Wind tunnel testing of a swept tip shape and comparison with multi-fidelity aerodynamic simulations

One promising design solution for increasing the efficiency of modern horizontal axis wind turbines is the installation of curved tip extensions. However, introducing such complex geometries may move traditional aerodynamic models based on blade element momentum (BEM) theory out of their range of applicability. This motivated the present work, where a swept tip shape is investigated by means of both experimental and numerical tests. The latter group accounted for a wide variety of aerodynamic models, allowing us to highlight the capabilities and limitations of each of them in a relative manner. The considered swept tip shape is the result of a design optimization, focusing on locally maximizing power performance within load constraints. For the experimental tests, the tip model is instrumented with spanwise bands of pressure sensors and is tested in the Poul la Cour wind tunnel at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The methods used for the numerical tests consisted of a blade element model, a near-wake model, lifting-line free-wake models, and a fully resolved Navier–Stokes solver. The comparison of the numerical and the experimental test results is performed for a given range of angles of attack and wind speeds, which is representative of the expected conditions in operation. Results show that the blade element model cannot predict the measured normal force coefficients, but the other methods are generally in good agreement with the measurements in attached flow. Flow visualization and pressure distribution compare well with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The agreement in the clean case is better than in the tripped case at the inboard sections. Some uncertainties regarding the effect of the boundary layer at the inboard tunnel wall and the post-stall behavior remain.

Three-dimensional Discrete Element Simulation of Interaction between Aqueduct and Tunnel

In this investigation the effect of interaction between aqueduct and tunnel on the ground settlement has been examined using PFC3D. At first, the calibration of PFC3D was conducted based on UCS test results rendered from three different ground layer. Then intact model with dimension of 70 m × 20 m × 34.5 m (x × y × z) was built. These models are consisted of 8 layers with different mechanical and geometrical properties. Four different configurations for aqueduct were created in four models. Diameter of aqueduct was 2 m and its depth was different in four models. After aqueduct generation, tunnel with diameter of 9 m and length of 20 m was drilled in depth of 22 m. After tunnel drilling, the settlement data of ground surface were picked up. After tunnel simulation, the effect of support lining was investigated on the ground settlement. For this purpose, after each step of tunnel drilling, lining support with diameter of 35 cm was performed. The results show that the maximum value of settlement occurred when aqueduct reach to head of tunnel. Also the safety has maximum value when the distance between aqueduct and tunnel wall was 4.5 m. the ground settlement before and after support lining shows that ground settlement reach to zero by support application.

Numerical Simulation Research on Response Characteristics of Grouting Defects of Ground Penetrating Radar for Detection of Grouting Quality behind Tunnel Wall

The effect of grouting behind tunnel wall directly affects the surrounding ground settlement and the stability of tunnel structure, so the grouting quality detection is very necessary. As an efficient and convenient shallow geophysical exploration method, ground-penetrating radar can meet the high-resolution and non-destructive requirements of grouting quality detection behind the tunnel wall, so it is widely used in engineering in recent years. Most of the existing studies have obvious regional pertinence and special geological conditions, and there are few universal studies on the characteristics of the ground penetrating radar reflection image of the grouting defect behind the tunnel wall. In view of this, this paper uses the finite difference time domain method to simulate several grouting defects behind the wall, such as voids, water-bearing anomaly, cracks, and other grouting defects. The simulation results show that the reflection image of the direct wave is characterized by a white band with strong amplitude; the interface between primary support and second lining, primary support, and surrounding rock is also banded; the circular cavity and water anomaly characteristics are all hyperbolic, the difference is that the phase of the lower part of the radar image of the cavity anomaly is 0, and there are only hyperbolic tails on both sides, and the water-bearing anomaly also has obvious hyperbolic characteristics at each interface; the reflected wave characteristics of the rectangular crack are striped and watery and the reflected wave characteristic of rectangular cracks is striped, and the abnormal range of water-bearing cracks on the radar image is larger than that of air. The research results can provide an effective theoretical reference for the engineering application of ground penetrating radar detection of grouting defects behind the tunnel wall.

Airfoil lift calculation using wind tunnel wall pressures

An experimental method to calculate lift using static pressure ports on the wind tunnel walls and its associated limits has been explored in this article. While the wall-pressure measurement (WPM) technique for lift calculation has been implemented by other researchers, there is a lack of literature on the sensitivity of the WPM method to airfoil chord length, model thickness, surface roughness, and freestream conditions. Chord sensitivity studies showed that the airfoil chord to test section length ratio plays an important role in the accuracy of the measurements. Models need to be appropriately sized for optimum performance of the WPM method. Additionally, choosing the correct scaling ratio also ensures independence of lift measurements from freestream Reynolds number conditions. Finally, a combination of symmetric and cambered airfoils with thicknesses varying from 6 % − 21 % were tested and successfully validated against reference data for a freestream chord Reynolds number range of 100,000 to 550,000. The WPM method was found to be sensitive to varying surface flow conditions and airfoil thickness and has been shown to be a viable replacement to traditional lift measurement techniques using load balances or airfoils with surface pressure ports.

The multi-functional rotor aerodynamic and aeroacoustic test platform at HKUST

This paper describes the multi-functional rotor noise and aerodynamics test platform at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). To investigate the noise characteristics of propellers with aerodynamic flows, the test rig is installed in the 2.5×2 (m) low-speed and low-noise wind tunnel in the Aerodynamic and Acoustic Facility (AAF) at HKUST. The wind tunnel can facilitate flow from 0 to 40 m/s. The test rig is assembled in a turntable on the ceiling of the tunnel wall, which enables the testing range of pitch angle can vary from 0° (axial flow) to 90° (parallel flow), with an accuracy of 0.1°. The noise produced by the rotor is measured by a set of wall-mounted surface microphones. Semi-empirical calibration is conducted to quantify the noise reflection by the tunnel walls. A low-noise struct has been designed and manufactured to locate a set of far-field microphones equipped with nosecone, to improve the quality of acoustic measurement inside the flow. In addition, a synchronized system is developed to conduct the phase-locking Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement on the rotor, to study the flow pattern to better understand the noise generation mechanism.

Wind tunnel testing of a swept tip shape and comparison with multi-fidelity aerodynamic simulations

One promising design solution for increasing the efficiency of modern horizontal axis wind turbines is the installation of curved tip extensions. However, introducing such complex geometries may move traditional aerodynamic models based on Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory out of their range of applicability. This motivated the present work, where a swept tip shape is investigated by means of both experimental and numerical tests. The latter group accounted for a wide variety of aerodynamic models, allowing to highlight the capabilities and limitations of each of them in a relative manner. The considered swept tip shape is the result of a design optimization, focusing on locally maximizing power performance within load constraints. For the experimental tests, the tip model is instrumented with spanwise bands of pressure sensors and is tested in the Poul la Cour wind tunnel at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The methods used for the numerical tests consisted of a blade element model, a near-wake model, lifting-line free-wake models, and a fully resolved Navier- Stokes solver. The comparison of the numerical and the experimental tests results is performed for a given range of angles of attack and wind speeds, which is representative of the expected conditions in operation. Results show that the blade element model cannot predict the measured normal force coefficients, but the other methods are generally in good agreement with the measurements in attached flow. Flow visualization and pressure distribution compare well with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The agreement in the clean case is better than in the tripped case, indicating an aggressive tripping of the flow in the measurements. Some uncertainties regarding the effect of the boundary layer at the inboard tunnel wall and the post stall behavior remain.

3D Numerical Investigation of Face Stability in Tunnels with Unsupported Face

The paper studies the stability of unsupported tunnel faces by analyzing the results of a large number of 3D numerical analyses of tunnel faces, in various ground conditions and overburden depths. The analyses calculate the average face extrusion (Uh) by averaging the axial displacement over the tunnel face. Limiting face stability occurs when the average face extrusion becomes very large and algorithmic convergence becomes problematic. Using the results of the analyses, a dimensionless “face stability parameter” is defined, which depends on a suitable combination of ground strength, overburden depth and tunnel width. The face stability parameter correlates very well with many critical tunnel face parameters, like the safety factor of the tunnel against face instability, the average face extrusion, the radial convergence of the tunnel wall at the excavation face, the volume loss and the deconfinement ratio at the tunnel face. Thus, semi-empirical formulae are proposed for the calculation of these parameters in terms of the face stability parameter. Since the face stability parameter can be easily calculated from basic tunnel and ground parameters, the above critical tunnel parameters can be calculated, and conclusions can be drawn about tunnel face stability, volume loss and the deconfinement ratio at the excavation face which can be useful in preliminary tunnel designs.