National Wind Tunnel Facility, IITK
Journey so far & Its Mission
Past, Present, and Future
Dr. K. Poddar
Presentation Overview
Introduction
Report on NWTF activities (2006 – 2008)
Projected Activities for next 3 years (2009 – 2011)
Strengthening NWTF team
Proposed HRD Plan
Proposed Academic Programs
Proposed Expansion Programs
• Experimental Facilities
• Computational Facilities
• Design & Inspection Facilities
NWTF (IITK)
Background

National studies coordinated under the auspices of AR&DB in the late eighties
identified a strong need for a low speed wind tunnel in India to provide Indian
Industry with adequate support in experimental aerodynamics for effective
development work. Thus, a National Wind Tunnel Facility Project (NWTF-P)
was initiated.

NWTF was conceived as an autonomous activity at IIT Kanpur in the
academic environment, with the objective to construct, operate, maintain and
further develop the wind tunnel facility as a Users’ Facility.

Further, due to funding constraints it was decided to implement the project in
two phases as follows:
Phase I
 Tunnel circuit, fan, motor, and drive system
 Model support mechanism, turntables, and instrumentation
Phase II
 Test section parking hall and tunnel control room
 Instrumentation and calibration rooms
 Model design, inspection, integration rooms and model shop
 Wind tunnel offices, conference room, model display room
NWTF (IITK)
National Wind Tunnel Facility
Established in 1999 with the financial support from
AR&DB, DST, and IIT Kanpur, the National Wind
Tunnel Facility (NWTF) has unique and nationally
recognized capabilities to evaluate aerodynamic
performance of flight and road vehicles as well as
wind effects on civil engineering structures.
Special Capabilities



Important features


• High Reynolds Number simulation

• Very low turbulence
• Interchangeable mobile test sections

• Automated measurement & control systems
Full-model testing with sting support system
2-D model testing using turntables
Open jet testing
Flow diagnostic using PIV & visualization
Ground effect simulation with moving belt
Gust and cross-wind simulation
ABL simulation for civil applications
NWTF (IITK)
National Wind Tunnel Facility
NWTF is committed to take up sponsored and consultancy projects of national importance as
well as supporting academic research at IIT Kanpur.
Major contributions

In house R&D activities through sponsored and consultancy
projects

Interdisciplinary and Inter-departmental interaction through
support for PG Students’ Thesis and faculty R&D projects
Space Capsule Recovery Experiments
R&D support for National Aerospace Programs of ADA,
ADE, ADRDE, ARDE, DRDL, NAL, VSSC
R&D support to Civil Engineering industry
HRD through short courses and symposiums



Active Research Areas
Decelerator aerodynamics, unsteady and high angle
of attack aerodynamics, Low Re aerodynamics, flow
controls, ground effect on flight and road vehicles,
Automobile aerodynamics wind effect on structures,
virtual instrumentation
LTA on Sting Support System
NWTF (IITK)
NWTF Users
Academic Institutions:
IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay
ISRO:
VSSC
CSIR:
NAL
DRDO:
ADA, ADE, ADRDE, ARDE, DRDL
CIVIL:
BHEL, L&T, Gammon India, REL, PCTL, NTPC,
DVC, IJT, Alstom India, Lodha Bellissimo, etc.
Wind Energy:
Suzlon
Automobile:
Tata Motors, M&M
Railways:
RDSO, Contransys Pvt Ltd
NWTF (IITK)
Space Applications
Space Recovery Capsule
NWTF (IITK)
Reusable Launch Vehicle
RLV-SVT
RLV-TVT
VSSC
NWTF (IITK)
Space Vehicles with Launch Tower
NWTF (IITK)
Aeronautical Applications
Control surface
effectiveness study
Aerodynamic buffeting
study
NWTF (IITK)
Air-intake Mass Flow Simulation
NWTF (IITK)
Study on Aerofoil
GAW-Aerofoil
LS-E2-Aerofoil
NWTF (IITK)
Aerodynamic Study on Missile Models
NWTF (IITK)
Decelerator Aerodynamics
NWTF (IITK)
Study on Ram-air Parachutes
Ram-air parachute test rig
NWTF (IITK)
Double Stacked Wagon
Config 2
Config 1
Config 3
NWTF (IITK)
Study on Thermal Power Stations
Aero-elastic Chimney and Cooling Tower
NWTF (IITK)
Civil Engineering Applications
NWTF (IITK)
Major Ongoing R&D Projects
(1) Aeronautical
 Experimental study on Single and multi-element airfoils for RTA
 Experimental study of low Reynolds number airfoil for MAV
 Aerodynamic characteristics of RLV Ascent 1:50 lift off, 1:13 scale Ascent
and Descent, RLV 1:8 and 1:6.25 FADS
 Ground wind studies on GSLV-M3, PSLV
 Wind tunnel studies on DRDL MK-3 missiles
(2) Non-Aeronautical
 Aero-elastic model study of NDCT
 Wind tunnel study on rigid model of 81 storey residential tower
 Wind tunnel testing on rigid model of I.G. Stadium sports complex
 Aero-elastic model study of 275 m tall RCC Triple flue Chimney
NWTF (IITK)
Tunnel Utilization
Year
Wind
OFF
Hours
Wind
On
Hours
Total
Hours
2006
580
190
2007
520
2008
540
Tunnel effort
(Rs. In Lakh)
Total project
amount
(Rs in Lakhs)
Paid
Notional
770
80
38
130
230
750
90
30
150
298
838
155
20
220
NWTF (IITK)
Tunnel Utilization (in terms of income)
Tunnel Utilization (in tems of income)
Income (Lakhs)
250
200
Notional income
150
Actual income
100
Total project value
50
0
2006
2007
2008
Notional income
38
30
20
Actual income
80
90
155
130
150
220
Total project value
Year
NWTF (IITK)
Tunnel Utilization (in terms of occupancy)
Tunnel Utilization (in terms of hours)
1000
Utilization (Hrs)
800
Wind ON
600
Wind OFF
400
Total
200
0
2006
2007
2008
Wind ON
190
230
298
Wind OFF
580
520
540
Total
770
750
838
Year
NWTF (IITK)
Normalized Tunnel Utilization
Utilization efficieny
80
70
% Utilization
60
50
% of Wind ON
40
% of Wind OFF
30
%of Tunnel occupancy
20
10
0
2006
2007
2008
Year
NWTF (IITK)
Occupancy forecast for next 3 years
Serial Organizatio
#
ns
Wind OFF
Occupancy
(hrs)
Wind ON
occupancy
(hrs)
Total
Occupancy
(hrs)
1
VSSC
500
300
800
2
DRDO
650
350
1000
3
CSIR
325
175
500
4
Civil
550
300
850
5
Others
250
150
400
2275
1275
3550
Total
Projected occupancy = 80% per year for paid projects.
Projected income
= Rs 236 lakhs/year (at the rate of Rs 20, 000/hr)
Remaining 20% can be utilized for in-house R&D, students’ research, and
HRD activities.
NWTF (IITK)
Strengthening NWTF team
The following manpower distribution is required for
effective tunnel operation
Manpower
Current
strength
Requirement for full fledge
operation (60% & above
occupancy)
Research
Engineers
3
4+2
Technical
Assistant
1
3+1
Mechanics
2+8
4+8
Office staff
2
3
Project Ass
2
4
NWTF (IITK)
Proposed HRD Programs
Existing:
HRD programs in wind tunnel testing techniques
through short courses, symposium, and workshop
– mainly for professionals
Proposed:
HRD programs in experimental techniques using
wind tunnel covering model design, instrumentation,
measurement techniques, data acquisition & analysis,
report writing, and validation of CFD tools
- For UG & PG engineering students across
the country
NWTF (IITK)
Proposed Academic Programs
Major: MS by Research
Minor: Experimental fluid mechanics
NWTF (IITK)
Additional Facilities proposed

Aerodynamic research facilities
•
•
•
•
Low speed wind tunnels for academic research
Annular cascade tunnel
Supersonic and hypersonic facilities
High speed jet, shock tube

Open circuit wind tunnel for civil applications

Computational facilities

Design, manufacturing & inspection facilities
NWTF (IITK)
Various Thrust Areas of Research
 Fluid Structure Interaction

Low Reynolds Number Aerodynamics

Unsteady Aerodynamics

High Speed Aerodynamics

Wind Energy

Active and passive flow controls
NWTF (IITK)
Concluding Remarks
 NWTF is committed to take up sponsored and consultancy
projects of national importance as well as supporting
academic research.
 NWTF Proposes following academic programs
 Minor: Experimental fluid mechanics
 Major: MS by research
 NWTF proposes to add various research facilities in the
areas of low & high speed experimental aerodynamics
NWTF (IITK)
We Look Forward to Your
Continued Support
Thank you