Desenvolvimento de sistema de condicionamento de sinais de balança aerodinâmica para túneis de vento para aplicações didáticas

Abstract

The development of technology and the great pursuit of performance optimization in various areas of engineering drive the application of several advanced techniques in aerodynamic research and analysis. Among them, wind tunnels and aerodynamic balances stand out as fundamental instruments for understanding and studying aerodynamic phenomena. In this context, the present work aims to revitalize an aerodynamic balance by developing a new signal conditioning system, allowing the university to use this equipment for research and project development in the field. To test its capability and validate its application, classic experiments were conducted on classic bodies, such as a cylinder and a NACA0012 airfoil, with the objective of validating the equipment and determining the operational ranges of the available instrumentation and wind tunnel equipment. In addition to these studies, the work includes experiments focused on obtaining operating speed, test time, pressure coefficient, drag coefficient, and lift coefficient. The results related to the pressure coefficient were solid and as expected, indicating the possibility of continuing the work by applying the same procedures to flows over airfoils and wind turbine blades. Furthermore, the results obtained using the aerodynamic balance with the new methodology showed that the new system is reliable, presenting results within expected standards and values and in accordance with other authors' findings. The drag coefficient (Cd) results for higher Reynolds numbers were between 1.0 and 1.3, while the lift coefficient (Cl) remained around zero for all Reynolds numbers simulated in this study. For lower Reynolds numbers, a value below expectations was observed, which can be primarily explained by inferior flow quality in the tunnel at low speeds and the weight of the test object. However, the repeatability of all experiments was noted, reinforcing the reliability of the results obtained by the balance after calibration. Thus, it was possible to develop a new acquisition method and fully calibrate the equipment, revitalizing the aerodynamic balance.