Model Aerodynamic Tests with a Wire-driven Parallel Suspension System in Low-speed Wind Tunnel

Owing to the advantages of wire-driven parallel manipulator, a new wire-driven parallel suspension system for airplane model in low-speed wind tunnel is constructed, and the methods to measure and calculate the aerodynamic parameters of the airplane model are studied. In detail, a static model of the wire-driven parallel suspension is analyzed, a mathematical model for describing the aerodynamic loads exerted on the scale model is constructed and a calculation method for obtaining the aerodynamic parameters of the model by measuring the tension of wires is presented. Moreover, the measurement system for wire tension and its corresponding data acquisition system are designed and built. Thereafter, the wire-driven parallel suspension system is placed in an open return circuit low-speed wind tunnel for wind tunnel tests to acquire data of each wire tension when the airplane model is at different attitudes and different wind speeds. A group of curves about the parameters for aerodynamic load exerted on the airplane model are obtained at different wind speeds after the acquired data are analyzed. The research results validate the feasibility of using a wire-driven parallel manipulator as the suspension system for low-speed wind tunnel tests.