4.3 Typical Transonic Wind Tunnels
107
Fig. 4.12 Test section of the ONERA S3Ch transonic wind tunnel with a model of a wing portion
of an A340 powered by TPS. The model is mounted on the sidewall with adaptive bottom walls
(© ONERA)
4.3.3 Transonic-Supersonic Wind Tunnel
The S2MA at ONERA, Modane-Avrieux is a wind tunnel with the capability of
operating up to Mach 3 with a range covering 0.3–3.1. The tunnel is of a continuous
and return type and it is operated by a compressor driven by water turbines that
generates a power of 55 MW, similar to the driving system adopted for the S1MA
wind tunnel (see Fig. 4.13).
In subsonic-transonic configuration, the test section has a rectangular cross
section 1.77 m high and 1.75 m wide, the upper and lower walls being perforated. In
supersonic configuration, the test section has a rectangular cross section of 1.95 m
high and 1.75 m wide. As shown in Fig. 4.14, the supersonic nozzle has an asymmetric contour; the movable bottom wall can be translated to change the height of
the throat and the geometry of the diverging section so as to achieve a continuous
Mach number variation from 1.5 to 3.1. The contour is calculated to ensure a Mach
number nearly uniform in the test section for each position of the movable wall.
The total pressure can vary between 0.25 and 2.5 bar during transonic operation,
and between 0.25 and 1.75 bar in the supersonic configuration with the stagnation
temperature below 313 K. Figure 4.15 shows the operation range of the wind tunnel
in terms of both Mach number and Reynolds number. It is important to note that here
the experiments can be conducted at conditions close to cruise conditions of regional
jets.
107
Fig. 4.12 Test section of the ONERA S3Ch transonic wind tunnel with a model of a wing portion
of an A340 powered by TPS. The model is mounted on the sidewall with adaptive bottom walls
(© ONERA)
4.3.3 Transonic-Supersonic Wind Tunnel
The S2MA at ONERA, Modane-Avrieux is a wind tunnel with the capability of
operating up to Mach 3 with a range covering 0.3–3.1. The tunnel is of a continuous
and return type and it is operated by a compressor driven by water turbines that
generates a power of 55 MW, similar to the driving system adopted for the S1MA
wind tunnel (see Fig. 4.13).
In subsonic-transonic configuration, the test section has a rectangular cross
section 1.77 m high and 1.75 m wide, the upper and lower walls being perforated. In
supersonic configuration, the test section has a rectangular cross section of 1.95 m
high and 1.75 m wide. As shown in Fig. 4.14, the supersonic nozzle has an asymmetric contour; the movable bottom wall can be translated to change the height of
the throat and the geometry of the diverging section so as to achieve a continuous
Mach number variation from 1.5 to 3.1. The contour is calculated to ensure a Mach
number nearly uniform in the test section for each position of the movable wall.
The total pressure can vary between 0.25 and 2.5 bar during transonic operation,
and between 0.25 and 1.75 bar in the supersonic configuration with the stagnation
temperature below 313 K. Figure 4.15 shows the operation range of the wind tunnel
in terms of both Mach number and Reynolds number. It is important to note that here
the experiments can be conducted at conditions close to cruise conditions of regional
jets.