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A rain tower and wind tunnel for studying the dispersal of plant pathogens by rain and wind
Author(s) -
FITT B. D. L.,
WALKLATE P. J.,
MCCARTNEY H. A.,
BAINBRIDGE A.,
CREIGHTON N. F.,
HIRST J. M.,
LACEY M. E.,
LEGG B. J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1986.tb03224.x
Subject(s) - wind tunnel , wind speed , splash , meteorology , environmental science , tower , atmospheric sciences , wind direction , cooling tower , physics , geology , engineering , structural engineering , mechanics , inlet , geomorphology
SUMMARY The rain tower/wind tunnel complex at Rothamsted consists of a rain tower (height 11 m, cross‐section 1 m 2 ) linked to the upwind end of a wind tunnel (length 12 m, cross‐section 1 m 2 ), which may be operated in either an open or a closed configuration. At the top of the rain tower, water drops with diameters of 2.5 to 5 mm are produced by a drop generator, which can be fitted with different nozzles. Simulated rain with a drop diameter of 1 to 3 mm is produced at a rate of 8 to 12 mm h ‐1 by a rain generator with an area of 52 × 67 cm. The rain tower may be operated in conjunction with the wind tunnel in an open configuration. The windspeed can be decreased from a maximum of 8 m s ‐1 by decreasing the speed of the fan. The wind tunnel has its own internal lighting. When the wind tunnel is in a closed configuration, temperature and humidity can be controlled in the range 12 o C (62–80% r.h.) to 35 o C (22–50% r.h.). Data presented illustrate the use of this rain tower/wind tunnel complex to study dispersal of plant pathogen spores by rain‐splash or wind.