You’re looking at the worlds largest wind tunnel for automotive testing, a massive metal mammoth capable of wind speeds up to 415 mph. It is the pride of the General Motors Aerodynamic Laboratory in Warren, Michigan, and it’s in use 24-hours a day, five days a week. The turbine on the business end of this tunnel spans 43-feet in diameter, and while it has the capacity to pump 415mph of wind, it is limited to a top end of 138 mph. GM originally built this turbine in 1980, designing it to test its concept and production models in varied conditions of wind. An engineer stands near the automobile test subject and uses a fog sprayer to visualize the movement of air over the design of the vehicle. Today, most aerodynamic testing is done virtually using software systems, but this monstrous wind tunnel still has value when GM engineers need to see the results with their own eyes. Our favorite part? That little red emergency button below. Imagine having to fight the current to turn this monster off! [via dvice]
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Worlds Largest Wind Tunnel Gallery
