Flow Quality Measurements in an Aerodynamic Model of the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel

摘要

As part of an ongoing effort to improve the aerodynamic flow characteristics of the Icing Research Tunnel (IRT), a modular scale model of the facility was fabricated. This tenth scale model was used to gain a further understanding of the flow characteristics in the IRT. The model was outfitted with instrumentation and data acquisition systems that allowed the determination of pressures, velocities and flow angles in the settling chamber and test section. Parametric flow quality studies involving the insertion and removal of a model of the IRT's distinctive heat exchanger (cooler) were performed. The effects of honeycomb installed in the settling chamber were also assessed. These experiments illustrated the improvement or degradation in flow quality resulting from the presence or absence of the aforementioned components.