Verification and Validation of a Small Wind Tunnel Data Acquisition System

This paper discusses the design, validation, and verification of a wind tunnel data acquisition system that measures the pressure distribution around a cylinder and airfoil and calculates the resulting lift and drag forces acting on the object in cross flow. Typical aerodynamic research is conducted using wind tunnels with large test sections and high air speeds, which can be expensive and unattainable for many universities. A traceable path of validation can improve the results of experimentation on small test section and low speed wind tunnels by providing important information on the accuracy, uncertainty, and error involved in the system. It is concluded that CFD verification and validation not only improves experimentation but is the key to conducting quality research with limited resources.