12 Fan Wall of Wind
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“Wall of Wind” (WoW) facility at
Florida International University (FIU)
The “Wall of Wind” (WoW) facility at Florida International University (FIU) has made a significant impact on hurricane mitigation through extensive research, education and outreach activities conducted by the wind engineering team of FIU International Hurricane Research Center and Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The development of the Wall of Wind has been completed in stages, an incremental strategy that has enabled FIU researchers to gain experience in the development, testing, and operation of the facility, and helped reduce cost. The 12-fan Wall of Wind, comprising of twelve electric fan-motor units controlled by two variable frequency drives (VFDs), can generate sustained wind speed up to 70 m/s (157 mph) (the highest classification in the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, Category 5, is reserved for storms with winds exceeding 155 mph (69 m/s)). Construction and commissioning of the 12-fan Wall of Wind have been completed.