Abstract
This paper presents the development, operation and testing of a modular small sizes original stand, its main modules made of plastics, intended for tests on blades and rotors in the structure of experimental models of hydraulic turbines. The stand includes a water tunnel consisting of demountable and sealed sections of which the majority, of various shapes and sizes, are made of composite material type fiberglass reinforced polyester, FRP, and one of them, rectangular cross-section, is made of transparent and resilient Plexiglass. Through the shapes of sections, quality of interior surfaces and quality of plastics used, the water tunnel allows creating in its transparent section a forced, permanent and continuous circulation of water, of adjustable speed in the range 0.05 ... 1.1m/s. The results of tests conducted on an experimental model of water turbine by use of this stand demonstrate the economic and technical advantages of using plastics in building these types of testing tools.
Keywords: composite material; transparent Plexiglass; water tunnel