Instrument Information
IDENTIFIER urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:pal.twt::1.2
NAME Titan Wind Tunnel
TYPE Wind Tunnel
DESCRIPTION The Titan Wind Tunnel (TWT) is one of several wind tunnels operated by Arizona State University at the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Laboratory, Moffett Field, CA, Building N242. The Titan Wind Tunnel (historically, the Venus Wind Tunnel) is a closed circuit wind tunnel with a test section of 20 cm (8 in) in diameter and 122 cm (48 in) long. Test plates can be substituted, instrumentation and media can be prepared for test runs, and final inspection of bed forms can be documented at the end of a test run. In the test section, there is one instrument and four viewing ports: One port is located 30 cm (12 in) from the upwind end to the center, while the other three ports are located 30 cm (12 in) from the downwind end of the test section. The instrument port was added in 2010 to accommodate redesigned data collection equipment. The tunnel is powered by a 1.5 hp D.C. variable speed motor which drives an eight bladed fan. The manipulation of gas flow within the tunnel is constructed of schedule 80, steel pipe. Originally pressure tested to 67 bar, the most recent certification was for pressures up to 20 bar. Modifications implemented for the Titan project include two revised pressurization methods: In one system, pressurization is achieved by accessing the compressed air supply of building N242. The source of the compressed air is an electrically powered air compressor manufactured by Atlas Copco in 2004, model GA55C. It is a 75 hp unit with a maximum output pressure of 183 psi. If the delivery pressure is insufficient for the planned testing, a 2:1 air amplifier manufactured by Interface Devices, Inc. can be utilized to increase the tunnel pressure to the desired level.
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