Bilfinger Berger building test tunnels for the automotive industry
August 24, 2010
August 24, 2010
All the world’s climate zones under one roof: Bilfinger Berger building test tunnels for the automotive industry
In rapid succession, Bilfinger Berger Industrial Services has taken on three projects for the construction of climatic wind tunnels in the automotive industry, one of which is the world’s largest. The orders have a total volume of €175 million, of which €80 million is accounted for by Bilfinger Berger.
For the recently commissioned energy and environmental test center of the BMW Group in Munich, a consortium led by Bilfinger Berger has built the test track with five climatic wind tunnels on a turnkey basis. MCE Stahl- und Maschinenbau, a Bilfinger Berger Group company, was responsible for the entire steel construction, delivery and installation of testing components for the simulation of snow and rain, the main blower and exhaust fan as well as the transport system for test cars. A particular technical challenge was presented by the one-piece installation of the 190-ton pressure chamber for the altitude testing facility.
At the BMW test center, cars undergo intensive testing before being introduced to the market. The two environmental test chambers and three wind tunnels can realistically simulate mountainous conditions of up to 4,200 meters in altitude, speeds of up to 280 km/hr, any weather condition and all climate regions from the Arctic to the Sahara.
Bilfinger Berger is currently building a comparable facility with two wind tunnels for another major German automobile manufacturer. Other European automotive Groups have also signaled interest in such facilities. The company carried out the first project of this type in Vienna with the world's largest wind tunnel for Rail Tec Arsenal, an international, independent research and testing center for rail and road vehicles.
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