For the majority of applications, air provides the most suitable
testing medium. However, complex, three-dimensional flow fields
are better understood through visualization. Smoke traces generated
in wind tunnels tend to be hard to control and dissipate rapidly
downstream of the injection point. Visualization of the individual
flow streamlines is not something easily undertaken.
A liquid can be used as the visualization medium, with water being
the most common choice. The water allows a wide variety of visualization
techniques to be employed. These can range from something as simple
as food coloring injected into the flow or a laser sheet using the
particulate suspended in the water for the seeding medium.
Engineering Laboratory Design has been designing and manufacturing
water tunnels since 1986. Standard model test section sizes range
from 6" x 6" up through 24" x 24". Flow rates are controlled through
the variation of the pump RPM . This feature allows excellent velocity
control from speeds up to 3 fps (~1m/s) to practically zero. All
of the water tunnels are unpressurized, which permits excellent
access to the model through the test section open surface. Dye models
and additional test section features can be added to any of the
standard designs.
Shear layer tunnels, systems for studying aquatic wildlife, applications
that require different mediums, can all be easily accommodated with
slight modifications to the standard designs.
Standard
Water Tunnels
