This paper presents an eight wire-driven parallel robot (WDPR-8) designed to serve as a suspension manipulator for aircraft models during wind tunnel testing. The precision of these tests is significantly influenced by the system’s stability and workspace, both of which are shaped by the geometric configuration of the structure and the tension in the wires. To acquire the efficiency principle of the suspension scheme design for the model, a kinematics model for a WDPR-8 was established. Based on the kinematics model, the stiffness of a WDPR-8 was theoretically studied, and the analytical expression of stiffness matrix of a WDPR was deduced. The stiffness matrix was composed of two terms, one of which is determined by the configuration of suspension system and the other term is determined by the wire tension. Based on the analysis result, a set of suspension scheme was discussed under the calculation of stiffness matrix and workspace analysis. In the discussion process, in addition to the stiffness-maximum calculation, another criterion as force closure is presented, which is useful for increasing the stiffness and workspace of the robot. Finally, a prototype was established according to the analysis result, and the workspace experiments are conducted. Test results indicate that the workspace meets the design requirements, validating the system suspension design method of a WDPR for aircraft model suspension in wind tunnel test considering of the systematic stiffness and workspace.

The article includes study on the influence of a LEX (leading-edge extension) and wing tip plates on aerodynamic characteristics of the Rocket Plane in tailless configuration for manned suborbital flights. The research was conducted only for the low speed regime in the wind tunnel at the Warsaw University of Technology. Tests were carried out for a few configurations of the Rocket Plane. Moreover, two shapes of LEX were investigated. Analysis of results was focused on the aerodynamic synergism effect only. The influence of LEX and the wing tip plates of the Rocket Plane on the aerodynamic coefficients was identified.

In this study, a vortical stator assembly (VSA) was developed to improve the rotor performance, surrounding a drag-type, vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT). A rotor with six half-tube blades was employed. The VSA consisted of a number of guide vanes, which were to guide the air tangentially into the VSA. The design was to generate a vortical flow inside the VSA, to reduce the negative torque of the returning rotor blade, and to increase the air speed into the rotor. Wind tunnel model tests were conducted to investigate how the VSAs affected rotor performance. Four VSAs were developed in this study, employing 4, 6, 8 and 12 guide vanes that were 24cm in width, and one 6-guide-vane VSA employing guide vane widths of 12, 18, 24 and 30cm. Results indicated that VSAs can substantially augment the rotor performance, depending on the number and length of guide vanes. The 6-guide-vane VSA produced the largest effect on the rotor performance, and the optimal VSA diameter was approximately 1.82 times the rotor diameter. At an air speed of 6m/s, the optimal VSA helps to increase the free-running rotational speed by 318%, the torque output by 200%, and the maximal power output by 910%.

This research experimentally investigates the rotor aerodynamics of horizontal-axis, micro-wind turbines. Specifically, the aerodynamic characteristics of large-tip, non-twisted blades are studied. The study is conducted in a wind tunnel system to obtain the relations between the power coefficient (CP) and tip speed ratio (TSR), the torque coefficient (CT) and TSR. Effects of rotor position inside a flanged diffuser, rotor solidity and blade number on rotor performance are investigated. The blade cross-section is NACA4415 airfoil. The pitch angle of the blades is fixed at 30°, and the chord length ratio between the blade root and tip (Cr / Ct) is fixed at 0.3. Results show that larger power output is obtained when the rotor placed closer to the diffuser inlet. The 60%-solidity rotor, in general, achieves better power and torque outputs among the test rotor solidities. The higher the blade number is, the larger the power output is, but the difference is small. Comparisons between the present and previous relatively short-tip blades (Cr / Ct = 0.5) show that the present blades have better power and torque outputs at lower rotor rotational speed. These results suggest that the large-tip blades are suitable for micro-wind turbine applications, and make rotor-generator matching more flexible.