Aerodynamic Design and Assessment of Modular Test Section Walls for CFD Validation in Hybrid Anechoic Wind Tunnels
Julie E. Duetsch-Patel, Vidya Vishwanathan, Jared B. Minionis, Eric Totten, Aldo Gargiulo, Daniel J. Fritsch, Máté Szőke, Aurélien Borgoltz, Christopher J. Roy, K. Todd Lowe, William J. Devenport
Abstract
In order to better facilitate CFD validation studies within the facility, a modular wall insert and transition region were designed to be used in the Virginia Tech Stability Wind Tunnel hybrid anechoic configuration. The wall inserts make use of the large apertures in the test section (typically used for acoustic windows) to provide unprecedented access and modularity needed for aerodynamic testing aimed at CFD validation studies. The motivation and design of the modular wall inserts, as well as measurements detailing the effectiveness of the inserts and their application to validation experiments are demonstrated. Their use in a risk-reduction test for a large validation experiment focused on smooth wall boundary layer separation over bumps is also described.