156B Week 4

Overview of Status of Analysis, Design, Fabrication, Tests, etc.

After the meeting with Dr. T, the team made a few slight modifications to the wind tunnel design. After creating a new Solidworks assembly and conducting a CFD analysis, the team has finalized the wind tunnel design and has made several major component purchases. The team will conduct a flow visualization test and begin machining as parts come in this week.

Accomplishments from Previous Week

• • Determined alternatives for flow visualization test

    • Found out that the 171A flow visualization kit is unuseable

  • Made several purchases including heat source, copper plate, acrylic, and epoxy

  • Finalized copper plate mount design

  • Created Solidworks assembly of wind tunnel design v.2

    • Conducted CFD analysis

Goals for Next Week (list names after each item). Use specific and measurable objectives.

• • Conduct flow visualization test with old wind tunnel (Austin)

    • Determine: effectiveness of honeycomb, boundary layer effects, flow over plate

  • Purchase copper plate mount materials and begin machining (Austin)

  • Machine the insulation to correct dimensions (Tian)

  • Create preliminary Labview/arduino program for temperature controller (Liz)

  • Finalize anemometer fixture and purchase materials (Anthony)

  • Determine method of calibrating velocity measurement (Anthony)

  • Begin assembling wind tunnel acrylic structure (Tian)

Sponsor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • Nick mentioned that for the execution of the 171A lab experiment, the heat transfer setup does not necessarily need to be perfect. We need to focus more on accomplishing the primary objectives, so that the experiment is usable by the end of the quarter.

Instructor Comments from Last Meeting and Actions Taken to Address these Comments

• • Dr. T suggested using SSR to control power to AC heater. Research is being done on how to use a SSR.

  • Dr. T mentioned motorized impellers, but they exhausts air out radially, so this may not be a good solution. He also mentioned a combined push-pull fan system or fans in series, which we may utilize if the flow speed is not enough. The CFD analysis suggests that a single pull fan is enough, but a flow visualization this week will confirm.

  • Dr. T said to contact Nick about flow speed calibration equipment that can be borrowed from other labs, and contact Steve about SSR and PWM.

    • Nick said he does not know of anything besides the anemometer. We have yet to talk to Steve.

  • Dr. T said a PI controller should be adequate. Liz is designing it this week.

Risks and Areas of Concern

• • Will the CFD analysis match the flow visualization test results?

  • What is the range of flow speed we can achieve?

  • How can we calibrate the measurement of flow speed?

Resources or Information Required but not Available

• • Flow speed calibration

Schedule

• • Start fabrication of wind tunnel

  • Begin purchasing electronics (RTD conditioning circuit, temperature controller, LABVIEW USB input cards, etc.)

  • Flow visualization with the current wind tunnel setup, and perhaps the new wind tunnel setup if the parts come in in time.

Budget

• • $150 spent, $1850 remaining

Progress on Report and Webpage

• • Report section, specifically the impact to society, has been added