RANS Turbulent Model Assessment for Fan Array Wind Tunnel Facilities
Abstract
The testing of unmanned aerial vehicles in unpredictable environments poses significant repeatability issues due to a lack of environmental control. Fan array wind tunnels provide a controlled, laboratory-scale flow field with a large testing section. However, the development of the flow is subject to the dimensions of the facility laboratory where the wind tunnel is located. In this study, we employ Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations to analyze and assess the aerodynamic performance and facility influence on the flow produced by a fan array wind tunnel. A recent study [Rahmati, et al., AIAA 2026-2307 AIAA SCITECH Forum, 2026] showed that while RANS predicts many of the large features, it is unable to capture the multi-scaled nature of the fan array jet as observed from experiments. We assess grid resolution and test a range of RANS turbulence models to attempt to better predict the effects of shear layers and jet interaction. We evaluate how the flow field, specifically the jet far field where testing would take place, is influenced by different fan array wind tunnel locations, fan operating speeds, and the facility dimensions. Our goal is to improve the ability of our computing model so that it will accurately predict and agree with the physical test results of various laboratory-scale wind wall tests.
Publication Title
Regional Student Conferences 2026
Recommended Citation
Mendoza, B., Burnett, B., Fiene, J., Rivera, F., & Foti, D. (2026). RANS Turbulent Model Assessment for Fan Array Wind Tunnel Facilities. Regional Student Conferences 2026 https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2026-112830
