Honda Motor has put into operation a new wind tunnel for blowing full-size mock-ups and prototype cars. It is located in Ohio (USA), so far the North American division of the company did not have its own aerodynamic laboratory. Investments in the facility called HALO (Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio) amounted to $124 million.
Previously, when building cars for North America, Honda had to rent similar facilities fr om outside companies. The installation allows to carry out aerodynamic and aeroacoustic tests.
Note that Honda plants in the US and Canada produced a total of 1.3 million vehicles in 2021. For comparison, in the brand's native Japan - 615 thousand. Models for the North American market are developed primarily in the US division of the company.
The Japanese manufacturer calls HALO "the most advanced wind tunnel in the world." Its "heart" was a fan with a diameter of 8 meters. It includes 12 hollow carbon fiber blades with only 4 millimeters of clearance between them and the pipe walls. During a tour of the laboratory, Honda engineers admitted to journalists from motor1.com that after installing the fan, its alignment was disturbed: the blades scratched the wall. I had to sand off some plaster.
The fan is driven by a 5 megawatt (6798 hp) electric motor that spins it up to a maximum speed of 250 rpm. At the lim it, the installation is capable of generating wind at speeds up to 310 km/h.
Sensors in the floor can detect pressure changes as small as 250g, allowing for accurate downforce estimation. The system is also capable of conducting aeroacoustic tests to work on noise reduction. Sound is measured by an array of 502 microphones located on each side of the vehicle and above it. Another 54 are installed inside the car.
During the tests, the cars are on a turntable capable of rotating 180 degrees. This makes it possible to evaluate aerodynamics and aeroacoustics not only in frontal winds, but also in side winds. Plus, loading and unloading cars from the wind tunnel is simplified.
Honda says the tube test schedule will be fully booked by fall 2022, with plans to run several test shifts each day in the tube. The company also intends to lease the unit.
Honda invests over $100 million in new car wind tunnel
