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Instituto Universitario de Microgravedad
"Ignacio Da Riva"
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Strategic Plan 2011-2014
September 2010
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 1
Strategic Plan 2011-2014
Instituto Universitario de Microgravedad "Ignacio Da Riva"
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Index
1. Introduction 2. Goals 3. SWOT Analysis 3.1. Strengths 3.2. Opportunities 3.3. Weaknesses 3.4. Threats 4. Areas and objectives of the strategic plan 5. Analysis of R&D activities 5.1. Aerospace Technology Small satellites program Spacecraft thermal control 5.2. Wind energy Characterization of winds over complex terrains Ultrasonic anemometry Cup anemometers calibration 5.3. Experimental aerodynamics 6. Human Resources 7. Dissemination activities 8. Strategy for the protection of research results (patents) 9. Internationalization 10. Testing facilities 11. Educational activities 12. Collaboration with industries 13. Institute structure and organization
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 2
1. Introduction
The Instituto Universitario de Microgravedad "Ignacio Da Riva" of the Universidad Politécnica
de Madrid (IDR/UPM) is one of the research and development institutes of this University,
whose main targets are the planning, promotion, implementation and dissemination of research,
development and innovation in the field aerospace science and technology. Besides, large efforts
are devoted at IDR/UPM to promote training activities of postgraduate students.
IDR/UPM was created by the Consejo de Gobierno de la Comunidad de Madrid (Decreto
46/1997, B.O.C.M. de 31 de Marzo de 1997). It is located in Madrid, in the Campus of Moncloa,
within one of the buildings of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos. The
Institute has also facilities at the Campus of Montegancedo. It must be pointed out that both
campuses have been declared of International Excellence by the Spanish Government.
Research and Development (R&D) activities within IDR/UPM are mainly focused to aerospace
technology, experimental aerodynamics and wind energy. Research lines under development
include the behaviour of fluids under microgravity conditions, civil aerodynamics, experimental
aerodynamics, aeroelasticity of civil structures, thermal control of space systems, flow speed
measuring techniques, and wind energy. IDR/UPM facilities in the aeronautical field consist of
several wind tunnels (more than ten) for measuring wind loads on buildings and for calibrating
anemometers, including all the instrumentation needed for their operation, plus computing
facilities.
Besides, IDR/UPM has reached an agreement with ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras
Ferroviarias) on study wind effects on railway infrastructures. Within this frame a 1.2 km long
bridge located at the NW of Spain is being instrumented. The aim of this project is to measure
the wind loads both on the bridge and on the railway overhead, and to the effect of wind barriers
to protect trains against lateral winds. A similar project is being prepared concerning
embankments.
IDR/UPM staff is around thirty people (doctors, engineers, graduates and technical personnel),
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 3
and a variable number of contributors whose number depends on the needs of different
programs.
In the field of wind loads and wind resources, IDR is the Spanish reference laboratory in wind
tunnel testing (in the last 10 years more than one hundred aerodynamic tests have been
performed), as well as one of the nine reference laboratories in the world for cup anemometer
calibration according to European MEASNET Standards (Measuring Network of Wind Energy
Institutes). In fact, the MEASNET secretariat in now located at IDR/UPM. The Institute
(formally the UPM) is one of the two Spanish institutions belonging to the European Academy
of Wind Energy. Besides, IDR/UPM is the head of the Spanish Wind Engineering Association
(ANIV), within the International Wind Engineering Association.
IDR/UPM is a centre of excellence oriented to the generation of basic and applied knowledge.
During the last six years IDR/UPM has implemented a strategic management policy based on a
periodic process of evaluation of their activities
2. Goals
IDR/UPM aims to be among the best research centres within its fields of expertise, both in Spain
and in Europe.
Concerning training tasks, the Institute has demonstrated to be a suitable professional framework
for young researchers, whether their vocation is science and teaching, or oriented to professional
work. As it happens now, it is expected that students trained in the future within the Institute
framework will continue with the same status, so that they will be accepted by in the aerospace
industry based on its recognized technical quality and management capacity.
IDR/UPM budget is based on the generation of resources through contracts with companies and
the development of research projects funded by public agencies.
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 4
3. SWOT Analysis
3.1. Strengths
● IDR/UPM is a R&D institute recognized both at national and European level in the fields of
-Civil and experimental aerodynamics: wind loads on buildings, bridges, vehicles, as well
as experimental studies of transient and non-stationary aeroelastic phenomena.
-Aerospace technology, mainly oriented to spacecraft thermal control.
-Wind energy: ultrasonic anemometry, cup anemometer calibration, modelization and
optimization of wind power resources.
● Experimental facilities for aerodynamic testing are available at IDR/UPM, there are also
workshops that support the research under development.
● IDR/UPM has financial capability enough to keep updated experimental facilities, and to
provide research fellowships to postgraduate students.
● IDR/UPM staff includes experts in various disciplines.
3.2. Opportunities
● The new frame for high education (Bolonia) opens up a wider field for masters and
postgraduate studies.
● The increasing activities of the wind power industry in South America, mainly in Brazil and in
Argentina.
● The ESA and NASA programs for space and Solar system explorayion.
3.3. Weaknesses
● There is a lack of available space for new experimental facilities. IDR/UPM offices are being
used at full capacity.
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 5
● Poor dissemination of the activities of the Institute in the university environment.
● Currently postgraduate teaching activities are a little limited.
3.4. Threats
● Because of the aerospace industry expansion, there can be some difficulties in attracting new
highly rated Spanish graduate students for postgraduate studies.
● National and regional budgets devoted to basic and applied research have been reduced.
● Because of the current economic crisis the funds spent by companies to finance research and
development activities are experiencing some reductions.
4. Areas and objectives of the strategic plan
The strategic plan of IDR/UPM for the period 2011-2014 is organized around three strategic
areas, where the different objectives are grouped. These are:
Strategic area Objectives
Research To reinforce and increase the activities of R&D of current research.
To increase the dissemination of R&D activities at both international level
(JCR journals and conferences) and national level (university, aerospace
journals, conferences).
Education Increase the number of postgraduate grants supported by the Institute.
Increase the number of postgraduate students.
Facilities Improvement of experimental facilities (new facilities related to spacecraft
testing are needed).
To increase and update available instrumentation.
5. Analysis of R&D activities
Currently, the R&D lines under development at IDR/UPM can be grouped into the three
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 6
following categories:
● Aerospace Technology
● Wind Energy
● Aerodynamics
5.1. Aerospace technology
Space technology means an important part of the effort devoted IDR/UPM to R&D tasks. The
work in this field is performed within the frame of the Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica,
Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica 2008-2011, of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e
Innovación, which highlights aerospace as one of the priority R&D sectors, which requires the
intensive use of leading technologies and the involvement of highly qualified personnel. The
main goal is to improve the position of Spanish companies and research institutes involved in the
development of aerospace science and technology, satellite-based applications, aerospace
innovative systems, etc. Projects under development at IDR/UPM are:
Small satellites program
On July 7, 1995, the small Spanish university satellite UPM-LBSat (UPM-Sat 1) was launched
in French Guiana. UPM-Sat 1 follows a heliosynchronous polar orbit at an altitude of 670
kilometers; it travelled into space as a secondary payload on flight V75 of an Ariane IV-40
launcher, whose primary client was the military satellite Helios. Such a satellite was a scientific
and in-orbit technological demonstration satellite, although the project was essentially an
educational one, so that its first goal was to demonstrate that the UPM was capable of designing,
building, testing, integrating, and operating a satellite with modest technical characteristics, but
whose execution would involve all the complexity of a complete space system.
After the UPM-Sat 1 project other relevant tasks dealing with space research and development
have been undertaken. The payload CPLM (the acronym in Spanish of the experiment Liquid
Bridge Behaviour under Microgravity) was designed and manufactured for the Spanish satellite
MINISAT.
The UPMSat-2 UNION project is based on the previous experience of the IDR/UPM team,
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 7
acquired during the development and operation of the UPM-Sat 1, as well as during the
development of a second UPM satellite, whose conceptual design and preliminary design phases
were accomplished during the years 1996 and 1997 (although his second satellite project was
cancelled at the end of 1997 due to uncertainties in the budget timeliness).
The aim of the UPMSat-2 UNION project is the design, development, integration, testing,
launching, and in orbit operation of the satellite, performing these tasks as much as possible in a
university environment. Obviously, some external help from space industries will be needed, as
it happened in the UPM-Sat 1 project. Therefore, the goal of the project is to fulfill all the steps
in the development process, launching and operation of a small satellite, including
manufacturing and qualification and acceptance tests, and to meet these requirements it has been
agreed to keep the project between limited boundaries, assuming the minimum technological
risks, in order to get a space qualified, safe platform, which can be used as a general purpose
space platform oriented to educational, scientific and in-orbit technological demonstration, as
well as for other missions beyond the current one. UPMSat-2 UNION will be injected to a polar
orbit at some 600 km of altitude as a secondary payload of a Spanish governmental satellite;
scheduled launching date being 2014.
To define the general arrangement of the new satellite the architecture of the UPM-Sat 1 has
been used as the basis for the new development. This approach means some advantages in the
design process, first because UPM-Sat 1 structure is a space qualified platform approved as
suitable for flight in Ariane-IV launcher by Arianespace, and second because UPM-Sat 1
structure had successfully demonstrated its robustness during all the qualification and acceptance
tests (and even real launching and in orbit operation). The general features of the new platform
are:
Mass: 50 kg, Dimensions: 500 mm × 500 mm × 500 mm (antennae not included), Orbit: polar, at
600 km altitude, Life time: 2 years, Structure: 7075 T6 machined, Attitude control: magnetic
(magnetorques plus magnetometers), Thermal management: Passive (design plus multilayer
insulations), Data management: TBD, Communications: TBD, Energy management: 4 solar
arrays, 2 batteries Li-Ion, 28 V bus bar, Separation system: TBD,
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 8
The services allowed by the platform to the payloads are the following, Mass: 15 kg, Volume:
400 mm × 400 mm × 250 mm, Power: 15 W, Data rate: 1 Mbps.
Spacecraft thermal control
Since 1974 a group of IDR/UPM has been working in the preparation of a Handbook on
Spacecraft Thermal Control for the European Space Agency. The first version of the Handbook
was issued in 1975 as a result of a collaboration with Dornier System GmbH (Germany);
subsequent work followed at DR/UPM with the updating in several items and the amendment of
new ones.
After this long period of time this project maintains its activities at a low rate; at present the
handbook has more than 5000 pages bound in five volumes, and it is also available in electronic
version, however part of the technical information included in the Handbook is now obsolete.
Due to available information networks, the sources of technical information are currently almost
at the finger tips, so that it is envisaged to end this project in 2011. A team of IDR/UPM is now
involved in the publication of a book on Spacecraft Thermal Control, to be published by
Chandos Publishing (Oxford), and is responsible of the chapter devoted to Spacecraft Thermal
Control in an International Handbook of Space Technology (Space Systems Engineering) where
people belonging to European Space Agency, NASA, Russian Space Agency and Japanese
Space Agency, amongst other, are involved.
In the field of thermal control IDR/UPM has been involved in the Rosetta mission of the
European Space Agency devoted to the exploration of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Within such a frame IDR team has been responsible for the thermal control of the instrument
OSIRIS (Optical, Spectroscopic and Infrared Remote Imaging System), in which a fairly large
number of outstanding European scientific institutions are involved. OSIRIS is a dual infrared
camera system consisting in a high-resolution Narrow-Angle Camera (NAC) for the study of the
nucleus of the comet, and a Wide-Angle Camera (WAC) designed for recording dust and gas
emissions on the surface of the comet. The European institutions participating in the design,
fabrication and testing of the instrument OSIRIS for the ESA mission Rosetta were
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 9
SCIENTIFIC CONSORTIUM: Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (Germany),
Laboratoire d'Astronomie Spatiale (France), Università di Padova (Italia), Instituto de Astrofísica
de Andalucía (Spain), Uppsalaobservatoriets Nyhetstjänst (Sweden), ESA/ESTEC (Netherlands).
TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS: Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany), INTA
(Spain), IDR/UPM (Spain).
In the same way IDR/UPM has been the responsible of the thermal control of the balloon-borne
telescope SUNRISE, which has being flown on a balloon at stratospheric altitudes to analyse the
structure and the dynamics of the solar magnetic field. SUNRISE can be considered as a
precursor of the telescope VIM, one of the payloads of the Solar Orbiter mission of the European
Space Agency. The Institutions participating in the design, fabrication and testing of the balloon-
borne telescope were
SCIENTIFIC CONSORTIUM: Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (Germany),
Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik (Germany), High Altitude Observatory (Colorado, USA),
Lockheed-Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. (California, USA.), Instituto de Astrofísica de
Canarias (España).
TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS: INTA (Spain), IDR/UPM (Spain).
Within the frame of the Solar Orbiter mission of the European Space Agency IDR/UPM is
currently involved in two new instruments supported by two different international consortiums.
In these projects IDR/UPM is responsible for the thermal control of the instruments, as well as
for structural design.
5.2. Wind energy
In the field of wind energy it must be pointed out that, as already stated, the UPM is one of the
two Spanish institutions belonging to the European Academy of Wind Energy (represented by
IDR/UPM).
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 10
IDR/UPM collaborates with MEASNET since 1997 as technical support of the Spanish institute
CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas, Mediambientales y Tecnológicas) which is the
Spanish Centre for Energy Research. IDR/UPM is an active MEASNET member since 2003, at
the same time that it obtained the accreditation as calibration laboratoy according to the ISO/IEC
17025 Standard issued by the Spanish accreditation Agency (ENAC). Since then, IDR/UPM
calibration lab has passed successfully all the internal and external audits performed to maintain
the accreditation. IDR/UPM anemometer calibration facilities have been completely designed,
built and commissioned by the IDR itself, at the stringent and rigorous standards established by
MEASNET.
The MEASNET organization has been supported and partially financed in the past by the
European Union, by means of the JOULE II projects “European Wind Turbine Standards
(EWTS)”. One of the main results of the MEASNET activities is that the harmonization obtained
across Europe in this field thanks to its coordination role has strongly facilitated and supported
the free trade of products related to the wind energy market. For instance, the mutual acceptance
of the wind measurements among the institutions of several countries is of the upmost
importance, in several applications, and it is crucial to establish the wind turbine efficiency and
the wind energy resource of potential sites for wind turbine farms. In addition to the wind energy
field, there is a general need of this kind of calibrations in the industry (industrial ventilation,
mining, food industry, noise control, etc.) although it’s in the wind energy field where the most
important demand comes from. In fact, in Europe the demand for calibration is experiencing an
explosive growth in the last years. To give an idea of the calibration activity along these last
years, IDR/UPM is performing nearly 2.000 calibrations a year.
IDR/UPM is also involved in international Round Robin inter-comparison exercises, to check the
quality of its calibrations both with MEASNET members and other calibration institutes. In
order to develop activities leading to increase the quality of the calibrations, and to introduce the
use of new anemometers (like ultrasonic anemometers), IDR/UPM has also collaborated with
other European institutes in the frame of the VI European Frame Program project
“ACCUWIND”. Currently IDR/UPM is also the headquarters of the technical secretariat of the
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 11
network MEASNET.
Besides the anemometer calibration activities, there are another two research lines under
development. These are:
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 12
Characterization of winds over complex terrains
In the field of wind energy IDR/UPM is working on the characterization of extreme winds over
complex terrains, wind turbine wakes, aeroelastic phenomena in wind turbines, modelling of
sonic anemometers for wind energy applications and on the behaviour of cup anemometers, both
static and dynamic.
The characterization of winds over complex terrains is being developed under the project
WAUDIT (Wind Resource Assessment and Audit Standardization) whose aim is the training of
researchers in the field of wind resource assessment. This project involves 13 European
institutions and 17 R&D centres, the budget being of 4 million euros for four years. Within this
project IDR/UPM is responsible of two of the 18 doctoral theses to be developed under the
project, one of these concerns the application of LIDAR technology to in situ measurements of
wind velocities in complex terrains, and the second is related to the atmospheric boundary layer
simulation in wind. For this work, the new IDR/UPM wind tunnel located at Montegancedo
campus, ACLA 16 is being used. The wind tunnel activities are carried out in cooperation with
the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Brussels). The project WAUDIT is within the
frame of the MARIE CURIE actions of the 7th European Research Programme.
Ultrasonic anemometry
Another line of research of IDR/UPM is related to ultrasonic anemometry (research in this field
began in 1996). Currently, there is a project under development, funded by Spanish
administration, Anemometría Ultrasónica Móvil (AUM) whose two main objectives are:
● Extending the already developed theoretical model of the measurement process of an
ultrasonic anemometer mounted on a mobile platform to the general situation in which both wind
speed, and translation and rotation speeds of the sonic path are time-dependent.
● To validate the existing theoretical model through wind tunnel tests under controlled
conditions.
The main significance of the results of this project is that the generated model will incorporate
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 13
new features of the kinematic of the mobile platform where the anemometer is mounted (linear
and angular speeds), which can be used to correct instantaneous speed measurements, averaged
parameters and spectral characteristics. In this way it will be possible to correct the spectral
density functions of the atmospheric flow measurements, taking into account the effects of the
spectral characteristics of the platform motion. This project started in early 2010 and will finish
by the end of 2012.
Cup anemometers calibration
As already said, IDR/UPM is one of the nine reference laboratories for cup anemometer
calibration according to MEASNET Standards. Because of that, more than 2000 anemometers
per year are calibrated at IDR/UPM facilities. Available experimental facilities are the S4 wind
tunnel, located at Moncloa campus, plus other two new calibration wind tunnels, similar to the
S4 one, which are located at Montegancedo campus (the development of these new wind tunnels
is now in the commissioning phase).
5.3. Experimental aerodynamics
As a consequence of the use of new technologies both in architecture and in civil engineering,
modern buildings are now more prone to suffer from to wind actions than those designed in the
past. The use of light materials in roofs and the use of large glazed façades are examples where
the inclusion of new elements in the building process has produced new final products which are
more sensitive to wind damage. The same happens in the case of light and flexible structures, tall
buildings included, which can be subjected to aeroelastic instabilities that could affect their
structural integrity.
Within this frame of wind related problems, it is of paramount importance to have the skills to
prevent wind damage. If the body under consideration is of relatively simple shape, the rules,
methods and recommendations included in the wind codes of practice will be enough to estimate
the wind loads over the body. If due to its aeroelastic properties or to its non-standard shape the
body is far from the ones that can be found in the codes of practice, then the only way to safely
estimate the wind loads is by testing appropriated scale models in wind tunnel facilities. No
streamlined bodies are characterized by detached boundary layers and wide wakes behind them,
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 14
so that nor analytical neither numerical approaches are valid to obtain an accurate estimation of
the wind loads.
Eventually, IDR/UPM is in fact the wind tunnel test laboratory of reference in Spain, since
IDR/UPM wind tunnel facilities practically cover all the needs of national companies.
There are ten wind tunnel facilities at IDR/UPM covering a wide spectrum of sizes and wind
flow conditions, the largest wind tunnel, ACLA 16, has a test chamber 20 m long, its cross-
section being 2.2 m wide and 2.2 m height (this large wind tunnel is used to simulate
atmospheric boundary layer). Besides, IDR/UPM has developed other wind tunnel for other
universities either in Spain and Latin-America.
Most of the wind tests performed at IDR/UPM can be classified in the categories listed in the
following table.
Experience of IDR/UPM concerning wind tunnel tests in the last four years
Test type Number Model
Static & aeroelastic 6 Bridge sectional model (Spain)
Static 5 Bridge sectional model (Spain, Rumania, Mexico)
Pressure measurements 12 Tall buildings (Spain, Rumania, Alger)
Pressure measurements 12 Low buildings (Spain, U.K.)
Pressure measurements 2 Solar collectors
Pressure and net force
measurements
3 Trains, airships and other bluff bodies (Spain)
Pressure measurements 3 Wind Farms
Pedestrian comfort 3 Buildings
Concerning high-speed trains and railway infrastructures, IDR/UPM is working under contracts
for Talgo and ADIF, the activities being developed or under development are: wind tunnel tests
of high-speed trains and the effects of high-speed trains on infrastructures, mainly on ballast (a
special wind tunnel for this project has been developed).
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 15
There is another research line related to train protection systems against cross wind (supported
by Spanish administration, Cedex), whose aim is to characterize the impact of wind barriers on
trains and on the railway infrastructure. Aerodynamic loads on train vehicles under cross-winds
are driven by shapes of both the vehicles and of the surroundings; these loads due to cross-winds
are of paramount importance in the lateral equilibrium of the vehicle, in such a way that if the
cross-wind speed becomes larger than a threshold value overturning of the vehicle can take
place. The overturning risk increases when trains pass by exposed locations such as bridges or
embankments.
Winds, however, can cause other significant difficulties for the operation of a railway system, in
addition to those relating to vehicle stability. The system responsible for carrying the electric
supply required for train traction (railway overhead or catenary) has been particularly vulnerable
to wind-related problems. Under the effect of cross-winds, large amplitude oscillations due to
cable galloping of railway overheads have led to the delay and cancellation of train transits.
From this point of view, determination of turbulence intensity at the catenary contact wire plays
a crucial role in the evaluation of galloping phenomenon.
A way to decrease the wind loads acting on a vehicle under cross-winds is using fences (either
solid or porous). Windbreaks have been and still are extensively studied because of their use in
agriculture, wind-erosion control and in traffic safety and comfort, amongst other applications.
The effects of parapets on the aerodynamic loads (lateral force and rolling moment) acting on a
typical high-speed train vehicle on a double-track bridge deck equipped with different types of
parapets have been experimentally analyzed at IDR/UPM. Provided the parapet height is large
enough, experimental results show that a very drastic reduction of the wind load coefficients can
be obtained, and that the addition of eaves to the parapets improves the shielding effectiveness of
the wind barriers.
The flow around a bridge deck is driven by boundary layer separation, forming a wide wake
downstream the bridge. If there is a parapet on the bridge, the wake can reach the catenary,
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 16
therefore increasing the turbulence intensity at the catenary contact wires. One of the goals of the
project is to determine the increment of turbulence intensity level at both windward and leeward
catenary contact wires under the influence of several windbreak parapets.
Within this project, as already stated, an agreement has been reached with Adif to study the
effect of parapets on catenary wires under real conditions. In this frame Adif provides a 1.2 km
long bridge (the deck is 80 m high), a catenary line specially devoted to this project and two
reconfigurable wind barriers (designed by IDR/UPM personnel). IDR/UPM provides the
instrumentation needed for wind and atmospheric measurements, as well as the instrumentation
needed to measure the dynamic response of both catenary wires and the bridge deck itself.
Envisaged measurement period will be of at least 2 years, although it is also expected to extend
the period of measurements. Interestingly, a similar experimental facility to the one used in the
bridge is currently being designed for embankments.
6. Human resources
The IDR/UPM team involves more than thirty people (doctors, engineers, graduates and
technical staff), and a variable number of collaborators whose number depends on the needs of
different programs. It is noteworthy that in the last two years the number of granted postgraduate
students has increased substantially. The current members of IDR/UPM are listed in the
following table:
IDR/UPM staff (September 2010)
Catedráticos de Universidad Personal de administración y servicios
José Meseguer Ruiz Patricia Pérez Troyano
Ángel Sanz Andrés Personal técnico contratado
Pablo García Fogeda Encarnación Meseguer Ruiz
Isidoro Martínez Herranz Alejandro Borja Martínez Muelas
José Luis Montañés García Enrique Vega Ramiro
Ignacio Parra Fabián Fermín Navarro Medina
Pablo Rodríguez de Francisco Personal laboral contratado
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 17
Rafael Sanjurjo Navarro Luis García Díez
Pascual Tarín Remohí Carlos Pascual Alonso
Profesores Titulares de Universidad Lucía Poza Aláez
Álvaro Cuerva Tejero Personal en formación
Oscar López García Tee Seong Yeow
Santiago Pindado Carrión María Andrea Routolo
Isabel Pérez-Grande Fatheme Aminzadeh
Gustavo Alonso Rodrígo Assal Farrahi
Sebastián Franchini Sergio Ávila Sánchez
Antonio Barrero Gil Ali Ravanbakhsh
Nikolai Bezdenejnykh Felix Sorribes Palmer
Profesor Contratado (I3) Shakil Ahmed
José Gaite Cuesta Germán Fernández Rico
Profesor Titular de Escuela Universitaria
Javier Pérez
Concerning personnel, it is expected that in the period 2011-2014 at least three of the current
PhD students become full members of IDR/UPM as teachers of the UPM. It is also foreseen to
keep the number of postgraduate students, or even increase the number of them (currently the
main limitation is that there is not enough room for more people at IDR/UPM office in Moncloa
campus).
7. Dissemination activities
IDR/UPM is strongly involved in the dissemination of the activities preformed in the Institute,
and it is the policy of the Institute to transfer to society the knowledge by publishing in open
literature. As an example, in the next table the publications produced in the past four years are
summarized (classified as papers in scientific journals included in JCR, conference papers,
papers in other scientific journals and books).
To quantify the dissemination activity two indexes have been defined, one is defined as IJCR =
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 18
NJCR/N where NJCR is the number of publications in indexed JCR journals and N is the number of
all teachers belonging to IDR/UPM. The second index is defined as ID = ND / N, where ND is the
total number of publications in scientific journals, JCR indexed or not, plus conference papers.
Numbers of papers of IDR/UPM (2006-2009)
Year JCR journals IJCR Other journals Congress ID Books
2006 10 0.56 0 5 0.83 0
2007 7 0.39 13 15 2.06 2
2008 5 0.28 4 5 0.83 1
2009 9 0.50 5 6 1.17 1
One of IDR/UPM strategic objectives for the next period is to increase the dissemination of
scientific activities at both international and national levels. To achieve this objective, several
actions have been undertaken, the main one being to increase the number of doctoral grants, thus
increasing the capacity to face new projects within the research lines of the Institute. For the
period 2011-2014 a rate of at least two thesis dissertations per year is foreseen, and each of them
will give rise to several publications in JCR journal. Additionally, a large effort is made to
publish the results of the different research projects in the open literature. As a result of these
actions, it is foreseen that by the end of the period 2011-2014 both indexes, IJCR and ID, will
increase significantly.
8. Strategy for the protection of research results (patents)
It is the policy of IDR/UPM to publish, whenever possible, the research results in the open
literature. Therefore, there is not within the strategic plan any provision to implement procedures
to protect results through patents in a systematic way. However, several patents related to wind
tunnel measuring techniques and procedures are envisaged.
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 19
9. Internationalization
Currently IDR/UPM has a strong international presence, mainly through its relations with the
European Space Agency and related consortia, European Academy of Wind Energy (EAWE) or
MEASNET European network. As above stated IDR/UPM is integrated into different consortia,
either in projects funded by the European Union, as ACCUWIND (Accurate Wind
Measurements in Wind Energy) and MARIE CURIE (WAUDIT project), or space exploration
projects under the ESA umbrella.
In addition, IDR/UPM collaborates with scientific institutions of Brazil, Argentina (Universidad
Nacional de La Plata), and Denmark (Denmark Technical University, Risø). It must be
underlined that there is a close collaboration with the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
in Belgium under WAUDIT project. In space activities, IDR/UPM is part of the European
consortia responsible for two new spacecraft borne instrument devoted to Sun exploration.
With regard to internationalization it is important to point out that also in educational aspects
IDR/UPM has a strong international presence; six of the postgraduate students currently
developing doctoral thesis at IDR/UPM are foreigners: three Iranians, one Malay, one Indian and
one Argentinian.
For the next future, it is envisaged to improve the existing international relationships, and the
offer of postgraduate grants for foreigners as well.
10. Testing facilities
IDR/UPM has ten wind tunnels of different sizes and characteristics, two of them, the A9 and the
ACLA 16, are mainly used for wind tunnel testing under contracts with companies.
A9 wind tunnel is a low velocity wind tunnel. The test section of the A9 wind tunnel is 1.5 m
wide and 1.8 m high. The maximum wind velocity of the stream at the test section of the wind
tunnel is about 25 m/s. Atmospheric boundary layers cannot be simulated in this wind tunnel.
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 20
The ACLA16 wind tunnel is also an open fluid circuit (type Eiffel), the test chamber is 20 m in
length (in order to allow the simulation of atmospheric boundary layers ) and the working section
is 2.2 m by 2.2 m. In this tunnel the maximum speed in the test chamber is about 30 m/s.
Besides, there are three almost identical wind tunnels for calibration of anemometers. One of
them at Moncloa campus, S4, and the other two at Montegancedo campus, with closed test 1.5 m
length, and a square cross section 0.9 m wide. The wind tunnel located at Moncloa campus is
included in the accreditation of IDR/UPM as calibration laboratory according to the ISO/IEC
17025 Standard issued by the Spanish Accreditation Agency (ENAC). As above mentioned, the
other two tunnels are new and are currently in the commissioning phase before use them for cup
anemometer calibration.
There is also a facility for dynamic stall studies; such facility is an open circuit wind tunnel, 12
m in length, with a closed test chamber, 3.6 m long, whose cross-section is 0.5 m wide and 2.5 m
height. The maximum air speed at the test chamber is close to 35 m/s. Turbulence intensity at the
test section can be modified by changing the grids placed at the contraction entrance, by
changing the grid porosity, or generation of gusts are possible by adding some specific devices
like turning vanes at the entrance of the test chamber.
Test concerning the effects of lateral winds on trains are performed in an open-circuit wind
tunnel with a working section 1.8 m high, 0.2 m wide and 1.8 m long.
A gust wind tunnel, under support of Talgo, has been developed to test the effect of wind
produced by passing high speed trains on the ballast lying on the tracks.
In addition, there are other three small wind tunnels that have been designed for specific
applications. No more wind testing facilities are foreseen (although some investment to improve
instrumentation is envisaged), mainly because the interest in new facilities is now focused on
spacecraft development, where a thermal and vacuum laboratory are under design.
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 21
11. Educational activities
As already mentioned, IDR/UPM is actively involved in postgraduate education. IDR/UPM
members participate in teaching activities within postgraduate program of the E.T.S.I.
Aeronáuticos, either in master studies or in doctorate (because of an internal agreement, all the
Departments of E.T.S.I.A., IDR/UPN included, participate in a unique postgraduate program).
Besides, in the second semester of 2010-2011 academic year, IDR/UPM will offer a 10 ECTS
postgraduate course in Aerospace Technology. This course will be developed through project-
based learning methodology, by using the parallel activities related to the design, manufacture,
integration and testing of the UPM-Sat 2 satellite. In addition, this course will be the seed of an
official program of Master in Aerospace Technology, that IDR/UPM aims to offer in a near
future, probably in 2012-2013. It is expected that such a Master course becomes a reference in
the space sector, both national and European level. This course, using the same project-based
learning methodology, is being supported by the Spanish space sector (both administration and
industries).
12. Collaboration with industries
IDR/UPM has a wide experience in providing technical services to industries. Amongst these
services it must be mentioned the calibration of cup anemometers and wind-tunnel tests.
Concerning cup anemometer calibration, the target for the period 2011-2014 is to continue this
activity, improving the capacity of calibration with the two new wind tunnels, and reducing
delivery time for calibrations. It is expected that these new wind tunnels become operational
during 2011.
As abovementioned, IDR/UPM is a reference laboratory in the field of wind tunnel testing,
having performed more than one hundred tests in the last ten years (a list of the tests performed
can be found in www.idr.upm.es). For the period 2011-2014 the new ACLA-16 wind tunnel will
be fully operative, which will allow for the testing of larger scale models embodied in simulated
IDR/UPM. Strategic Plan 2010-2014 22
atmospheric boundary layer.
It must be underlined that, because of its experience, IDR/UPM usually collaborates with
companies in engineering problems related to aerodynamics and aerospace technology. It is
assumed that this activity will continue in the future, under contacts with companies (architecture
and civil engineering, wind energy, space industry, etc.)..
13. Institute structure and organization
According to the regulations of application to all the Institutes of the UPM, IDR/UPM has a
director, a secretary and a steering board. Concerning the organization of research activities,
there is not a rigid structure, but a very elastic one which is continuously changed to adapt it to
the projects to be accomplished. It is the policy of the Institute to promote the exchange of
knowledge between different activities, and because of that, researchers are usually involved in
more than one project.
In order to disseminate the information within the IDR/UPM members, there is a weekly briefing
meeting where the status of the different projects is reported and the main issued are discussed.
Every two months a lunch is organized which all the IDR/UPM personnel are invited to. The aim
is to merge together in a relaxed frame people with different responsibilities and different
academic formation (team building).