The aim of the project is to construct an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel measuring up to international standards, together with a laboratory accommodating it, as well as to develop the corresponding measurement systems and computational background. The wind tunnel will be suitable for the modelling of the bottom several hundred meter thick layer of the air flow above the ground (the so-called atmospheric boundary layer) on a scale of approx. 1:200 – 1:250. The wind tunnel will make it possible to examine dispersion processes and flow phenomena around obstacles on the ground, buildings and other objects. When built, it will be the largest wind tunnel in Hungary for research purposes.
The five main elements of the project proposal:
- Construction of a new boundary layer wind tunnel;
- Building of a closed laboratory space accommodating the wind tunnel;
- Acquiring/making advanced flow measurement devices (systems for multi-component velocity, multi-channel pressure, force, vibration and deformation measurements);
- Development of high level computational capacity for Computational Fluid Mechanics simulations (workstation + CFD software);
- Acquisition of model-making machines and setting up a workshop for model preparation
Connection to the national and BME R+D+I (Research + Development + Innovation) strategy
The project connects at multiple points to the priorities ”Sustainable environment”, ”Healthy society and welfare” and ”Clean and renewable energies” of the National Intelligent Specialization Strategy (S3). Besides, it also strengthens several Emphasized Research Areas of the BME research university strategy (KKT 1, 3, 6: Sustainable energetics, Biotechnology, Health- and environmental protection, Catastrophe prevention: modern engineering methods). The connection points are well demonstrated by the wide range of application possibilities of the wind tunnel:
- Various weather and extreme meteorological effects can be examined, for example the wind load on bridges, buildings or cable harnesses, their aerodynamic behavior, or the effects of snowdrift. The wind tunnel experiments help to design structures which can withstand these loads (e.g. membrane structures with great span, transmission towers and overhead power lines, all of which are sensitive to the wind) or to plan measures on existing structures to reduce risk (e.g. historic buildings with complex roof structure). The safety of communication and electricity supply can be improved with a more exact determination of the loads on transmission towers and radio masts.
- The wind tunnel examination of tall structures and great building complexes can significantly reduce investment costs, as well as identify and sort out wind comfort and air quality issues in the design phase.
- The atmospheric dispersion of air pollution as a result of sudden (catastrophic), or on the contrary, long term emission processes can be modelled in urban or natural environment.
- The optimization of the locations of wind turbines on a complex terrain can be performed with the wind tunnel measurement of the terrain and the wind turbines.
- The effects of the wind can be precisely determined with realistic terrain, surface roughness and thermal conditions to improve the water safety of our lakes. This is the prerequisite to the operative forecast of lakeshore floods and hydrodynamic state, as well as to the planning of the flexible, ecologically sound management of the lake material transport.
- Wind tunnel experiments can validate and check or improve the reliability of micro-scale flow and dispersion models which ensure that the architectural and urban design measures and regulations to improve the ventilation of cities are scientifically proven.
Establishment of an Atmospheric Flow Laboratory 