The National Research Council of Canada worked with Brant Radiant Heaters and a local Ottawa contractor to install state-of-the-art Re-Verber-Ray two-stage technology in North America's largest commercially available wind tunnel.

Introduction
The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) owns and operates the largest commercially available "low speed" wind tunnel in North America. Located in the Nation's capital this world-renown facility tests automobiles, buildings, bridges, oil rig platforms and even fully-functional scale model aircraft with wing spans up to 19.5 feet (6.0 m). The maximum 120 mile per hour (200 km per hour) winds in the tunnel are created by a 9,000 horse power (6.7 MW) motor driving at an eight bladed fan. The actual data collection area, or "test section" of the facility measures 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 75 feet (22.9 m) long. The NRC complex provides aerodynamic testing in collaboration with industry, universities, government agencies and other research institutes on a cost recovery basis-not for profit.

The Challenge
With an ever-increasing demand on the facility throughout the year, Stephen Lock year, Technical Officer of the National Research Council approached Brant Radiant Heaters in November 1995 regarding the feasibility of installing an infra-red heating system in the test section of the wind tunnel.

The Analysis
The first step was to define the actual area to be heated and then to conduct a detailed heat loss analysis to determine the heating load. Three types of heat loss were identified in the actual "test section" of the complex: conduction loss through the outer walls constructed of a 3/8 inch steel plate expose directly to an outside design temperature of minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit; air volume loss that would occur after the recommended installation of temporary insulated curtains at each end of the test section and; actual transmission loss through the temporary insulated curtains that would be put in place when engineers and technicians were working in the test section. Considering these three types of heat loss, the total heating load was based on equalized temperature within the test section of 45 degrees Fahrenheit in one hour.

Engineers and technicians make final adjustments to a deHavilland Inc. wind tunnel model under the radiant warmth of Re-Verber-Ray two-stage infra-red heaters.

The Solution
The NRC's Stephen Lockyear and Brant Radiant's Director, Dave MacKenzie finalized the overall design parameters that included: · Insulated curtains located at both ends of the actual "test section" of the complex. · When not in operation the heaters are protected from winds up to 120 miles per hour (200 km per hour) by an automatic custom-engineered door system ensuring the overall aerodynamic flow characteristics of the wind tunnel. · The installation of two Re-Verber-Ray HL Series two-stage infra-red heaters. Each of the two heaters produces 200,000 BTU/h, are 60 feet (18.2 m) long, designed in a "U" configuration 30 feet (9.1 m) above the floor, and mounted at a 45degree angle. The state-of-the-art two-stage technology employed in the installation offers two levels of heater operation which dramatically reduces recovery time and creates a clean, even heat in a much enhanced work environment. Brant Radiant Heaters is pleased to have been a part of a very unique application for its two-stage technology in a world-class facility.