17352 - Laboratory of Experimental Aerodynamics

Academic Year 2025/2026

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Aerospace Engineering (cod. 9234)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student should understand the basic aspects of the experimental aerodynamics and should be able to perform by himself experimental studies by means of the standard experimental equipment normally available in applied aerodynamic laboratories.

Course contents

PROGRAM

  1. Introduction. The measurement chain. Sensors. Transducers. Data acquisition and analysis systems.

  2. Pressure sensors. Pressure and velocity measurements using pressure sensors.

  3. Thermal sensors. Velocity measurements using hot-wire anemometry.

  4. Overview of wind tunnels.

  5. Mini CFD lab on vortex shedding from a cylinder.

  6. The data acquisition system.

  7. The LabView software platform.

  8. Presentation of the laboratory experiment.

  9. Post-processing of the CFD lab.

  10. Report and data presentation. How to write a technical report.

Readings/Bibliography

Measurements in Fluid Mechanics – S. Tavoularis – Cambridge University Press – ISBN 0070697124

Notes on Computational Fluid Dynamics: General Principles (https://doc.cfd.direct/notes/cfd-general-principles/)

Lecture notes

Teaching methods

The course is given in English. Lectures and frontal exercises are held by the teacher. At the end of the lectures the students, in groups of 4-5 units, will carry out an experiment in the aerodynamics laboratory. At the same time the student will perform a small CFD analysis (with open source softwares) on a cylinder shedding.

The acquired data will have to be processed and will be the subject of a final technical report.

Assessment methods

The assessment methods is based on a periodic check of the activity carried out by the student and on a final discussion on the written report. At the end of the discussion, in case of positive response the exam is considered "passed" and the CFU assigned.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations and CICLoPE laboratory equipment are used. Small CFD simulations will be carried out on the students' personal computers using open source software.

Office hours

See the website of Guglielmo Minelli

SDGs

Quality education Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.