AEROLAS

For experimental investigation of turbulent flow in rectangular ducts by means of laser-based and invasive flow measurement techniques (Laser Doppler Anemometry, Particle Image Velocimetry, hot-wire anemometry) as well as thermocouples, infrared cameras, high-speed cameras and pressure measurement sensors, the AEROLAS gas loop is operated at INR by the TFS group in cooperation with MET group.

 

Fig. 1.  Work on the DFG project RU 2264/2-1 at the AEROLAS facility

 

The gas loop consists of a DN80 piping system, four frequency-controlled side channel blowers with water cooled heat exchangers installed behind them, a cyclone particle separator, various pressure sensors as well as temperature and mass flow measurement instruments. Test sections including the inlet section of up to 7 m can be installed. Depending on the operating pressure level in the range from 1 to 2 bar overpressure, a constant mass flow of up to 280 g/s can be achieved, resulting in maximum Reynolds of 380 000. The control of the gas loop and its components as well as the data processing of the signals are carried out by means of LabView.

The research work at AEROLAS focus on the following topics:

  • Fundamental research of thermal turbulent gas flows in pipes and ducts.
  • Thermofluiddynamic investigations for energy efficiency improvement of high temperature heat exchanger components.
  • Thermohydraulics of structured surfaces for high thermal loads in cooling channels.
  • Benchmark case studies for the development and validation of CFD applications for power engineering.
  • Design, construction, conception and instrumentation of components.
Contact:

If you are interested in collaboration research projects, please contact us.

sebastian.ruck∂kit.edu - Dr. S. Ruck

evaldas.bubelis∂kit.edu - Dr. E. Bubelis

Publications

Ruck, S., Lorenzo Mercado, The effects of wall proximity on the turbulent flow field in a square channel structured with detached V-shaped ribs on one wall, Experiments in Fluids 66(26) (2025), https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-024-03945-3  

Ruck, S., Lorenzo Mercado, I., Numerical investigation of the convective heat transfer in a square channel rib-roughened by detached V-shaped ribs, In “Proceedings of the 9th Thermal and Fluid Engineering Conference”, TFEC2024, April 2-5, Corvallis, USA, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1615/TFEC2024.fnd.051008

Ruck, S., Arbeiter, F., Digel, L., Laser-Doppler- und Hitzdraht-Anemometrie-Messungen entlang V-förmiger angehobener Rippen in einem quadratischen Kanal, tm – Technisches Messen 90(5) (2023), https://doi.org/10.1515/teme-2022-0110

Ruck, S., Arbeiter, F., Measurements of Turbulent Transport in a Square Channel With One Ribbed Wall, Journal of Fluids Engineering, 144(7) (2022) 071304. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053442

Ruck, S., Arbeiter, F., Petri, T., Laser-Doppler-Anemometrie-Messungen in einem quadratischen Kanal mit eng beieinanderliegenden Rippen an einer Wand, tm - Technisches Messen (2022)89(3) 158-167. https://doi.org/10.1515/teme-2021-0121

Ruck, S., Arbeiter, F., LDA measurements in a one-sided ribbed square channel at Reynolds numbers of 50,000 and 100,000, Experiments in Fluids 62 (2021) 232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-021-03313-5

Ruck, S., Arbeiter, F., Petri, T., Schlindwein, G., LDA-Messungen in einem einseitig be-rippten Kanal bei Reynolds-Zahlen von Re ≥ 50 000, Laser Methods in Flow Measuring Technique, ISBN978-3-9816764-7-1, 20.1-20.10 (2021).