Hypersonic Tunnel

31.
1
Hypersonic
Test
Facilities:
Hypersonic flow is a flow for which speeds are much larger than the local speed of
sound. In general hypersonic flow is defined as the flow at Mach 5 or greater at which
physical properties of the flow changes rapidly. A test facility designed or considered for
hypersonic testing should simulate the typical flow features of this flow regime. These
flow features include thin shock layer, entropy layer, viscous interaction and most
importantly high total or stagnation temperature of the flow. This section deals with
most common facilities for hypersonic testing.
31.2 Continuous Hypersonic Wind Tunnel
Continuous hypersonic wind tunnel is comprised of a compressor, heater, nozzle, test
section, diffuser, second throat and vacuum chamber as major components. Schematic
of such tunnel is as shown in Fig.31.1. During the experimental testing, continuous
operation can be achieved by providing continuously operating compressors. Such high
pressure air is then heated in the heater so as to reach the desired stagnation
temperature. Valve is then operated if sufficient low pressure is attained in the vacuum
chamber. Expansion of the air through the convergent divergent nozzle sets the
hypersonic flow in the test section. Onwards deceleration of the flow through the second
throat ensures the low speed air at the compressor inlet.
1. Heater 2.Valve 3.First Throat 4.Test section 5.Diffuser 6.Second throat 7.Valve
8.Vacuum Chamber 9.Vacuum pump 10. Multistage compressor
Fig. 31.1: Schematic diagram of continuous hypersonic wind tunnel circuit
31.2.1
Heaters
Condensation free hypersonic expansion of air requires high stagnation temperatures as
per the Mach number attained in the test section. In the conventional hypersonic
tunnels different types of heater are used to provide the appropriate temperature. The
combustion, the electric resistance and the arc-jet type heaters are suitable for
continuous or long duration operation. Industrial heaters where air is heated using
combustion products are generally preferred up to Mach 8. Resistance wire electric
heaters are used to provide for Mach numbers up to 12 to 14. Ceramic materials or
special alloys provide support for the heating elements in this heater. Nitrogen is used
as the working fluid for high stagnation conditions with direct electric resistance heating
because of serious oxidation rates. Direct electric arc heating of the working fluid is
used in arc-jet heaters. The moderate stagnation temperatures (<5500 K) for nitrogen
freestream are obtained with such type of heaters.
31.2.2 Hypersonic Nozzles
Convergent divergent axi-symmetric nozzles are generally preferred in the hypersonic
tunnels. These nozzles expand the high pressure and high temperature air to the
desired Mach number in the test section. These nozzles can also be equipped contour to
ensure the uniformity of the flow in the test section. The throat of the nozzle needs to
be water-cooled for continuous and also for blow-down hypersonic tunnels operating at
high stagnation temperatures or high enthalpy conditions. Frequent change of the
throat is also encountered for such high enthalpy operations. Beryllium-copper is often
used for the throat liners material to provide strength with high heat conductivity. In an
alternative design, the throat liner, made of titanium, zirconium and molybdenum alloy,
is cooled by working gas (air or nitrogen) before its entry in to the heater.
31.2.3
Hypersonic
Diffuser
Typical hypersonic tunnel diffuser is comprised of fixed contraction followed by a
constant area diffuser duct. This contraction reduces the flow Mach number. A complex
three dimensional shock pattern executes this Mach number reduction. These shock
waves interact with the boundary layer during the process. This region is followed by a
subsonic flow where deceleration takes place in a divergent section. Diffuser design is
very important for the continuous closed circuit wind tunnels due to its dependence on
compressor characteristics and drive power. However the design of diffuser for the
impulse type facilities is carried out mainly to evaluate the useful test time.
31.3 Blow-down Hypersonic Wind Tunnel
Power requirement of a wind tunnel is directly proportional with the square of the
required velocity in the test section. Hence installation of a continuous closed circuit
wind tunnel remains a costly affair. In view of this, impulsive experimental facilities like
blow-down wind tunnels are designed and installed to simulate the hypersonic flow. This
wind tunnel is comprised of major components viz. multi-stage compressor, dryer,
heater, settling chamber, nozzle, test section, diffuser and vacuum tank. Schematic of
the typical blow-down type wind tunnel is as shown in Fig. 31.2. During the operation
of the tunnel, air or nitrogen is initially compressed to high pressure using the
multistage compressor as per the stagnation pressure requirement. This high pressure
fluid is then dried in the dryer to remove the moisture content of the same before it is
stored in large tanks. Storage or regenerative type heaters have been developed for
application in case of such intermittent or blow-down tunnels. These heaters are
essentially insulated pressure vessels. Use of such heaters makes it possible to increase
the temperature of the high pressure air but with lower power requirement. The pebbles
used in the heaters are mostly refractory ceramic pebbles or cored bricks which are
heated using electrical resistance elements or by products of combustion. This high
pressure fluid is allowed to pass over a large bed of ceramic pebbles during the
experiment. A typical experiment starts after the throttling valve opening due to which
the high pressure air passes through the heater and onwards towards to the test
section. In some cases a settling chamber is built to provide the high pressure and high
temperature reservoir before its expansion in the nozzle. Expansion of the gas in the
nozzle attains the required hypersonic freestream conditions in the nozzle. Higher
temperature values of the flow in the test section are preferred to prevent the
liquefaction of the air as it expands to very low temperatures in the nozzle.
1. Multistage compressor 2.Dryer 3.High pressure air storage 4.Gas inlet 5. Refractory
pebbles 6.Start valve 7.Nozzle with throat cooling apparatus 8.Test section 9.Diffuser
second throat 10.Valve 11.Vacuum Chamber 12. Vacuum pump
Fig. 31.2: Schematic drawing of the blow-down hypersonic wind tunnel circuit

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