Abstract
This paper describes the dynamic modeling and control system development to maintain a constant air speed in the test section of a laboratory wind tunnel. The previous manual operation procedure of this wind tunnel during a typical test with multiple operating conditions had been tedious and awkward at best. The wind tunnel system dynamics have been accurately characterized using single-input, single output (SISO) experimental step responses for specified operating conditions. The implementation of the subsequent control system has improved performance such that this wind tunnel system now can be used like a commercial wind tunnel and both as a classroom instruction tool and as a research tool. This work has been performed by an undergraduate team for the two-semester capstone design course for the Mechanical Engineering Department at Bradley University. This project incorporates many aspects of a mechanical engineer’s education such as mechanical design, sensor selection, software mastery, dynamic analysis, and feedback control implementation. This project also crosses traditional mechanical engineering boundaries because of its connection to the fields of fluid dynamics, system dynamics, and control systems.
Vibration Analysis and Control System Dynamics