WO2014007600A1

WO2014007600A1 - Open-circuit blow-down wind tunnel and a system of open-circuit blow-down wind tunnels

Info

Publication number: WO2014007600A1
Application number: PCT/LV2012/000011
Authority: WO
Inventors: Игорс ЗВЯГИНС
Original assignee: Zvjagins Igors
Priority date: 2012-07-04
Filing date: 2012-07-04
Publication date: 2014-01-09

Abstract

Proposed is an open-circuit blow-down wind tunnel, resting on legs with a variable effective length as a result of which the controlled angling of the air flow is possible during wind tunnel operation. Also proposed is a system of wind tunnels, comprising at least two such wind tunnels, for creating an enlarged flight zone for holding competitions and artistic shows under simulated skydiving conditions by means of uniting the flight zones of individual tunnels, and by means of the controlled angling of the air flows created by said wind tunnels, said air flows cumulatively acting to counteract the force of Earth's gravity. Also proposed is a method for creating an enlarged flight zone using such a system of wind tunnels.

Description

OPEN TYPE INFLATED AERODYNAMIC PIPE AND OPEN TYPE INFLATED AERODYNAMIC TUBE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of wind tunnels, in particular, to open type wind tunnels that create an air flow that counteracts the force of gravity. The proposed wind tunnel and wind tunnel system can be used for competitions and artistic performances in the state of a simulated long jump skydiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of vertical wind tunnels to simulate a long jump of a skydiver has been known since 1964, when a person first took off in a vertical wind tunnel. This happened at Wright Paterson Air Base, Ohio, USA.

The state of a simulated long jump of a skydiver in everyday life is also inaccurately called the state of free fall, and a device based on a vertical wind tunnel to simulate a long jump of a skydiver is usually called a free fall simulator. At present, an open type wind tunnel can be used as a free fall simulator both for entertaining people not related to parachuting and for entertaining performances and training of paratroopers-athletes. GR1003964 B1 describes a free fall simulator based on a vertical wind tunnel, which uses an engine that transmits torque through an angular gear to an airplane propeller type, performing a rotational movement in an upwardly tapering ring coated on top with a protective net and also containing a straightening means to eliminate the swirling of the air flow. This installation provides air flow in a strictly vertical direction up. If several such installations are installed nearby and put into operation, then the zones they create in which athletes, artists or attraction clients (flight zones) can operate will exist separately, and the participants in each of these zones will not be able to interact, while such an interaction would make training more effective, artistic performances more spectacular, and entertainment more crowded and varied. Thus, there is a need in the industry for more extensive flight areas. This need can be satisfied, for example, by creating a wind tunnel, providing an air flow of increased diameter. In addition, this need can be met by creating a system containing two or more wind tunnels, the flight zones of which can be combined. To do this, wind tunnels would be required, providing the possibility of combining their flight zones, for example, by converging air flows, for which we could make the design responsible for giving the air flow direction properly deviated from its original position. The present invention provides for the creation of such wind tunnels. A brief description of the invention

The first aspect of the invention is an open type pressurized wind tunnel comprising a rigid supporting structure having an initial angular position defining an initial direction of air flow, while a vane machine and a drive device providing a torque transmitted to said vane machine are located in said rigid supporting structure to create an air flow, while for

at least three legs have been applied to maintain the said rigid supporting structure and give it stability, providing the necessary bearing area for the rigid supporting structure, each of the legs resting on a fixed base and pivotally connected to the rigid supporting structure, wherein said legs are made with the possibility of changing their effective length, so that the control of the effective length of each leg provides the ability to quickly change the angular position of the rigid load-bearing structure, and thereby , The ability to change the direction of air flow in either direction from its original direction during operation of the wind tunnel.

According to the invention, it is preferable to use an electric motor of a known type as a drive device, the torque from which is transmitted to a blade machine that creates an air stream. Other types of engines that provide

proper power.

According to the invention, it is preferable to use air as a blade machine for creating an air flow. screw. It is also possible to use blade machines of other types, ensuring the creation of an appropriate air flow.

According to the invention, the rigid supporting structure of the wind tunnel is mounted on a hinged (for example, by means of ball bearings) legs connected to it with a variable effective length. In the present description, the effective length of the legs means the shortest distance from the place of attachment of the legs to a rigid supporting structure to the place of its attachment to a fixed base.

According to the invention, with respect to legs of variable effective length, it seems preferable that they have a hinged structure of at least two sections, while changing the effective length of the legs is carried out using properly controlled hydraulic pushers, so that the effective length of each leg can be changed regardless of other legs.

When the drive device and the blade machine rotate, a reactive torque arises, which tends to twist the entire structure of the wind tunnel in the opposite direction to the rotation of the blade machine. Compensation of this reactive torque is provided due to the increased width of the legs in the place of their attachment to a fixed base. Alternatively, or in addition to this solution, to compensate for the reactive torque, each leg can be given an initial position slightly deviated in the direction opposite to the action of this reactive torque.

When the rigid support structure of the wind tunnel deviates from its initial angular position during rotation of the drive unit and the blade machine, a Coriolis force arises, which acts perpendicular to the direction of the external moment. The action of this force is taken into account when setting the speed of deviation of the rigid supporting structure from its initial angular position. A significant difference of the proposed wind tunnel from the known analogues is that it is made with the possibility of operational deviation of the air flow direction from the original in any direction by an angle sufficient from the point of view of the purpose of the proposed

inventions.

A second aspect of the invention is a system

open type wind turbines with the original

direction of air flow, opposite to the direction of action of the force of gravity. The proposed system contains at least two wind tunnels built according to the first aspect of the invention. Due to the proper deviation of the air flow generated by each of the wind tunnels in the operational mode, the creation of a single flight zone for

competitions and artistic performances in the state of a simulated long jump of a skydiver.

A third aspect of the invention is a method of creating a flight zone for competitions and artistic

representations in the state of a simulated prolonged jump of a skydiver, expanded by combining flight zones created by at least two open type wind tunnels constructed according to the first aspect of the invention, forming a system according to the second aspect of the invention

inventions, including the following operations: bringing said wind tunnels in a proper initial relative position and

operational management of the effective lengths of their legs to change the directions created by wind tunnels of air flows in order to create a single flight zone.

Further description of the invention is carried out with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of aspects of the invention, which, however, are not limited in scope.

Brief description of the attached drawings

In Fig. 1, an open type pressurized wind tunnel according to a first aspect of the invention is shown schematically in perspective view, a general front view from above.

In Fig. 2, the wind tunnel illustrated in Fig. 1 is schematically shown in perspective view, a general front view from below.

In FIG. 3, the wind tunnel illustrated in FIG. 1 is a schematic front view.

In Fig. 4, the wind tunnel illustrated in Fig. 1 is schematically shown in longitudinal section along AA shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 5, the wind tunnel illustrated in Fig. 1 is shown in plan view, top view. Figure 6 schematically shows a system deviating from the original

the vertical position of pressurized wind tunnels of the open type according to the first aspect of the invention, comprising two wind tunnels of the same type as the wind tunnel illustrated in FIG.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 illustrates a wind tunnel according to one embodiment of the invention in this aspect.

The structure of the rigid supporting structure of the wind tunnel includes the following components:

- safety net 1 made of metal cables and designed to ensure the safety of the participant in the event that he leaves the flight zone and falls down,

- straightening apparatus 2, which serves to straighten the initially swirling air flow generated by the propeller 7, and made in the form of properly oriented plates,

- a skirt 3, inside of which the said straightening apparatus 2 and the propeller 7 are located, and which serves to optimize air intake,

- frame 4, in which the electric motor 10 is installed and with which three legs 12 are pivotally connected,

- mounting supports 8 securing the skirt 3 to the frame 4, and

- supports 9 supporting the bearing 13 of the propeller 7. The electric motor 10 fixed inside the frame 4 is connected to the propeller 7 via a cardan mechanism 1 1, the purpose of which is to unload the bearings of the electric motor 10. The legs 12 are supported on a fixed base 14 with which they are articulated, and are attached to the frame 4 via ball bearings 5. The legs 12 have a hinged structure of two sections, due to which it is possible to change the effective length of each leg 12, that is, the shortest distance from the point of attachment of the leg 12 to the frame 4 to its place stronger base 14.

To change the effective length of each leg 12, regardless of the effective length of the other legs 12, hydraulic pushers 6 are used. Thanks to this solution, it is possible to tilt the rigid supporting structure of the wind tunnel and thereby deviate the direction of the air flow from the original one in any direction from its original direction by an angle sufficient from the point of view of the purpose of the invention. Management of hydraulic pushers in order to change the effective length of the legs 12 uses a control system, for example, a remote control system using a portable remote control (not shown in the drawings). With the location of the attachment points of the legs 12 to the rigid supporting structure in the lower part of the latter, it is possible to deviate the air flow from the original direction by an angle of up to 90 °. However, this affects the stability of the wind tunnel. If you attach the legs 12 to the upper part of the rigid supporting structure, then the deviation angle will have to be sacrificed to the good stability of the wind tunnel air flow. Therefore, in the present embodiment of the proposed wind tunnel, the attachment points of the legs 12 to the rigid supporting structure are located in the middle part of the latter when both the stability of the wind tunnel and the angle of deviation of the air flow from the original direction are satisfactory from the point of view of the purpose of the present invention. Such a compromise solution is optimal, and the embodiment of the proposed wind tunnel illustrated in the accompanying drawings seems to be the best from the point of view of the purpose of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a system representing the second aspect of the invention, comprising two wind tunnels of the same type as the wind tunnel illustrated in FIG. 1 — FIG. 5. Two wind tunnels tilted towards each other create a single extended flight zone for competitions and artistic performances in the state of a simulated long jump of a skydiver. The safety of the participants of the action when using such a system is ensured by means of a safety net stretched over both wind tunnels (not shown in the drawing).

In the practical implementation of the invention, a propeller 7 with a span of 3.6 m can be used. Rotated by an electric motor 10, the propeller 7 accelerates the air flow to a speed of 180 km / h to 230 km / h or more. Behind the rectifier 2, the air stream has a diameter of approximately 3.5 m. In this air stream, entertaining flights, fights, competitions, performances are performed.

It should be noted that the scope of the invention is not limited only to the example of its implementation considered above, but is determined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

CLAIM

1. The pressurized wind tunnel of the open type,

including a rigid load-bearing structure having an initial angular position that sets the initial direction of the air flow, while in said rigid load-bearing structure there is a blade machine and a drive device providing torque,

transferred to the said blade machine to create an air flow, with a la t on, so as to maintain said rigid supporting structure and give it stability, at least three legs are used, providing for a rigid supporting the design of the necessary support area, each of the legs resting on a fixed base and pivotally connected to a rigid supporting structure, while these legs are made with the possibility of changing their effective length, so that independent control of the effective length each leg, it is possible to quickly change the angular position of the rigid supporting structure and, thus, the ability to change the direction of air flow in either direction from its original direction during operation of the wind tunnel.

2. The wind tunnel according to claim 1, the initial position of the rigid supporting structure of which is such that the initial direction of the generated air flow is opposite to the direction of action of the Earth's gravity.

3. A wind tunnel according to any one of claims 1 or 2, in which an electric motor is used as a drive device.

4. A wind tunnel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a propeller is used as a blade machine.

5. The wind tunnel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the legs, in order to ensure the possibility of changing their effective length, have a hinged structure of two sections and are pivotally connected to

motionless base.

6. The wind tunnel according to claim 5, in which to change

effective foot lengths are hydraulic pushers.

7. The wind tunnel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which, in order to compensate for the reactive torque, each leg is given an initial position deflected in the direction opposite to the action of this reactive torque.

8. A system of pressurized wind tunnels of the open type, comprising at least two wind tunnels according to any one of claims 1 to 7 with such an initial position of a rigid supporting structure in which the initial direction of air flow is opposite

the direction of action of gravity established by

the possibility of creating a single flight zone for

competitions and artistic performances in the state of a simulated long jump of a skydiver due to a proper deviation

created by each wind tunnel air flow from its original direction in the operational mode.

9. A method of creating a flight zone for competitions and artistic performances in the state of a simulated long jump of a skydiver, expanded by combining flight zones created at least two wind tunnels according to any one of claims 1 to 7, forming a system according to claim 8, comprising the following operations:

bringing said wind tunnels in a proper initial relative position and