In order to investigate the continuous flow through low Mach number turbomachinery blading the institute is operating a subsonic wind tunnel. This test rig uses a linear arrangement of turbomachinery blades, which are mounted in a rotatable compartment to adjust the angle of incidence. The subsonic wind tunnel is fed by air from a single stage double-flow centrifugal blower with a power of 125 kW.

The facility is equipped with special traverse gears for linear and rotational movement of a probe within the two-dimensional flow. Usually pneumatic pressure probes are used but the application of hot-wire probes is also possible. One of the blades has 26 static pressure taps all around the surface in order to measure the pressure distribution on pressure and suction side. The data sampling of all pressure measurement locations is performed with a SSS-48C MK4 Single Scanivalve System together with a SDIU Scanivalve Digital Interface Unit.

In the same test facility it is also possible to provide pipe flows for mass flow measurement techniques or a free jet for probe calibration. The air from the blower can be redirected into a settling chamber which feds through a inflow nozzle the section of measurements for pipe flows.

The test facility was former used at ELIN in Weiz for the development of steam and gas turbine blades in the 70ies. Now most of the time the facility is used for laboratory education of students.

Subsonic Cascade, large image 670kB