Demonstration of the Adaptive-Wall Concept Applied to an Automotive Wind Tunnel

An adaptive wall test section concept applicable to automotive-type wind tunnels has been developed. Experiments conducted in a subsonic wind tunnel (1 ft × 2 ft test section) have established the feasibility and practicality of the concept. A test program utilizing three geometrically similar automotive type models of cross-sectional area corresponding to conventional model/tunnel blockages of 10%, 20%, and 30% was conducted with the models positioned at zero yaw and 10 degrees yaw angle. Pressure distribution data obtained using the adaptive test section demonstrated the effective elimination of wall interference by properly deforming the tunnel walls using the adaptive-wall technique. These experimental tests have shown that the adaptive-wall test section concept will allow significantly larger blockage ratios than permissible in conventional wind tunnels to be tested with negligible wall interference.