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Wind Engineering at SAFL
SAFL is home to a boundary layer wind tunnel where natural wind conditions, such as variations found from ground level to tops of buildings, can be reproduced to accurately scale prototype problems. Boundary layer wind effects, wind forces on buildings, effects of wind on atmospheric dispersion of pollutants, or the harnessing of wind energy can be tested at SAFL. Performance testing services are also available. Typical products that have been tested in the SAFL wind tunnel include casement windows for manufacturers, roof materials such as snow infiltration in ridge vents, and shingle adhesives. Applications of future interest include dispersion of pollutants in a terrorist attack.
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Research Projects
Wind and Buildings
Wind and effects on structures can cause sway, stress on windows and cladding, air conditioning and ventilation systems performance, heat losses due to leaking, effects on adjacent buildings, ground level winds that cause pedestrian discomfort or danger. Photo shows downtown Minneapolis, MN, being set up for testing in the SAFL boundary layer wind tunnel.
Wind and Agriculture
Wind effects on agriculture can have positive and negative effects. Soil erosion and crop damage are concerns of farmers, while wind is needed for pollination. SAFL can help with optimum design of farms by the recommending positioning of building and wind breaks. Photo shows a crop being studied for crop pollination results. |
Selected Applications - Architectural and structural testing
- Product testing, e.g. building materials and products
- Wind power, wind mill design
- Pollutant transport
- Soil transport
- Agriculture
- Cold weather engineering
- Boundary layers: stability and transition
- Numerical simulations of wind structure interaction
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The LOCAT Wind Tunnel
The Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI) has commissioned a large water tunnel that will be used for both hydroacoustic and cavitation testing: the Low Noise Large Cavitation Tunnel (LOCAT). Due to extensive experience designing and testing comparable experimental facilities (for example, the HYKAT in Germany and the LCC in the United States ), St. Anthony Falls Laboratory was asked to provide design services for this project. Requiring a somewhat different configuration than conventional water tunnels, the LOCAT project will entail considerable analysis.
This study will assist in the hydrodynamic design of a low background noise large water tunnel with overall dimensions of 60m x 20m x 5m, a test cross-section of 2.8m x 1.8m, and a length of 11m. In order to verify the performance of the preliminary design, a 1:6 scale model (using air as a testing medium) will be constructed at SAFL. This model will focus on the diffuser performance, establish the design of the turbulence management system, and check overall flow quality (including detailed measurements of pump inflow). A fan will be used to induce flow through the model, with a grid of bars at the bell mouth inlet to establish certain inflow levels of turbulence. Pressure, mean velocity, and turbulence levels will be measured; a series of pressure taps will be used to measure pressure distribution in the lower half of the contraction, the test section, and the diffuser. The flow distribution at various cross sections will be established via LDA (Laser Doppler Velocimetry). The numerical and physical models will be used to solve any flow problems that may arise during the experimental phase. |
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