Real-Time Positioning and Data Collecting System for Aerodynamic Profiles

New digital control systems open new possibilities in many areas. It is here presented design and implementation of a real-time optimal positioning and data collecting system in a newly designed laboratory wind tunnel. The wind tunnel has the possibility of changing the wind intensity in the tunnel. The control system positions the aerodynamic profile in different positions and measures the pressure along the profile in 14 points. All these data are stored in real-time in the SCADA system. This enables automatic finding of the optimum position of the profile according to various parameters: smallest resistance, maximum lifting force, smallest draft force and etc. It also allows students as well as researchers to view data in the form of graphs or tables in real-time as well as additional later offline process and review of the saved data.