This project is required in order to continue the safe and reliable operation of the 1.5 m Tri-Sonic wind tunnel facility. The existing motors and controls used for the positioning of the supersonic nozzle (SSN) have deteriorated to the point that they are now at a very high risk of failure. These positioning systems use 24 separately controlled motors (Figures 1-3) to configure the profile of the wind tunnel’s flexible supersonic nozzle in order to generate the required Mach number for a blowdown.
Several components used in these systems have already failed and have either been disconnected or bypassed. Due to the age of these systems, direct replacement components are no longer available and it is not possible to make repairs to the existing equipment. This has resulted in reduced functionality of the systems and there is a growing risk that more of the components will begin to fail, which will cause the system to be no longer operational.
In addition, these legacy motor control systems date from the original wind tunnel installation (c.1960), and therefore do not meet the requirements of the present day Canadian Electrical code. One of the recommendations included in the Electrical Condition Assessment report issued by Jp2g Consultants Inc., in September of 2016, was that these controls should be replaced as soon as possible.
The aging cabling infrastructure is also an electrical and safety concern. The 1.5 m wind tunnel facility replaced the cabtyre power feeds that run directly from the motor control centers to the junction boxes with Teck90 cable in 2017, however there still exists cabtyre power feeds that run from the junction boxes to the control cubicles in the field that are in poor condition and require attention.
Additional benefits which will be achieved through the implementation of modern controls is the increased efficiency of the wind tunnel and mitigation of any risks of human error which could lead to potentially dangerous tunnel conditions that could cause damage to either the wind tunnel systems or client models.
Primary goals of the project:
1. To remove all of the electrical hazards that are present in the current motor control system ensuring that the new installation meets all applicable codes;
2. To improve the operational reliability of the system;
3. To ensure that the systems specified are compatible with the future plans of the facility and are capable of providing closed-loop, automated control of the supersonic nozzle setting.
