Wind Tunnel and Field Investigations of Shapes for Balloon Shelters.

摘要

Tests were conducted both in a wind tunnel and in the field to calculate possible launch shelters for large meteorological balloons. The purpose of the investigation was to provide basic criteria for the design of a screen which would reduce the wind from 25 ft/s to below 14 ft/s over a volume sufficiently large to protect large balloons (about 70 ft in height, width, and depth) during inflation and launch. The emphasis of the study was upon the effects of basic shelter configurations and screen materials upon the sheltered area. Four basic shelter shapes were tested at a scale of 1:70 in the meteorological wind tunnel of the Fluid Dynamics and Diffusion Laboratory of Colorado State University. Various shelter angles, screen materials, and the effect of the presence of a partially inflated balloon were examined. Subsequently, in outdoor experiments, wind velocities were measured behind a 1:7-scale model for one shelter angle and two screen materials.