Tech

Honda’s HALO facility is ‘world’s most advanced’ wind tunnel


Regular readers of Engadget may have noticed that most our EV review and coverage refers to the vehicle’s drag coefficient. It is a useful indicator to measure ratio of resistance to force due to dynamic pressure multiplied by area – essentially, the lower the drag coefficient, the less drag the vehicle creates and the more efficiently the cart moves through the air.

Honda HALO Wind Hole

Honda’s motobike

For vehicles with ICE (internal combustion), a higher drag coefficient results in lower fuel efficiency and more frequent pumping. For EVs, low drag is even more important as it directly affects the vehicle’s driving range, a concern that continues for many potential EV buyers. The design of optimally aerodynamic vehicles is therefore a concern of every car manufacturer, but doing so requires the use of specialized air duct technologies, like the modern HALO facility. $124 million price tag that Honda opened Monday at the Ohio Center.

According to Honda, HALO (Honda Automotive Laboratory in Ohio) is “the world’s most advanced wind tunnel”, offering three distinct experimental capabilities – aerodynamics, aerodynamics and racing – to develop Honda and Acura products, as well as conducting science and research in general. work with third parties.

Honda HALO Wind Hole

Honda’s motobike

Jim Keller, EVP of Honda Development and Manufacturing of America said in a press call Friday. “This new wind tunnel and our safety research center will provide our R&D engineers with two world-class facilities in Ohio to support the design and development of new products.”

When vehicles are driven in a wind tunnel, they drive on what is essentially a giant treadmill belt. These belts are designed to control the boundary layer between the floor and the vehicle, a key factor in generating accurate aerodynamic data, Mike Unger, Head of Wind Tunnel at HALO, explained during the call. HALO uses two 40-ton belt modules: a standard “wide” belt, which sits under the entire vehicle and works well for sedans and other low-travel vehicles, and a 5-strap system that places one belt under each tire, a fifth belt under the whole vehicle and used for SUV testing. Each can be swapped for the other in less than four hours.

Honda HALO Wind Hole

Honda’s motobike

For sound testing, HALO uses more than 500 external microphones mounted throughout the wind tunnel and another 54 inside the vehicle. Thanks to a new array of microphones, Honda technicians can switch wind tunnels from aerodynamic testing to aerodynamic testing in just half an hour – a process that once took around half a day to complete.

Determination of the frontal area of ​​a new vehicle, an metric needed to accurately calibrate the results of a tunnel, is done with a laser and an optical camera to accurately measure the front and side ratios of the vehicle. . The tunnel, says Unger, is also equipped with a 180-degree turntable, “allowing us to test different, and sometimes extreme, tilt angles, as well as load the vehicle as quickly and efficiently as possible.” There is also an 80 ton diagnostic tool.

Honda HALO Wind Hole

Honda’s motobike

“It’s basically a giant giant robotic arm that we can attach a sensor to the end and locate anywhere in the tunnel,” he continued. With it, technologies can “measure any kind of phenomenon we’re looking for – be it pressure, velocity, sound or anything else… this tool will give allowing the test engineer to look at phenomena in detail to understand exactly what is happening with the flow field.” The system is so precise that resistance can be measured with a sensitivity of +/- 2.5 Newtons , which is roughly the weight of a standard D battery.

The tunnel itself is 1/8 mile long with a test area measuring 3m x 5m x 15m, large enough to hold up to a large delivery truck. The 8m diameter fan is equipped with dozens of carbon fiber fixed hollow blades that rotate at up to 253 rpm, driven by a 5MW 6,700HP electric motor and generate wind speeds in excess of 190 MPH.

Honda HALO Wind Hole

Honda’s motobike

Honda began development of the HALO facility in 2015 with an initial effort to reduce the costs the company incurs in flying its technicians, and prototypes are being developed at Honda’s R&D Center in Ohio, worldwide for access to tailored aerodynamics. testing facilities, such as the company’s existing wind tunnel in Japan. Those considerations as well as “the emergence of the era of electrification have made building Honda’s own wind tunnel a smart decision,” said Wind Tunnel Business Strategy Lead, Chris Combs. in the call.

However, the company has no plans to enhance the research capabilities of its new facility. “Honda has partnered with the Center for Transportation Research to form a consortium that aims to advance aerodynamic research that will be shared among group members,” Combs said. “We look forward to welcoming future college students to advance their STEM careers and overall efforts in aerodynamics. It is anticipated that some non-automotives will use the facility for projects. projects focus on renewables like wind turbines and even architectural design.”

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