Report of the High Reynolds Number Wind Tunnel Study Group of the Fluid Dynamics Panel.
Abstract
Modern aeronautical and aerospace systems are so expensive that every reasonable effort to minimize the risk in their development is warranted. If a weapon system like the F-111 or an airplane like the Concorde suffers delays or outright failure as a result of unforeseen technological problems, the penalties to the companies and nations involved are staggering. The tried and proven way to minimize such risks on aerodynamic systems is to conduct extensive tests in adequate wind tunnel facilities. Higher costs of the future, large sophisticated aeronautical and aerospace systems make such testing even more imperative than is indicated by history. Wind tunnels of the NATO countries have been shown, during recent years, to be quite inadequate for tests for the large aeronautical systems under development. This fact was brought out by Dr Kuchemann at the 1968 AGARD Conference on Transonic Aerodynamics in Paris'. The intricacies and inaccuracies associated with extrapolation of wind tunnel data taken at a Reynolds number of 3 to 7 million for design of airfoils that operate at Reynolds numbers of over 150 million were thoroughly discussed at the von Karman Institute's lecture series on 'Large Airplane Aerodynamics'. The study reported herein is adequate for the purposes of defining the performance and operating characteristics required in new, high Reynolds number wind tunnels, and conceptual tunnel designs which meet these requirements are proposed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0723580
Entities
Organizations
- AGARD