Infrastructure & Facilities

The Department of Aeronautical Engineering is equipped contemporary Laboratory & Testing facilities like Aerodynamics Lab, Propulsion Lab, Aircraft Structures Lab, CAD Lab, Aircraft Design Project Lab, Flight Training/ Flight Simulation Lab, Aero Engine & Airframe Lab and Aircraft Systems Lab as per Anna University Regulation 2021

OBJECTIVES:

• To understand pressure distribution and characteristic over an airfoil and bluff bodies due to airflow.
• To measure the forces and moments acting on the airfoil at different angle of attack using wind tunnel balance set up.
• To visualize the flow pattern over an object by different method.

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able

• To calculate the aerodynamic forces and moments experienced by airfoils, wings and bluff bodies.
• To Evaluate the performance of thin airfoils with the effects of angle of attack and camber by considering thin aerofoil theory
• To measure flow velocity, lift and drag by use of wind tunnel instrument and to visualize the flow by water flow and smoke methods.

The Aerodynamics Lab has been provided with experimental facilities such as;

Two numbers of low speed wind tunnel with a test section size of 2’X2’ is available in the aerodynamics lab. It can be best used for flow visualization studies, pressure measurements and force measurements for aerospace bodies flying at low velocities up to 50m/s.

• Wind Tunnel test section is provided with an automated Incidence Mechanism which can hold the model with a facility to pitch and yaw the model during the run of the wind tunnel.
• Water Column multi-tube manometers are available to measure the pressure on the models to be tested.
• Smoke flow visualization along with laser light gives the idea of flow over the models at very low Reynolds numbers.
• Wind Tunnel is provided with a four propellers made with a cambered aerofoil in turn connected to a 22HP heavy duty motor via shaft.
• These propellers can run at maximum rpm of 1500 to give flow velocity up to 50 m/s.
• Wind Tunnel also equipped with sophisticated and expensive six component strain gauge balance which can measure three force and three moments of the models during the run through an online data acquisition system.

The facilities of Laser Smoke Flow Visualization, Pressure Scanner and Internal Six Component Strain Gauge Balance were beyond the scope of B.E. Anna University syllabus and intended only for Research.

The main purpose of the compressor is to supply compressed air for fuel pressurization and injection into the engine.

Specification of the Compressor

• Motor rating: 5 HP
• Rotation of compressor blade: 700 rpm
• Max pressure limit: 100bar

OBJECTIVES:

• To explore practically components of aircraft piston and gas turbine engines and their working principles.
• To impart practical knowledge of flow phenomenon of subsonic and supersonic jets.
• To determine practically thrust developed by rocket propellants.

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able to:

• To identify components and information of piston and gas turbine engine
• To analyze the behavior of flow through ducts and jet engine components to distinguish subsonic and supersonic flow characteristics
• To visualize flow phenomenon in supersonic flow

The list of equipment in propulsion lab includes;

• a) Aircraft Piston Engine and its components
• b) Free Jet and Wall Jet Facility
• c) Subsonic Diffusers and Ram Jet engine Facility
• d) Compressor blades for Cascade Testing
• e) High Speed Jet Facility
• f) Gas Turbine Engine
• In addition to these equipment, this lab is also provided with
• g) Bomb Calorimeter

A Bomb calorimeter is an object used for calorimetry, or the process of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes as well as heat capacity. Differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal micro calorimeters, titration calorimeters and accelerated rate calorimeters are among the most common types. A simple calorimeter just consists of a thermometer attached to a metal container full of water suspended above a combustion chamber.

This facility is dedicated to conducting experiments and studies related to High-speed internal flows and Jet dynamics. The capability to achieve Mach numbers from subsonic to high supersonic suggests that the facility is equipped to simulate a wide range of Aerodynamic conditions.

Such facilities are crucial for research in Aeronautical/Aerospace engineering, particularly for understanding the behavior of airflows in propulsion systems, Jet engines, and other high-speed applications. Researchers and Engineers can use these facilities to test and validate theories, as well as to optimize designs for efficiency and performance.

OBJECTIVES:

• To enable the students understand the behavior of aircraft structural components under different loading conditions
• To provide the Principle involved in photo elasticity and its applications in stress analysis for composite laminates.
• To obtain the stresses in circular discs and beams using photo elastic techniques

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able to:

• Evaluate the effects of bending in the aircraft structures
• Explain the shear centre of the aircraft structures.
• Compare the photo-elastic techniques on the aircraft structures.
• Justify the experimental findings in clear oral and concise report.

Photo-elasticity is an experimental method to determine the stress distribution in a material. The method is mostly used in cases where mathematical methods become quite cumbersome. Unlike the analytical methods of stress determination, photo-elasticity gives a fairly accurate picture of stress distribution, even around abrupt discontinuities in materials. The method is an important tool for determining critical stress points in a material, and is used for determining stress concentration in irregular geometries, for this we use a equipment called Polariscope.

Principle of Polariscope

Isochromatic fringe patterns around a steel platelet in a photo-elastic two-part epoxy resin.

Coloumn Test Apparatus

Drop Weight Impact Testing Machine

Drop Weight ImpactTesting Machine with Load Cell

Composite laminates are prepared and their Impact Strength is tested using this facility. Up on connecting this machine with DAS time dependent Impact Strength of materials can be obtained.

OBJECTIVES:

• To introduce the knowledge of the maintenance and repair procedures followed for overhaul of aero engines.
• To acquire knowledge in preparation of glass epoxy of composite laminates and its specimens
• To learn about Welding and sheet metal repair.

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able to:

• Take part in Dismantling and reassembling of an aircraft piston engine
• Inspect the Welding repair in various components of aircraft frames
• Take part in preparation of glass epoxy of composite laminates and its specimens

OBJECTIVES:

• To train the students “ON HAND” experience in maintenance of various air frame systems in aircraft
• To train students in rectification of common snags.
• To train students on maintenance of control systems

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able to:

• Take part in inspections of aircraft components and systems
• Examine various control surfaces of aircraft and their functions
• Take part in maintenance of aircraft systems







COMPUTING FACILITIES

The Aeronautical Engineering Department has been provided with about 30 no’s of computers with updated configurations and also high speed Internet Facility. Software for Design, Stress Analysis and Flow Analysis along with Microsoft office Mathematical packages are available. This facility is dedicated to various Labs like CAD Lab, Aircraft Design Project and Computational Analysis Lab.






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VI. CAD LABORATORY

OBJECTIVES:

• To make the students familiarize with computational fluid dynamics and structural analysis software tools.
• To learn the concepts involved in designing a product  To understand the importance of specification parameters while designing
• To understand the importance of specification parameters while designing

OUTCOMES:

The Students will be able to:

• Compare commercial design software and understand its structure.
• Deduct the aircraft and spacecraft components and solve engineering problems.
• Explain a formal technical report and convey engineering specifications

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VII. AIRCRAFT DESIGN PROJECT

OBJECTIVES:

• To make the student work in groups and effectively improve their team work.
• To understand the Concepts involved in Aerodynamic design, Performance analysis and stability aspects of different types of airplanes
• To carry out the structural design part of the airplane

OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of the Aircraft Design Project students will able to

• Evaluate the weight estimation, drag estimation and selection of design parameters of the aircraft
• Estimate the performance of the aircraft design.
• Design the aircraft wings, fuselage, loading gears etc., in structural point of view





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VIII. COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS LABORATORY

OBJECTIVES:

To familiarize with

• The stress distribution
• Meshing of various geometries
• Variation of mechanical properties on different load conditions,
• Flow analysis
• Thermal analysis

OUTCOMES:

On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to

• Develop and effectively employ solid modelling and simulation tools.
• Choose right specification and create a simple trade diagram.
• Choose appropriate structural models.
• Make use of tools to analyze stress distribution over complex structural components.
• Construct 3d designs and conduct flow analysis





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VIII. FLIGHT TRAINING / FLIGHT SIMULATION LABORATORY

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Of this course are

• To make students learn the steps involved in CG determination.
• To introduce the methods of calibrating various flight instruments.
• To impart practical knowledge to students on determining various performance parameters.
• To find the neutral points and maneuver points in an aircraft.
• To impart practical knowledge to students about different modes of stability such as Dutch roll, phugoid motion etc.