This Solicitation opportunity from Department Of Defense was posted on May 1, 2026. The submission period has ended. Browse the details below for market research, or find similar active opportunities.
Closed Circuit Wind Tunnel
Contract Overview
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The contract involves the procurement of a closed-circuit wind tunnel designed specifically to support the operation of a Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) system that requires the addition of seed particles to the airflow. The wind tunnel must feature a 3/8-inch Swagelok bulkhead fitting upstream for introducing Bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate particles. It must achieve a maximum airspeed of approximately 50 meters per second and allow fine adjustments to speeds as low as 0.15 meters per second through specialized nozzle restriction plates installed in grooved test section walls. Turbulence intensity must be maintained below 1% throughout the operating range. The test section size should be around 101.6 mm by 101.6 mm, equipped with optical-quality glass sidewalls for minimal interference with a 532 nm, 500 mW argon-ion laser used in measurements. The section must include at least two sealable ports capable of accommodating various instrument diameters for insertion of devices like Pitot-static tubes and hotwire anemometers, positioned precisely within the test section. The wind tunnel’s airflow is driven by a centrifugal fan isolated to reduce vibration and controlled by a variable-frequency drive (VFD) compatible with National Instruments’ LabVIEW software, enabling both manual and automated operation without relying on wireless or internet connectivity. The design submitted must be validated quantitatively via methods like computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to confirm compliance with speed and turbulence specifications. Delivery is to be made to the U.S. Army TMDE Activity at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with vendor inquiries directed to specified government contacts. The solicitation is managed by the Department of Defense and falls under NAICS code 541715, with the response deadline set in mid-May 2026.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Redstone Arsenal, AL, 35898, USASet-Aside
Timeline
Submission Closed
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
Purchase Description
Procurement of Closed-Circuit Wind Tunnel
Requirements:
• This wind tunnel must be a closed circuit, as the operation of an LDV system
requires seed particles to be added to the air stream – in this case, a substance
called Bis(2-ethylhexyl) subacute. The wind tunnel thus needs to be fitted with a
3/8-inch Swagelok bulkhead fitting placed upstream of the test and transitional
sections.
• This wind tunnel must have a maximum operating speed of approximately 50
meters per second (~9900 feet per minute). The test section walls must have 6.85
millimeter (0.27-inch)-thick grooves placed at approximately 75 percent of the total
length of the test section as measured from the entrance in which specialized
nozzle restriction plates can be affixed to adjust the operating range and achieve
an air speed of 0.15 meters per second (~30 feet per minute). The typical
turbulence intensity across this operating range must be less than 1 percent, where
turbulence intensity is defined as the root-mean-square of velocity fluctuations
divided by the average test section velocity.
• This wind tunnel must have a test section size of 101.6 millimeters by 101.6
millimeters (~4 inches by 4 inches). Test section length can vary if the design
meets the following requirements: The test section must have at least two sealable
ports or fittings for the insertion of instruments of various sizes, such as Pitot-static
tubes and hotwire anemometers. These ports or fittings must accommodate the
following instrument diameters: 4.3 mm (~0.188 in); 6.3 mm (0.25 in); 7.9 mm
(0.313 in); 9.5 mm (0.375 in); 10.1 mm (0.4 in); 12.7 mm (0.5 in); 15.9 mm (0.625
in). One port must be located 49.5 mm (1.95 in) from the inlet, centered into the
test section; the other port should be offset from this port by 37.5 mm (1.47 in).
Additionally, the test section sidewalls must be made of optical-quality glass to
minimize interference with laser propagation. The argon-ion continuous-wave laser
used in this application has a max wavelength of 532 nanometers and 500
milliwatts output power.
• The wind tunnel must have a centrifugal fan design. The fan should be isolated
from the rest of the tunnel system to minimize vibration. The fan must be controlled
by a variable-frequency drive (VFD) connected to a motor of appropriate size and
power to meet the air speed requirements listed above. The VFD must be
implemented such that an operator could use computer software or manual input to
control the drive and automate its function. The computer-VFD interface must not
rely on internet or wireless connections, such as Bluetooth or WiFi. This interface
must be programmable via National Instruments’ LabVIEW software.
• Any design submitted must be shown to meet the specific air speed and
turbulence requirements listed above through a quantitative analysis, such as by
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations or other appropriate methods.
1.0 Delivery Requirements
Shipping Address: U.S. Army TMDE Activity, Attn: Michael Tyler, Building 5435,
Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898