2 m x 3 m Wind Tunnel

National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
What the facility does

World-class facility for subsonic aeronautical and industrial testing

Areas of expertise

The 2 m x 3m wind tunnel provides a superior and secure working environment for commercial or government clients at a single, all-inclusive hourly fee. The facility has been used extensively for research and development in the areas of steady and unsteady aircraft aerodynamics, surface vehicle aerodynamics, marine hydrodynamics, aeroacoustics, wind-engineering and wind-energy generation.

For over 50 years, the National Research Council (NRC)’s 2 m x 3 m wind tunnel has been used to test Canadian athletes’ aerodynamics positions, equipment and clothing to help them reach the podium in international and Olympic competitions. We analyze airflow around the body with a focus on aerodynamic drag for key sport-specific positions.

The NRC has recognized expertise in wind-tunnel corrections methodologies, pressure-sensitive paint technology, model deformation measurement capability and flow mapping. Our world-renowned team includes aerodynamicists, flight engineers and business experts that will support your research initiatives. Working in our unique facilities to test, validate and demonstrate your product provides a controlled environment to de-risk new and experimental products with reliable data that will be crucial in the large-scale or commercial development of your product.

Research services
  • Aeroacoustic measurements, testing and evaluation, which can determine three dimensional sound fields generated by a model in a wind tunnel
  • Aerodynamic stability and structural response
  • Static and aeroelastic wind tunnel model design
  • Vehicle and structure dynamics
  • Flow visualization and instrumentation (acoustic array, pressure sensitive paint, smoke, surface oil film, fluorescent mini-tuft)
Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Automotive
  • Construction (including building, civil engineering, specialty trades)
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Transportation
EquipmentFunction
Main balanceMeasures lift, drag, side forces (kN) (limits are ±6.7, ±2.3, ±4.4); measures pitch, yaw, roll (kN m) (limits are ±2.7, ±2.7, ±2.7). Measurement accuracy: ±0.1% to ±0.05% full-scale
TestSlate data systemData acquisition; Analog/Digital channels: 24 and 16 bit @ 100 kHz, custom configurations
Aerotech model/probe controlControls the motion of the models/probes; can control up to 16axes
Scanivalve ZOC™ , KulitePressure measurements
LaVisionFlow visualization system; enables Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)
  • Department of National Defence (DND)
  • NASA
  • Transport Canada
  • Sports Canada
  • Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Québec (CRIAQ)