Telescope enclosure flow visualization

Fred F. Forbes; Woon-Yin Wong; Jack Baldwin; Walter A. Siegmund; Siriluk Limmongkol; Charles H. Comfort Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.48262

1 December 1991 Telescope enclosure flow visualization

Fred F. Forbes, Woon-Yin Wong, Jack Baldwin, Walter A. Siegmund, Siriluk Limmongkol, Charles H. Comfort Jr.

Proceedings Volume 1532, Analysis of Optical Structures; (1991) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.48262
Event: San Diego, '91, 1991, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Dome-induced thermal disturbances that degrade seeing can originate when temperature differences exist between the interior and exterior of a telescope enclosure. It is important to design enclosures which minimize the effect. One design aid is to model the enclosure and study the flow patterns in and around the model at various angles to the flow direction. We have used a water tunnel and models of spherical, octagonal, and rectangular enclosures to investigate the flow characteristics as a function of angle and venting configuration. In addition to a large video data-base, numerical results yield flushing times for all models and all venting arrangements. We have also investigated the comparative merits of passive venting as opposed to active forced flow circulation for the 4m telescope enclosure at the NOAO Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory at La Serena, Chile. Finally, the flow characteristics of a tracking half-shroud were studied as a possible shield for the enclosureless case.

Citation Download Citation

Fred F. Forbes, Woon-Yin Wong, Jack Baldwin, Walter A. Siegmund, Siriluk Limmongkol, and Charles H. Comfort Jr. "Telescope enclosure flow visualization", Proc. SPIE 1532, Analysis of Optical Structures, (1 December 1991); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.48262

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