Moving Ground Plane

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Meet the Newest Addition to our Facility.

World First in a Moving Ground Plane

ACE is enhancing its research facility by adding a seven-metre single belt Moving Ground Plane (MGP), a giant belt that acts as a road moving under a vehicle, reproducing the aerodynamic forces against moving vehicles and measuring the physical characteristics in real-world conditions.

The MGP will give both motorsports and original equipment manufacturers the tools they need to conduct research in a high-tech environment, help companies and researchers create new energy-efficient products such as active aero, maximize energy efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions.

ACE offers a 'Plug-and-Play' swap between a dynamometer and the MGP. Ours is the only wind tunnel in the world to share the same air flow for both full powertrain and thermal development on a dyno and world class aerodynamic force measurement using a MGP.

ACE is also the first in the world to incorporate up to 30^o yaw.

White Toyota RAV4 on the Moving Ground Plane (MGP) in the Climatic Wind Tunnel.

in the world to incorporate up to 30 ^o yaw.

Specifications of the Moving Ground Plane

Wind Speeds

Up to 130 mph, 210 km/h or 58.3 m/s
Wind on yaw capability of +- 30^o
13m² nozzle (4.5m x 2.889m)
Secondary Collector added for enhanced axial static pressure gradient and reduced pulsation at high wind speeds
Vehicle laser alignment

Belt Length

Belt is 2.3m wide and 7m long
Track Width 46.4” – 66.8” (1178.56mm - 1696.72mm)
Wheel Base 95.8” – 126.3” (2433.32mm - 3208.02mm)

Temperature

Temperature and humidity controlled airstream to maintain ambient testing conditions for increased sensor stability.

ACE Enhancement Project

The enhancement project features three main areas that have been upgraded to support the installation of the Moving Ground Plane (MGP). The project involves enhancements to the wind tunnel, airflow quality, acoustics, and the addition of advanced aerodynamic force measurement devices (MGP, drag links and wheel hubs, force measurement systems), and some building modifications and enhancements.

Honeycomb

The Climatic Wind Tunnel has provisions for aerodynamic flow improvements. Among these is a honeycomb flow straightener, Moving Ground Plane, additional boundary layer removal, nozzle exit treatment and collector. The honeycomb flow straightener has been installed in the settling chamber, downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the flow conditioning screens. The honeycomb addresses angularity and uniformity, and functions to remove lateral and vertical flow velocities. It is also very effective for dampening the crossflow components of turbulence.

Secondary Boundary Layer System with Reinjection

Accurate ground plane simulation requires minimization of the boundary layer. This is accomplished through two means. The first is to remove the boundary layer developed within the wind tunnel contraction and along the test section floor. The second is to implement a Moving Ground Plane. These techniques are complimentary. The improved boundary layer/ground plane simulation is critical for under-body flow, including drag reduction and cooling airflow. The Climatic Wind Tunnel has been engineered to focus on under-body flow optimization for drag, aero-acoustic noise generation and heat rejection.

Primary Collector

The nozzle exit angle and collector adjustability work together to reduce the axial static pressure gradient (ASPG). This phenomenon is important for producing accurate drag on a vehicle as well as flow related to wake structures, which include cooling flow to the rear brakes and under-body. Users of aerodynamic wind tunnels require minimal ASPG to improve fidelity between wind tunnel and on-road flow conditions. The collector placed at the downstream end of the test section acts to control the axial static pressure gradient in the rear portion of the jet. Typically, the diffusion of the collector is adjustable, and this produces an effect significantly upstream of the collector.

Acoustic Panels

The Climatic Wind Tunnel was designed from inception with acoustic performance in mind and has always contained significant regions of noise attenuation within the airline circuit. These include acoustically treated transitions and annular silencers upstream and downstream of the main fan. Three of the four sets of turning vanes are also acoustically treated. These treatments result in significant attenuation of the mid and high-frequency fan-generated noise. The recently installed acoustic panels have reduced the background noise levels in the test section plenum. The acoustic panels cover the test section side walls, ceiling, rear wall and portions of the front wall and nozzle structure.

FEDERAL PIVOTAL PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT

Frequently asked questions

Why is a Moving Ground Plane important to vehicle development?
Aerodynamic design has become more and more important in the development of modern road and race vehicles. Therefore, in wind tunnel testing, it is necessary to reproduce the natural conditions on a vehicle as precisely as possible. This is especially important now during the development of electric vehicles to maximize energy output.
ACE has a Burke Porter dyno in the Climatic Wind Tunnel. Is the Moving Ground Plane interchangeable with the Chassis Dyno?
Yes, the system is a 'Plug-and-Play' swap between a dynamometer and the Moving Ground Plane (MGP). We are the only wind tunnel in the world to share the same air flow for both full powertrain/HVAC development on a dyno and world class aerodynamic force measurement using a MGP.