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I .— ..-.

-. A Subsonic Wind Tunnel Facility for Undergraduate Engineering Technology Education

Bradley B. Rogers and Dale E. Palmgren

Arizona State University College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Tempe, AZ

Abstract project in their senior year. The project involves Development of knowledge and expertise in the identification of an appropriate problem, the design and use of experimental techniques is followed by library research, basic analytical critical in engineering technology curricula. studies, and, finally, experimental investigations in Consequently, the effective use of experimental the Technology Wind Tunnel at Arizona State equipment and facilities is very important. In the University. There are two purposes for this School of Technology at Arizona State University, a project. The first is the obvious goal of closed circuit subsonic wind tunnel with a 4x5 foot familiarizing the students with the specialized test section capable of speeds between 30 and 200 instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and ft/sec is maintained primarily for teaching wind testing procedures that are used in the wind tunnel, tunnel testing techniques to Aeronautical which is the most important experimental tool in Engineering Technology students, as well as the field. In addition to this, however, an equally students from other engineering technology important goal of this project is to have the disciplines. This paper describes the development of students apply the knowledge obtained in applied this facility and a course that is taught at the senior fluid mechanics courses to a practical problem so level in the Aeronautical Engineering Technology that they more fully understand the concepts program in wind tunnel testing. taught in the earlier courses, as well as the limits Although the wind tunnel is the most and constraints of their knowledge. important experimental tool of the aerodynamicist, The course was originally implemented a there are many other applications that allow the decade ago, and two approaches to the applied incorporation of the facility into the Mechanical and project have been attempted. At the present time Manufacturing Engineering Technology curricula. the course has evolved into a project oriented For example, the wind tunnel has been used for course in which each student proposes a project of many non-aerodynamic purposes such as studies in specific personal interest to investigate. heat transfer, wind loads on structures, and An obvious concern with the individual automotive applications. Consequently, as will be approach to projects is that the students no longer described, students from all engineering technology obtain the practical education that working as a programs at ASU utilize and benefit directly from team provides. In the last year this problem has the facility. serendipitously been addressed through efforts to improve on another difficulty that had been 1. Introduction identified. Particularly, experience has shown that In the Aeronautical Engineering Technology the goals of the course were often not fully program at Arizona State University, students are realized because of the aeronautical students required to complete an applied aerodynamics inability to manufacture appropriate and accurate

{hx~j 1996 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings ‘.,plyl!y

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Palmgren, D. E., & Rogers, B. B. (1996, June), A Subsonic Wind Tunnel Facility For Undergraduate Engineering Technology Education Paper presented at 1996 Annual Conference, Washington, District of Columbia. 10.18260/1-2--6301