An investigation of Pitot tube performance using a wet weather wind tunnel test section

The measurement of fluid flow using pressure differential can be traced back to 1732 when Henry Pitot first demonstrated the concept. Since then the technique has evolved into a simple yet powerful flow diagnostic tool. Today, Pitot tubes using this concept are widely used in a multitude of applications as diverse as the measurement of fluid velocity in pipes to the speed of aircraft. When used in the external environment exposed to the elements of nature, the blocking of sensing ports of these probes due to water ingress from rain or other sources may affect the reliability and accuracy of the readings obtained. The open jet wind tunnel in the Aerodynamics laboratory of the University of New South Wales, which incorporates a test section specifically designed to simulate wet weather conditions, was used to conduct tests on a number of Pitot tubes. The wind tunnel used has a wind speed that ranges between 0m/s to 25m/s. The results obtained in these studies, show the suitability and limitations of various designs of probes when used in wet conditions.