamer Condor ). The avionics comprise any electronic aircraft flight control systems and related equipment, including electronic cockpit instrumentation, navigation, radar , monitoring, and communications systems . Bernoulli%27s principle Bernoulli's principle can be derived from

5280-622: Is only applicable for isentropic flows : when the effects of irreversible processes (like turbulence ) and non- adiabatic processes (e.g. thermal radiation ) are small and can be neglected. However, the principle can be applied to various types of flow within these bounds, resulting in various forms of Bernoulli's equation. The simple form of Bernoulli's equation is valid for incompressible flows (e.g. most liquid flows and gases moving at low Mach number ). More advanced forms may be applied to compressible flows at higher Mach numbers. In most flows of liquids, and of gases at low Mach number ,

5412-452: Is only because they are so underpowered—in fact, the airframe is capable of flying higher. Rotorcraft, or rotary-wing aircraft, use a spinning rotor with aerofoil cross-section blades (a rotary wing ) to provide lift. Types include helicopters , autogyros , and various hybrids such as gyrodynes and compound rotorcraft. Helicopters have a rotor turned by an engine-driven shaft. The rotor pushes air downward to create lift. By tilting

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5544-448: Is sometimes valid for the flow of gases: provided that there is no transfer of kinetic or potential energy from the gas flow to the compression or expansion of the gas. If both the gas pressure and volume change simultaneously, then work will be done on or by the gas. In this case, Bernoulli's equation—in its incompressible flow form—cannot be assumed to be valid. However, if the gas process is entirely isobaric , or isochoric , then no work

5676-623: Is stored in tanks, usually in the wings but larger aircraft also have additional fuel tanks in the fuselage . Propeller aircraft use one or more propellers (airscrews) to create thrust in a forward direction. The propeller is usually mounted in front of the power source in tractor configuration but can be mounted behind in pusher configuration . Variations of propeller layout include contra-rotating propellers and ducted fans . Many kinds of power plant have been used to drive propellers. Early airships used man power or steam engines . The more practical internal combustion piston engine

5808-475: Is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird , a U.S. reconnaissance jet fixed-wing aircraft, having reached 3,530 km/h (2,193 mph) on 28 July 1976. Gliders are heavier-than-air aircraft that do not employ propulsion once airborne. Take-off may be by launching forward and downward from a high location, or by pulling into the air on a tow-line, either by a ground-based winch or vehicle, or by

5940-404: Is the thermodynamic energy per unit mass, also known as the specific internal energy . So, for constant internal energy e {\displaystyle e} the equation reduces to the incompressible-flow form. The constant on the right-hand side is often called the Bernoulli constant and denoted b . For steady inviscid adiabatic flow with no additional sources or sinks of energy, b

6072-596: Is the force potential at the point considered. For example, for the Earth's gravity Ψ = gz . By multiplying with the fluid density ρ , equation ( A ) can be rewritten as: 1 2 ρ v 2 + ρ g z + p = constant {\displaystyle {\tfrac {1}{2}}\rho v^{2}+\rho gz+p={\text{constant}}} or: q + ρ g h = p 0 + ρ g z = constant {\displaystyle q+\rho gh=p_{0}+\rho gz={\text{constant}}} where The constant in

6204-409: Is through the use of a boundary layer wind tunnel. There are many applications for boundary layer wind tunnel modeling. For example, understanding the impact of wind on high-rise buildings, factories, bridges, etc. can help building designers construct a structure that stands up to wind effects in the most efficient manner possible. Another significant application for boundary layer wind tunnel modeling

6336-404: Is total enthalpy. For a calorically perfect gas such as an ideal gas, the enthalpy is directly proportional to the temperature, and this leads to the concept of the total (or stagnation) temperature. When shock waves are present, in a reference frame in which the shock is stationary and the flow is steady, many of the parameters in the Bernoulli equation suffer abrupt changes in passing through

6468-497: Is uniform and Bernoulli's principle can be summarized as "total pressure is constant everywhere in the fluid flow". It is reasonable to assume that irrotational flow exists in any situation where a large body of fluid is flowing past a solid body. Examples are aircraft in flight and ships moving in open bodies of water. However, Bernoulli's principle importantly does not apply in the boundary layer such as in flow through long pipes . The Bernoulli equation for unsteady potential flow

6600-669: Is used in the theory of ocean surface waves and acoustics . For an irrotational flow, the flow velocity can be described as the gradient ∇ φ of a velocity potential φ . In that case, and for a constant density ρ , the momentum equations of the Euler equations can be integrated to: ∂ φ ∂ t + 1 2 v 2 + p ρ + g z = f ( t ) , {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial \varphi }{\partial t}}+{\tfrac {1}{2}}v^{2}+{\frac {p}{\rho }}+gz=f(t),} which

6732-629: The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey ), tiltwing , tail-sitter , and coleopter aircraft have their rotors/ propellers horizontal for vertical flight and vertical for forward flight. The smallest aircraft are toys/recreational items, and nano aircraft . The largest aircraft by dimensions and volume (as of 2016) is the 302 ft (92 m) long British Airlander 10 , a hybrid blimp, with helicopter and fixed-wing features, and reportedly capable of speeds up to 90 mph (140 km/h; 78 kn), and an airborne endurance of two weeks with

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6864-693: The Boeing 747 jet airliner/transport (the 747-200B was, at its creation in the 1960s, the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum weight of over 400 t (880,000 lb)), and the double-decker Airbus A380 "super-jumbo" jet airliner (the world's largest passenger airliner). The fastest fixed-wing aircraft and fastest glider, is the Space Shuttle , which re-entered the atmosphere at nearly Mach 25 or 17,500 mph (28,200 km/h) The fastest recorded powered aircraft flight and fastest recorded aircraft flight of an air-breathing powered aircraft

6996-637: The Harrier jump jet and Lockheed Martin F-35B take off and land vertically using powered lift and transfer to aerodynamic lift in steady flight. A pure rocket is not usually regarded as an aerodyne because its flight does not depend on interaction with the air at all (and thus can even fly in the vacuum of outer space ); however, many aerodynamic lift vehicles have been powered or assisted by rocket motors. Rocket-powered missiles that obtain aerodynamic lift at very high speed due to airflow over their bodies are

7128-531: The University of Manchester demonstrated that the airflow pattern over a scale model would be the same for the full-scale vehicle if a certain flow parameter were the same in both cases. This factor, now known as the Reynolds number , is a basic parameter in the description of all fluid-flow situations, including the shapes of flow patterns, the ease of heat transfer, and the onset of turbulence. This comprises

7260-428: The density of a fluid parcel can be considered to be constant, regardless of pressure variations in the flow. Therefore, the fluid can be considered to be incompressible, and these flows are called incompressible flows . Bernoulli performed his experiments on liquids, so his equation in its original form is valid only for incompressible flow. A common form of Bernoulli's equation is: where: Bernoulli's equation and

7392-485: The fuel efficiency of vehicles by reducing the aerodynamic drag. In these studies, the interaction between the road and the vehicle plays a significant role, and this interaction must be taken into consideration when interpreting the test results. In the real world, the vehicle is moving while the road and air are stationary. In a wind tunnel test, the road must also be moved past a vehicle along with air being blown around it. This has been accomplished with moving belts under

7524-828: The parcel of fluid is − A d p . If the pressure decreases along the length of the pipe, d p is negative but the force resulting in flow is positive along the x axis. m d v d t = F ρ A d x d v d t = − A d p ρ d v d t = − d p d x {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}m{\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} t}}&=F\\\rho A\mathrm {d} x{\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} t}}&=-A\mathrm {d} p\\\rho {\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} t}}&=-{\frac {\mathrm {d} p}{\mathrm {d} x}}\end{aligned}}} In steady flow

7656-539: The 1920s, on cars such as the Rumpler Tropfenwagen , and later the Chrysler Airflow . Initially, automakers would test out scale models of their cars, but later, full scale automotive wind tunnels were built. Starting in the 1960s, wind tunnel testing began to receive widespread adoption for automobiles , not so much to determine aerodynamic forces in the same way as an airplane, but to increase

7788-435: The 1930s, large intercontinental flying boats were also sometimes referred to as "ships of the air" or "flying-ships".  — though none had yet been built. The advent of powered balloons, called dirigible balloons, and later of rigid hulls allowing a great increase in size, began to change the way these words were used. Huge powered aerostats, characterized by a rigid outer framework and separate aerodynamic skin surrounding

7920-401: The Bernoulli constant are applicable throughout any region of flow where the energy per unit mass is uniform. Because the energy per unit mass of liquid in a well-mixed reservoir is uniform throughout, Bernoulli's equation can be used to analyze the fluid flow everywhere in that reservoir (including pipes or flow fields that the reservoir feeds) except where viscous forces dominate and erode

8052-410: The Bernoulli equation can be normalized. A common approach is in terms of total head or energy head H : H = z + p ρ g + v 2 2 g = h + v 2 2 g , {\displaystyle H=z+{\frac {p}{\rho g}}+{\frac {v^{2}}{2g}}=h+{\frac {v^{2}}{2g}},} The above equations suggest there

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8184-471: The U.S. Green Building Council. Wind tunnel tests in a boundary layer wind tunnel allow for the natural drag of the Earth's surface to be simulated. For accuracy, it is important to simulate the mean wind speed profile and turbulence effects within the atmospheric boundary layer. Most codes and standards recognize that wind tunnel testing can produce reliable information for designers, especially when their projects are in complex terrain or on exposed sites. In

8316-465: The United States as part of the plan to exploit German technology developments. For limited applications, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can supplement or possibly replace the use of wind tunnels. For example, the experimental rocket plane SpaceShipOne was designed without any use of wind tunnels. However, on one test, flight threads were attached to the surface of the wings, performing

8448-403: The United States, many wind tunnels have been decommissioned from 1990 to 2010, including some historic facilities. Pressure is brought to bear on remaining wind tunnels due to declining or erratic usage, high electricity costs, and in some cases the high value of the real estate upon which the facility sits. On the other hand, CFD validation still requires wind-tunnel data, and this is likely to be

8580-418: The above equation for an ideal gas becomes: v 2 2 + g z + ( γ γ − 1 ) p ρ = constant (along a streamline) {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+gz+\left({\frac {\gamma }{\gamma -1}}\right){\frac {p}{\rho }}={\text{constant (along a streamline)}}} where, in addition to

8712-647: The above equation for isentropic flow becomes: ∂ ϕ ∂ t + ∇ ϕ ⋅ ∇ ϕ 2 + Ψ + γ γ − 1 p ρ = constant {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial \phi }{\partial t}}+{\frac {\nabla \phi \cdot \nabla \phi }{2}}+\Psi +{\frac {\gamma }{\gamma -1}}{\frac {p}{\rho }}={\text{constant}}} The Bernoulli equation for incompressible fluids can be derived by either integrating Newton's second law of motion or by applying

8844-589: The above, however, that they were simply using the accepted technology of the day, though this was not yet a common technology in America. In France , Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923) built his first open-return wind tunnel in 1909, powered by a 67 hp (50 kW) electric motor, at Champs-de-Mars, near the foot of the tower that bears his name. Between 1909 and 1912 Eiffel ran about 4,000 tests in his wind tunnel, and his systematic experimentation set new standards for aeronautical research. In 1912 Eiffel's laboratory

8976-499: The actual pressure of the fluid, which is associated not with its motion but with its state, is often referred to as the static pressure, but where the term pressure alone is used it refers to this static pressure." The simplified form of Bernoulli's equation can be summarized in the following memorable word equation: Every point in a steadily flowing fluid, regardless of the fluid speed at that point, has its own unique static pressure p and dynamic pressure q . Their sum p + q

9108-471: The aerodynamic properties of a scaled model and a full-size object can be achieved. The choice of similarity parameters depends on the purpose of the test, but the most important conditions to satisfy are usually: In certain particular test cases, other similarity parameters must be satisfied, such as e.g. Froude number . English military engineer and mathematician Benjamin Robins (1707–1751) invented

9240-434: The aerodynamic surfaces. The direction of airflow approaching a surface can be visualized by mounting threads in the airflow ahead of and aft of the test model. Smoke or bubbles of liquid can be introduced into the airflow upstream of the test model, and their path around the model can be photographed (see particle image velocimetry ). Aerodynamic forces on the test model are usually measured with beam balances , connected to

9372-470: The aircraft's weight. There are two ways to produce dynamic upthrust — aerodynamic lift by having air flowing past an aerofoil (such dynamic interaction of aerofoils with air is the origin of the term "aerodyne"), or powered lift in the form of reactional lift from downward engine thrust . Aerodynamic lift involving wings is the most common, and can be achieved via two methods. Fixed-wing aircraft ( airplanes and gliders ) achieve airflow past

9504-635: The answers out of a wind tunnel." In 1941 the US constructed one of the largest wind tunnels at that time at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. This wind tunnel starts at 45 feet (14 m) and narrows to 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter. Two 40-foot (12 m) fans were driven by a 40,000 hp electric motor. Large scale aircraft models could be tested at air speeds of 400 mph (640 km/h). During WWII, Germany developed different designs of large wind tunnels to further their knowledge of aeronautics. For example,

9636-501: The autogyro moves forward, air blows upward across the rotor, making it spin. This spinning increases the speed of airflow over the rotor, to provide lift. Rotor kites are unpowered autogyros, which are towed to give them forward speed or tethered to a static anchor in high-wind for kited flight. Compound rotorcraft have wings that provide some or all of the lift in forward flight. They are nowadays classified as powered lift types and not as rotorcraft. Tiltrotor aircraft (such as

9768-552: The case for the foreseeable future. Studies have been done and others are underway to assess future military and commercial wind tunnel needs, but the outcome remains uncertain. More recently an increasing use of jet-powered, instrumented unmanned vehicles, or research drones, have replaced some of the traditional uses of wind tunnels. The world's fastest wind tunnel as of 2019 is the LENS-X wind tunnel, located in Buffalo, New York. Air

9900-482: The central scientific justification for the use of models in wind tunnels to simulate real-life phenomena. However, there are limitations on conditions in which dynamic similarity is based upon the Reynolds number alone. The Wright brothers ' use of a simple wind tunnel in 1901 to study the effects of airflow over various shapes while developing their Wright Flyer was in some ways revolutionary. It can be seen from

10032-410: The changes in mass density become significant so that the assumption of constant density is invalid. In many applications of Bernoulli's equation, the change in the ρgz term is so small compared with the other terms that it can be ignored. For example, in the case of aircraft in flight, the change in height z is so small the ρgz term can be omitted. This allows the above equation to be presented in

10164-428: The corners of a square tunnel that can make the flow turbulent. A circular tunnel provides a smoother flow. The inside facing of the tunnel is typically as smooth as possible, to reduce surface drag and turbulence that could impact the accuracy of the testing. Even smooth walls induce some drag into the airflow, and so the object being tested is usually kept near the center of the tunnel, with an empty buffer zone between

10296-435: The design process is regulated by national airworthiness authorities. The key parts of an aircraft are generally divided into three categories: The approach to structural design varies widely between different types of aircraft. Some, such as paragliders, comprise only flexible materials that act in tension and rely on aerodynamic pressure to hold their shape. A balloon similarly relies on internal gas pressure, but may have

10428-539: The development of the airplane. Large wind tunnels were built during World War II, and as supersonic aircraft were developed, supersonic wind tunnels were constructed to test them. Wind tunnel testing was considered of strategic importance during the Cold War for development of aircraft and missiles. Other problems are also studied with wind tunnels. The effects of wind on man-made structures need to be studied when buildings became tall enough to be significantly affected by

10560-410: The direction of smoke from a ship's stack, to whether a given airplane would fly. Progress at Aachen, I felt, would be virtually impossible without a good wind tunnel. When von Kármán began to consult with Caltech he worked with Clark Millikan and Arthur L. Klein. He objected to their design and insisted on a return flow making the device "independent of the fluctuations of the outside atmosphere". It

10692-447: The early days of aeronautical research, as part of the effort to develop heavier-than-air flying machines. The wind tunnel reversed the usual situation. Instead of the air standing still and an aircraft moving, an object would be held still and the air moved around it. In this way, a stationary observer could study the flying object in action, and could measure the aerodynamic forces acting on it. The development of wind tunnels accompanied

10824-416: The end of the war, Germany had at least three different supersonic wind tunnels, with one capable of Mach 4.4 (heated) airflows. A large wind tunnel under construction near Oetztal , Austria would have had two fans directly driven by two 50,000 horsepower hydraulic turbines . The installation was not completed by the end of the war and the dismantled equipment was shipped to Modane , France in 1946 where it

10956-441: The energy per unit mass. The following assumptions must be met for this Bernoulli equation to apply: For conservative force fields (not limited to the gravitational field ), Bernoulli's equation can be generalized as: v 2 2 + Ψ + p ρ = constant {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+\Psi +{\frac {p}{\rho }}={\text{constant}}} where Ψ

11088-401: The entire object can be measured, or on individual components of it. The air pressure at different points can be measured with sensors. Smoke can be introduced into the airstream to show the path that air takes around the object. Or, small threads can be attached to specific parts to show the airflow at those points. The earliest wind tunnels were invented towards the end of the 19th century, in

11220-467: The equation of motion can be written as d d x ( ρ v 2 2 + p ) = 0 {\displaystyle {\frac {\mathrm {d} }{\mathrm {d} x}}\left(\rho {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+p\right)=0} by integrating with respect to x v 2 2 + p ρ = C {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+{\frac {p}{\rho }}=C} where C

11352-747: The equation, suitable for use in thermodynamics in case of (quasi) steady flow, is: v 2 2 + Ψ + w = constant . {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+\Psi +w={\text{constant}}.} Here w is the enthalpy per unit mass (also known as specific enthalpy), which is also often written as h (not to be confused with "head" or "height"). Note that w = e + p ρ       ( = γ γ − 1 p ρ ) {\displaystyle w=e+{\frac {p}{\rho }}~~~\left(={\frac {\gamma }{\gamma -1}}{\frac {p}{\rho }}\right)} where e

11484-477: The first enclosed wind tunnel in 1871. Once this breakthrough had been achieved, detailed technical data was rapidly extracted by the use of this tool. Wenham and his colleague John Browning are credited with many fundamental discoveries, including the measurement of l/d ratios, and the revelation of the beneficial effects of a high aspect ratio . Konstantin Tsiolkovsky built an open-section wind tunnel with

11616-477: The first manned ascent — and safe descent — in modern times took place by larger hot-air balloons developed in the 18th century. Each of the two World Wars led to great technical advances. Consequently, the history of aircraft can be divided into five eras: Lighter-than-air aircraft or aerostats use buoyancy to float in the air in much the same way that ships float on the water. They are characterized by one or more large cells or canopies, filled with

11748-532: The first true manned, controlled flight in 1853. The first powered and controllable fixed-wing aircraft (the airplane or aeroplane) was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright . Besides the method of propulsion (if any), fixed-wing aircraft are in general characterized by their wing configuration . The most important wing characteristics are: A variable geometry aircraft can change its wing configuration during flight. A flying wing has no fuselage, though it may have small blisters or pods. The opposite of this

11880-417: The fluid on that section has moved from a region of higher pressure to a region of lower pressure; and if its speed decreases, it can only be because it has moved from a region of lower pressure to a region of higher pressure. Consequently, within a fluid flowing horizontally, the highest speed occurs where the pressure is lowest, and the lowest speed occurs where the pressure is highest. Bernoulli's principle

12012-427: The following simplified form: p + q = p 0 {\displaystyle p+q=p_{0}} where p 0 is called total pressure , and q is dynamic pressure . Many authors refer to the pressure p as static pressure to distinguish it from total pressure p 0 and dynamic pressure q . In Aerodynamics , L.J. Clancy writes: "To distinguish it from the total and dynamic pressures,

12144-418: The fuselage or wings. On a fixed-wing aircraft the wings are rigidly attached to the fuselage, while on a rotorcraft the wings are attached to a rotating vertical shaft. Smaller designs sometimes use flexible materials for part or all of the structure, held in place either by a rigid frame or by air pressure. The fixed parts of the structure comprise the airframe . The source of motive power for an aircraft

12276-514: The gas bags, were produced, the Zeppelins being the largest and most famous. There were still no fixed-wing aircraft or non-rigid balloons large enough to be called airships, so "airship" came to be synonymous with these aircraft. Then several accidents, such as the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, led to the demise of these airships. Nowadays a "balloon" is an unpowered aerostat and an "airship"

12408-413: The gas is sufficiently below the speed of sound , such that the variation in density of the gas (due to this effect) along each streamline can be ignored. Adiabatic flow at less than Mach 0.3 is generally considered to be slow enough. It is possible to use the fundamental principles of physics to develop similar equations applicable to compressible fluids. There are numerous equations, each tailored for

12540-467: The helmet can cause considerable neck strain on the driver, and flow separation on the back side of the helmet can cause turbulent buffeting and thus blurred vision for the driver at high speeds. The advances in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling on high-speed digital computers has reduced the demand for wind tunnel testing, but has not completely eliminated it. Many real-world problems can still not be modeled accurately enough by CFD to eliminate

12672-1394: The irrotational assumption, namely, the flow velocity can be described as the gradient ∇ φ of a velocity potential φ . The unsteady momentum conservation equation becomes ∂ ∇ ϕ ∂ t + ∇ ( ∇ ϕ ⋅ ∇ ϕ 2 ) = − ∇ Ψ − ∇ ∫ p 1 p d p ~ ρ ( p ~ ) {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial \nabla \phi }{\partial t}}+\nabla \left({\frac {\nabla \phi \cdot \nabla \phi }{2}}\right)=-\nabla \Psi -\nabla \int _{p_{1}}^{p}{\frac {d{\tilde {p}}}{\rho ({\tilde {p}})}}} which leads to ∂ ϕ ∂ t + ∇ ϕ ⋅ ∇ ϕ 2 + Ψ + ∫ p 1 p d p ~ ρ ( p ~ ) = constant {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial \phi }{\partial t}}+{\frac {\nabla \phi \cdot \nabla \phi }{2}}+\Psi +\int _{p_{1}}^{p}{\frac {d{\tilde {p}}}{\rho ({\tilde {p}})}}={\text{constant}}} In this case,

12804-463: The law of conservation of energy , ignoring viscosity , compressibility, and thermal effects. The simplest derivation is to first ignore gravity and consider constrictions and expansions in pipes that are otherwise straight, as seen in Venturi effect . Let the x axis be directed down the axis of the pipe. Define a parcel of fluid moving through a pipe with cross-sectional area A , the length of

12936-423: The need for physical tests in wind tunnels. Air velocity and pressures are measured in several ways in wind tunnels. Air velocity through the test section is determined by Bernoulli's principle . Measurement of the dynamic pressure , the static pressure , and (for compressible flow only) the temperature rise in the airflow. The direction of airflow around a model can be determined by tufts of yarn attached to

13068-602: The object and the tunnel walls. There are correction factors to relate wind tunnel test results to open-air results. Aircraft An aircraft ( pl. : aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air . It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil , or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes , helicopters , airships (including blimps ), gliders , paramotors , and hot air balloons . The human activity that surrounds aircraft

13200-416: The paint at that point. Pressure distributions can also be conveniently measured by the use of pressure-sensitive pressure belts , a recent development in which multiple ultra-miniaturized pressure sensor modules are integrated into a flexible strip. The strip is attached to the aerodynamic surface with tape, and it sends signals depicting the pressure distribution along its surface. Pressure distributions on

13332-413: The parcel is d x , and the volume of the parcel A d x . If mass density is ρ , the mass of the parcel is density multiplied by its volume m = ρA d x . The change in pressure over distance d x is d p and flow velocity v = ⁠ d x / d t ⁠ . Apply Newton's second law of motion (force = mass × acceleration) and recognizing that the effective force on

13464-456: The principle of conservation of energy . This states that, in a steady flow, the sum of all forms of energy in a fluid is the same at all points that are free of viscous forces. This requires that the sum of kinetic energy , potential energy and internal energy remains constant. Thus an increase in the speed of the fluid—implying an increase in its kinetic energy—occurs with a simultaneous decrease in (the sum of) its potential energy (including

13596-629: The relation of the potential to the flow velocity is unaffected by this transformation: ∇Φ = ∇ φ . The Bernoulli equation for unsteady potential flow also appears to play a central role in Luke's variational principle , a variational description of free-surface flows using the Lagrangian mechanics . Bernoulli developed his principle from observations on liquids, and Bernoulli's equation is valid for ideal fluids: those that are incompressible, irrotational, inviscid, and subjected to conservative forces. It

13728-411: The rotor forward, the downward flow is tilted backward, producing thrust for forward flight. Some helicopters have more than one rotor and a few have rotors turned by gas jets at the tips. Some have a tail rotor to counteract the rotation of the main rotor, and to aid directional control. Autogyros have unpowered rotors, with a separate power plant to provide thrust. The rotor is tilted backward. As

13860-436: The second type of aircraft to fly, the first being kites , which were also first invented in ancient China over two thousand years ago (see Han Dynasty ). A balloon was originally any aerostat, while the term airship was used for large, powered aircraft designs — usually fixed-wing. In 1919, Frederick Handley Page was reported as referring to "ships of the air," with smaller passenger types as "Air yachts." In

13992-403: The sheer volume and speed of air movement required, the fans may be powered by stationary turbofan engines rather than electric motors. The airflow created by the fans that is entering the tunnel is itself highly turbulent due to the fan blade motion (when the fan is blowing air into the test section – when it is sucking air out of the test section downstream, the fan-blade turbulence is not

14124-795: The shock. The Bernoulli parameter remains unaffected. An exception to this rule is radiative shocks, which violate the assumptions leading to the Bernoulli equation, namely the lack of additional sinks or sources of energy. For a compressible fluid, with a barotropic equation of state, the unsteady momentum conservation equation ∂ v → ∂ t + ( v → ⋅ ∇ ) v → = − g → − ∇ p ρ {\displaystyle {\frac {\partial {\vec {v}}}{\partial t}}+\left({\vec {v}}\cdot \nabla \right){\vec {v}}=-{\vec {g}}-{\frac {\nabla p}{\rho }}} With

14256-408: The static pressure) and internal energy. If the fluid is flowing out of a reservoir, the sum of all forms of energy is the same because in a reservoir the energy per unit volume (the sum of pressure and gravitational potential ρ   g   h ) is the same everywhere. Bernoulli's principle can also be derived directly from Isaac Newton 's second Law of Motion . If a small volume of fluid

14388-690: The terms listed above: In many applications of compressible flow, changes in elevation are negligible compared to the other terms, so the term gz can be omitted. A very useful form of the equation is then: v 2 2 + ( γ γ − 1 ) p ρ = ( γ γ − 1 ) p 0 ρ 0 {\displaystyle {\frac {v^{2}}{2}}+\left({\frac {\gamma }{\gamma -1}}\right){\frac {p}{\rho }}=\left({\frac {\gamma }{\gamma -1}}\right){\frac {p_{0}}{\rho _{0}}}} where: The most general form of

14520-424: The test model with beams, strings, or cables. The pressure distributions across the test model have historically been measured by drilling many small holes along the airflow path, and using multi-tube manometers to measure the pressure at each hole. Pressure distributions can more conveniently be measured by the use of pressure-sensitive paint , in which higher local pressure is indicated by lowered fluorescence of

14652-413: The test vehicle to simulate the moving road, and very similar devices are used in wind tunnel testing of aircraft take-off and landing configurations. Sporting equipment has also studied in wind tunnels, including golf clubs, golf balls, bobsleds, cyclists, and race car helmets. Helmet aerodynamics is particularly important in open cockpit race cars such as Indycar and Formula One. Excessive lift forces on

14784-530: The tether or kite line ; they rely on virtual or real wind blowing over and under them to generate lift and drag. Kytoons are balloon-kite hybrids that are shaped and tethered to obtain kiting deflections, and can be lighter-than-air, neutrally buoyant, or heavier-than-air. Powered aircraft have one or more onboard sources of mechanical power, typically aircraft engines although rubber and manpower have also been used. Most aircraft engines are either lightweight reciprocating engines or gas turbines . Engine fuel

14916-871: The velocity field is constant with respect to time, v = v ( x ) = v ( x ( t )) , so v itself is not directly a function of time t . It is only when the parcel moves through x that the cross sectional area changes: v depends on t only through the cross-sectional position x ( t ) . d v d t = d v d x d x d t = d v d x v = d d x ( v 2 2 ) . {\displaystyle {\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} t}}={\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} x}}{\frac {\mathrm {d} x}{\mathrm {d} t}}={\frac {\mathrm {d} v}{\mathrm {d} x}}v={\frac {\mathrm {d} }{\mathrm {d} x}}\left({\frac {v^{2}}{2}}\right).} With density ρ constant,

15048-458: The wind stream is upwards for the testing of models in spin situations and the concepts and engineering designs for the first primitive helicopters flown in the US. Later research into airflows near or above the speed of sound used a related approach. Metal pressure chambers were used to store high-pressure air which was then accelerated through a nozzle designed to provide supersonic flow. The observation or instrumentation chamber ("test section")

15180-404: The wind tunnel at Peenemünde was a novel wind tunnel design that allowed for high-speed airflow research, but brought several design challenges regarding constructing a high-speed wind tunnel at scale. However, it successfully used some large natural caves which were increased in size by excavation and then sealed to store large volumes of air which could then be routed through the wind tunnels. By

15312-460: The wind, though normally the pilot can control the altitude, either by heating the air or by releasing ballast, giving some directional control (since the wind direction changes with altitude). A wing-shaped hybrid balloon can glide directionally when rising or falling; but a spherically shaped balloon does not have such directional control. Kites are aircraft that are tethered to the ground or other object (fixed or mobile) that maintains tension in

15444-435: The wind. Very tall buildings present large surfaces to the wind, and the resulting forces have to be resisted by the building's internal structure or else the building will collapse. Determining such forces was required before building codes could specify the required strength of such buildings and these tests continue to be used for large or unusual buildings. Wind tunnel testing was first applied to automobiles as early as

15576-431: The wing. A flexible wing is a wing made of fabric or thin sheet material, often stretched over a rigid frame, similar to the flight membranes on many flying and gliding animals . A kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the speed of the wind over its wings, which may be flexible or rigid, fixed, or rotary. With powered lift, the aircraft directs its engine thrust vertically downward. V/STOL aircraft, such as

15708-402: The wings by having the entire aircraft moving forward through the air, while rotorcraft ( helicopters and autogyros ) do so by having mobile, elongated wings spinning rapidly around a mast in an assembly known as the rotor . As aerofoils, there must be air flowing over the wing to create pressure difference between above and below, thus generating upward lift over the entire wetted area of

15840-582: The world at that time at the Washington Navy Yard. The inlet was almost 11 feet (3.4 m) in diameter and the discharge part was 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter. A 500 hp (370 kW) electric motor drove the paddle type fan blades. In 1931 the NACA built a 30 by 60 feet (9.1 by 18.3 m) full-scale wind tunnel at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The tunnel was powered by

15972-546: Was Theodore von Kármán 's teacher at Göttingen University and suggested the construction of a wind tunnel for tests of airships they were designing. The vortex street of turbulence downstream of a cylinder was tested in the tunnel. When he later moved to Aachen University he recalled use of this facility: I remembered the wind tunnel in Göttingen was started as a tool for studies of Zeppelin behavior, but that it had proven to be valuable for everything else from determining

16104-460: Was an arrangement followed by a number of wind tunnels later built; in fact the open-return low-speed wind tunnel is often called the Eiffel-type wind tunnel. Subsequent use of wind tunnels proliferated as the science of aerodynamics and discipline of aeronautical engineering were established and air travel and power were developed. The US Navy in 1916 built one of the largest wind tunnels in

16236-518: Was completed in 1930 and used for Northrop Alpha testing. In 1939 General Arnold asked what was required to advance the USAF, and von Kármán answered, "The first step is to build the right wind tunnel." On the other hand, after the successes of the Bell X-2 and prospect of more advanced research, he wrote, "I was in favor of constructing such a plane because I have never believed that you can get all

16368-550: Was lacking the notions of induced drag and Reynolds numbers . However, the whirling arm does not produce a reliable flow of air impacting the test shape at a normal incidence. Centrifugal forces and the fact that the object is moving in its own wake mean that detailed examination of the airflow is difficult. Francis Herbert Wenham (1824–1908), a Council Member of the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain , addressed these issues by inventing, designing and operating

16500-454: Was located in a suburb of Paris, Chalais-Meudon , France. It was designed to test full-size aircraft and had six large fans driven by high powered electric motors. The Chalais-Meudon wind tunnel was used by ONERA under the name S1Ch until 1976 in the development of, e.g., the Caravelle and Concorde airplanes. Today, this wind tunnel is preserved as a national monument. Ludwig Prandtl

16632-411: Was moved to Auteuil, a suburb of Paris, where his wind tunnel with a two-metre test section is still operational today. Eiffel significantly improved the efficiency of the open-return wind tunnel by enclosing the test section in a chamber, designing a flared inlet with a honeycomb flow straightener and adding a diffuser between the test section and the fan located at the downstream end of the diffuser; this

16764-675: Was of the NASA X-43 A Pegasus , a scramjet -powered, hypersonic , lifting body experimental research aircraft, at Mach 9.68 or 6,755 mph (10,870 km/h) on 16 November 2004. Prior to the X-43A, the fastest recorded powered airplane flight, and still the record for the fastest manned powered airplane, was the North American X-15 , rocket-powered airplane at Mach 6.7 or 7,274 km/h (4,520 mph) on 3 October 1967. The fastest manned, air-breathing powered airplane

16896-423: Was poured on 22 June 1942 on a site that eventually would become Calspan , where the wind tunnel still operates. By the end of World War II, the US had built eight new wind tunnels, including the largest one in the world at Moffett Field near Sunnyvale, California, which was designed to test full size aircraft at speeds of less than 250 mph (400 km/h) and a vertical wind tunnel at Wright Field, Ohio, where

17028-467: Was re-erected and is still operated there by the ONERA . With its 26 ft (8 m) test section and airspeed up to Mach 1, it is the largest transonic wind tunnel facility in the world. Frank Wattendorf reported on this wind tunnel for a US response. On 22 June 1942, Curtiss-Wright financed construction of one of the nation's largest subsonic wind tunnels in Buffalo, NY. The first concrete for building

17160-560: Was then placed at the proper location in the throat or nozzle for the desired airspeed. In the United States, concern over the lagging of American research facilities compared to those built by the Germans led to the Unitary Wind Tunnel Plan Act of 1949, which authorized expenditure to construct new wind tunnels at universities and at military sites. Some German war-time wind tunnels were dismantled for shipment to

17292-490: Was used for virtually all fixed-wing aircraft until World War II and is still used in many smaller aircraft. Some types use turbine engines to drive a propeller in the form of a turboprop or propfan . Human-powered flight has been achieved, but has not become a practical means of transport. Unmanned aircraft and models have also used power sources such as electric motors and rubber bands. Jet aircraft use airbreathing jet engines , which take in air, burn fuel with it in

17424-439: Was widely adopted for tethered balloons ; in windy weather, this both reduces the strain on the tether and stabilizes the balloon. The nickname blimp was adopted along with the shape. In modern times, any small dirigible or airship is called a blimp, though a blimp may be unpowered as well as powered. Heavier-than-air aircraft or aerodynes are denser than air and thus must find some way to obtain enough lift that can overcome

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