Colloquium: Mark van Spronsen (FPT)

This research presents wind tunnel experiments conducted on a rigid subscale model of Kitepower's V3A Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI) Kite to provide essential validation data for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The model, constructed from carbon fiber reinforced polymer, was tested in TU Delft’s Open Jet Facility. Load measurements were taken for varying wind speeds, angles of attack, and sideslip, with and without zigzag tape, to assess the aerodynamic performance. The data were corrected to account for confined test conditions, enabling more accurate comparisons with free-flight scenarios. Results were compared with previous numerical studies, showing good alignment at low Reynolds numbers, while highlighting some discrepancies. The study recommends refining the support structure to reduce interference effects and suggests further use of advanced techniques like Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (SPIV) for more comprehensive aerodynamic analysis.

Supervisor: J.A.W. Poland