China builds world's largest wind tunnel complex

A complex of 18 wind tunnels scattered across the country helped China produce its first domestically produced large passenger aircraft, the C919.

China's C919 aircraft. Photo: Sky_Blue/iStock

Since 2007, China has invested heavily in building 18 wind tunnels across the country, providing a crucial testing environment for scientists and engineers as they seek to build their first large domestic civilian jet. After more than 16 years, a paper published in the journal Acta Aerodynamica Sinica by engineer Wu Junqiang at the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center in Mianyang, Sichuan, for the first time details the scale of the wind tunnel complex, Interesting Engineering reported on January 18.

According to Wu, the complex is equivalent to the total number of similar wind tunnels in the US and Europe (11 in the US and 7 in Europe). Notably, the largest wind tunnels in the West, used to develop new models for Boeing and Airbus, are no more than 5 meters in size. In contrast, China has four wind tunnels of 8 meters or more. These tunnels help scientists and engineers test many challenges in aircraft development, from aerodynamic shapes and extreme operating conditions to de-icing, vibration reduction, noise and flight control systems.

This extensive ground-based research infrastructure was used in particular to develop China’s recently delivered civilian aircraft, the C919. The aircraft boasts more space and a more aerodynamic shape with lower drag than its competitors, the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. In addition, during cruise flight, the 737’s cabin noise can reach 80 decibels, while the C919 produces just 60 decibels. The aircraft is also cost-effective, with operating costs, including fuel consumption, 10% lower than its Western rivals.

The C919 has only been in commercial service for a few months, and its long-term operating costs and reliability remain to be tested. In addition, the aircraft's engines currently rely on Western suppliers. However, the aircraft was designed from scratch using only a wind tunnel in China, representing a technological breakthrough.

When the Chinese government restarted its civilian aircraft program in 2007, it had only one wind tunnel in the entire country, measuring 2.4 meters wide. While the Chinese military has access to many tunnels, the characteristics of civilian aircraft are very different from those of fighter jets. Chinese wind tunnel builders have made breakthroughs in a series of technological challenges over the past two decades, establishing a large aircraft research and development system with full intellectual property rights.

An Khang (According to Interesting Engineering )

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