RUAG's Large Wind Tunnel Emmen marks 80 years of operation
The Large Wind Tunnel Emmen in Switzerland has been running since 1946 and remains one of Europe's largest, still serving aircraft developers. RUAG's head of aerodynamics discussed the facility's history and future in an interview.
RUAG's Large Wind Tunnel Emmen has been in service since 1946 and is marking its 80th anniversary. Construction began in 1944, and the tunnel reached full operation two years later.
The original concrete shell is still in use, though nearly all of the equipment inside has been replaced over the decades. The tunnel is a closed-circuit, continuous, atmospheric design, with a test section measuring 7m by 5m and running 15m long. The operator describes it as among the largest in Europe.
Two electric motors producing a combined 3MW turn a counter-rotating set of eight-bladed propellers. The setup reaches a top speed of Mach 0.2, or 68m/s, and a unit Reynolds number of roughly 4.5 million per metre.
Andreas Hauser, who leads aerodynamics at RUAG, gave an interview at the site in Emmen. He explained why the company drives wind tunnel models with hydraulic motors, and what sets eVTOL testing apart from work on conventional fixed-wing aircraft.
Hauser also made the case for physical testing at a time when simulation tools are becoming more capable. He described what comes next for the facility, including measurement technology intended to be faster and more precise.
Sources
- aerospacetestinginternational.comCelebrating 80 years of RUAG’s Large Wind Tunnel Emmen