14.6 Prospects for the Aerodynamic Design
297
Finally, the ultimate goal for aerodynamicists would be to remove the support
of the models in the wind tunnel. Can a robust magnetic levitation/suspension (in
Sect. 2.5.2) or similar contactless system be implemented, with sufficient power to
retain the model at a desired equilibrium position at the centre of the test section? Such
a concept will bring wind tunnel conditions closer to those at flight, and allow more
representative transient or oscillatory behaviour studies, whereby complementing
the coupled experimental and numerical approach to design more tightly.
Numerical techniques must also penetrate the wind tunnels physical environment.
As presented in Chap. 13, these two means are complementary and essential to optimise the vehicle. However, they still suffer from lack of harmonisation. Why not
design a wind tunnel with the means to carry out live computations within its control
room? If the realisation of a CAD definition is a task incompatible with the duration
of a test, on the other hand modification of a CAD definition, as well as the return of a
computation, could be as fast as approximately one hour. As mentioned in Chap. 13
this capability of rapid numerical simulation and post processing could be very beneficial, in controlling and guiding the experimental campaign to increase productivity
and accuracy. Certain steps must still be executed and be performed simultaneously
trough automation, for instance rapid shape and deformation identification, and integration of the deformed shape within the reference CAD geometry of the model being
tested or undergoing the computation. This synergy which is already in progress still
suffers from limitations which are more academic than technological.
14.7 Aerodynamics and Teaching
The advent of the Internet has modified the diffusion of knowledge and pedagogy, not
to forget increasing accessibility to black-box tools due to the rapid development in
numerical methods is reshaping the engineering curriculum. It is not a question here
of specifying in detail this transformation of the educational practice, but of treating
an original way of sensitising high school and college students about aerodynamics:
this is the intention of the EOLIA project supported by 3AF. The EOLIA wind tunnel
was designed by the initiative of the 3AF Poitou Regional Group which built the first
prototype in 2005 (see Fig. 14.11). In 2017, 23 schools in France and abroad had
their own EOLIA wind tunnel. For the success of the EOLIA project the following
specifications were at the heart of its design:
– Modular; so as to facilitate transportation of the wind tunnel,
– cost of materials and ease of machining,
– safety, so that it could be operated by young students with minimal supervision,
– a flow quality suitable for experiments of academic nature but which could be
easily implemented.
The design of the wind tunnel is based on the three major components of the
wind tunnel built by Gustave Eiffel in 1912: a collector, a test section and a diffuser
equipped with a fan. This principle was retained so as to preserve the modular aspect
297
Finally, the ultimate goal for aerodynamicists would be to remove the support
of the models in the wind tunnel. Can a robust magnetic levitation/suspension (in
Sect. 2.5.2) or similar contactless system be implemented, with sufficient power to
retain the model at a desired equilibrium position at the centre of the test section? Such
a concept will bring wind tunnel conditions closer to those at flight, and allow more
representative transient or oscillatory behaviour studies, whereby complementing
the coupled experimental and numerical approach to design more tightly.
Numerical techniques must also penetrate the wind tunnels physical environment.
As presented in Chap. 13, these two means are complementary and essential to optimise the vehicle. However, they still suffer from lack of harmonisation. Why not
design a wind tunnel with the means to carry out live computations within its control
room? If the realisation of a CAD definition is a task incompatible with the duration
of a test, on the other hand modification of a CAD definition, as well as the return of a
computation, could be as fast as approximately one hour. As mentioned in Chap. 13
this capability of rapid numerical simulation and post processing could be very beneficial, in controlling and guiding the experimental campaign to increase productivity
and accuracy. Certain steps must still be executed and be performed simultaneously
trough automation, for instance rapid shape and deformation identification, and integration of the deformed shape within the reference CAD geometry of the model being
tested or undergoing the computation. This synergy which is already in progress still
suffers from limitations which are more academic than technological.
14.7 Aerodynamics and Teaching
The advent of the Internet has modified the diffusion of knowledge and pedagogy, not
to forget increasing accessibility to black-box tools due to the rapid development in
numerical methods is reshaping the engineering curriculum. It is not a question here
of specifying in detail this transformation of the educational practice, but of treating
an original way of sensitising high school and college students about aerodynamics:
this is the intention of the EOLIA project supported by 3AF. The EOLIA wind tunnel
was designed by the initiative of the 3AF Poitou Regional Group which built the first
prototype in 2005 (see Fig. 14.11). In 2017, 23 schools in France and abroad had
their own EOLIA wind tunnel. For the success of the EOLIA project the following
specifications were at the heart of its design:
– Modular; so as to facilitate transportation of the wind tunnel,
– cost of materials and ease of machining,
– safety, so that it could be operated by young students with minimal supervision,
– a flow quality suitable for experiments of academic nature but which could be
easily implemented.
The design of the wind tunnel is based on the three major components of the
wind tunnel built by Gustave Eiffel in 1912: a collector, a test section and a diffuser
equipped with a fan. This principle was retained so as to preserve the modular aspect