Moving Ground Plane (MGP)
World First in a Moving Ground Plane
ACE is also the first in the world to incorporate up to 30o yaw.
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 +- 30o
- 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 which have been upgraded to support the installation of the Moving Ground Plane. The project involves enhancements to the wind tunnel, airflow quality, acoustics, and the addition of advanced aerodynamic force measurement devices (Moving Ground Plane, Drag Links and Wheel Hubs, force measurement systems), and some building modifications and enhancements.
Honeycomb

Secondary Boundary Layer System with Reinjection

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. The latter include cooling flow to the rear brakes and under-body. Users of aerodynamic wind tunnels demand 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 (CWT) 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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 exactly as possible. This is especially important now during the development of electric vehicles to maximize energy output.
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ACE has a Burke Porter dyno in the CWT. Is the MGP interchangeable with the Chassis Dyno?
Yes, the system is a “Plug and Play” swap between a dynamometer and the MGP. We are the only 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 Moving Ground Plane.