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Experimental Aerodynamic Facility & Wind Tunnel
 The
Aerodynamic Research Laboratory has a unique array of experimental aerodynamic
facilities and capabilities that include four wind tunnels, four compressed
gas guns and the equipment to design test fixtures. Specifically intended
for applied research, the facility is adaptable to many different types
of instrumentation and data acquisition arrangements, depending on the
experimental information required.
ECBC's wind tunnels provide a means of determining flight
characteristics of airborne items. They can determine flow fields around
air and ground vehicles, buildings, aerosol inlets, etc. Computerized
data acquisition and analysis systems are integrated with the instrumentation
and wind tunnels. The vertical wind tunnel permits free flight evaluations
of aerial vehicles and was recently used to improve the flight stability
of a non-lethal munition. Compressed gas guns eliminate the need for pyrotechnics and explosives, thus providing a safe method to investigate the flight performance of projectiles and dissemination characteristics of experimental munitions as well as many other uses.
Features
Wind Tunnels
- Subsonic Wind Tunnel, 2 test sections: 0.7m x 1.0m (up to Mach 0.2), 1.8m x 2.4m (up to Mach 0.03), open circuit, continuous flow
- Vertical Wind Tunnel, 2 test sections: 0.75m diameter (up to Mach 0.1), 0.5m diameter (up to Mach 0.3), open circuit, continuous flow
- Transonic Wind Tunnel: 0.15m x 0.15m test section (Mach 1.5 to 3.8), blow down
- Supersonic Wind Tunnel: 0.15m x 0.15m test section (Mach 1.5 to 3.8), blow down
Compressed Gas Guns
- 8mm to 66mm (interchangeable barrels) diameter (launch 20g projectile at Mach 1.1)
- 76.2mm diameter, spinning barrel (launch 681kg projectile at Mach
1.1)
- 155mm diameter, spinning barrel (launch 6.8kg projectile at Mach 1.1)
- Gator Gun for ground impact studies (launch velocities of approximately Mach 0.2)
Fixtures
- Laboratory Text Fixture for Non-Rigid Payloads Flight Simulator
- Radio-controlled Airplanes and Helium Balloons for Field Test Support
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