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Analysis of Turbulent Wakes Behind Helicopter Hangars at Sola Airport

Abstract

Turbulence in the wake generated by airflow over buildings may produce complex airflow patterns in the downwind region. Examples include the recirculating flow and wind deficit areas behind airport buildings and their potential impact on flight conditions at runways. In this study a computational fluid dynamics analysis of the airflow over helicopter hangars was performed, including the turbulent wakes that were generated behind the hangars. The effects of the wakes on landing and departing aircraft on the two runways (18/36 and 11/29) at Sola were estimated, based on a number of numerical simulations. With the prevailing wind direction at
Sola, the airport hangars cause no effects on aircraft landing and taking off. Strong wind perpendicular to the hangars, is a different scenario and is the most critical
one when it comes to wake turbulence. Simulations were therefore performed to study the impact of building wakes under such conditions.
The main findings of the analysis are that aviation turbulence at free wind speeds of 20 m/s for both runways are just light to moderate at delimited runway sections
behind the hangars for each of the scenarios mentioned. However, when the free wind speed increases from 20 m/s to 30 m/s (from fresh gale to violent storm), the wake turbulence may be severe for both scenarios. However, the unfavourable impact of the NEW hangar on runway 11/29 will not be as large as the impact of the OLD hangar on runway 18/36, for similar wind conditions.
Oppdragsgiver: Forsvarsbygg
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Category

Report

Client

  • SINTEF AS / 102011078

Language

English

Author(s)

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Digital / Mathematics and Cybernetics

Year

2015

Publisher

SINTEF

Issue

A27048

ISBN

978-82-14-05905-2

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