Skip to content

Environmental Flow (EnFlo)

University of Surrey

The EnFlo laboratory was established so that a wide range of atmospheric boundary layer conditions could be simulated at a laboratory scale applied to the study of flow and dispersion processes. The EnFlo wind tunnel is the only wind tunnel in the UK, and one of a few worldwide, designed specifically for this purpose. It has a working section that is 20 m long, 1.5 m high and 3.5 m wide.

Surrey’s EnFlo facility works with defence organisations to prepare for potential chemical attacks in urban environments. It can also detect pollution spread in urban environments. This includes noxious fumes that can cause long-term harm to cyclists and pedestrians.

Location:
Surrey
Test Section 1 size:
20 x 3.5 x 1.5 m
Designation:
Meteorological Wind Tunnel
Performance:
Maximum Flow Speed: 0.5 ms¯¹ to 3 ms¯¹
Temperature: Inlet and surface heating/surface cooling
Stable and unstable boundary layer simulation
Temperature differences, surface and air flow: +100K to -60
Testing Capabilities:
Model Support: Turntable: centred at 14 m from inlet
Outputs: Simulation of a range of deep boundary layers with stability from stable (cold wall, hot fluid) to unstable (hot wall), that represent conditions in the atmospheric boundary at scales from about 1:200 to 1:1000.
Measurement of mean and turbulent momentum, mass and heat fluxes (simultaneously), surface mean and fluctuating pressures.
Full automatic operation and data archive, plus realtime data processing and visualization.
EnFlo is an NERC-NCAS supported facility, is unique in the UK and is one of few in the world that allow experiments to be carried out in controlled conditions simulating the Earth's atmosphere.
Specialist Rigs:
Fully-automated particle-image velocimetry and laser-Doppler anemometry scanning capability, a six-component force balance, a five-axis traversing system and a suite of other fully-automated instrumentation systems for quick-turnaround, high-yield experimental testing.
Equipment:
LDA: 1,2,3 component, Dantec fibre-optic systems

PIV: Tomographic PIV system (5.5 Mpixel sCMOS cameras) - LaVision - Planar PIV system - TSI

FFID: 4 channels fast flame ionization detector system (concentration measurement) - Cambustion

HWA: Multi-channel Dantec HWA systems

Pressure: Purpose-built mutli-channel pressure scanners

Others:
Miniature seven-hole probes

Cold-wire anemometer for temperature measurement

Thermistor etc.

Capability for momentum, heat and mass flux measurement

Surrey Sensors: www.surreysensors.com
Novel devices made to order