6.3 Hypersonic “Hot” or Hyper-enthalpic Wind Tunnels
153
Fig. 6.23 Arc heater and test chamber of the GHIBLI wind tunnel at CIRA (© CIRA)
chamber (see Fig. 6.23). After the interaction between the flow and the model surface,
the plasma jet propagates to the diffuser and released to the atmosphere similarly to
that of the SIROCCO plasma wind tunnel mentioned above. The test chamber walls
are not cooled and have optical accesses for IR pyrometry and thermography, high
speed cameras, spectroscopy and laser beams. Ports are distributed along the test
chamber walls for the passage of pipes for pressure measurements or electric cabling
to other devices. However, non-intrusive measurement techniques are also employed
to characterise the free jet (see Fig. 6.24).
6.3.5 Continuous Plasma Wind Tunnel
The Atmospheric Off-equilibrium Plasma Wind Tunnel (PHEDRA) test facility
of the ICARE Institute (Reactive and Environmental Aero-thermal Combustion Institute at Orléans) is another plasma wind tunnel equipped with a jet-type generator. It
is a low-pressure facility (3–10 Pa) which allows a plasma flow of several kilometres
per second. The advantage of this wind tunnel is that it generates a continuous and
steady flow for several hours. The flexibility of its operation also makes it possible
to simulate atmospheric re-entries on Earth or Mars. The research carried out on
153
Fig. 6.23 Arc heater and test chamber of the GHIBLI wind tunnel at CIRA (© CIRA)
chamber (see Fig. 6.23). After the interaction between the flow and the model surface,
the plasma jet propagates to the diffuser and released to the atmosphere similarly to
that of the SIROCCO plasma wind tunnel mentioned above. The test chamber walls
are not cooled and have optical accesses for IR pyrometry and thermography, high
speed cameras, spectroscopy and laser beams. Ports are distributed along the test
chamber walls for the passage of pipes for pressure measurements or electric cabling
to other devices. However, non-intrusive measurement techniques are also employed
to characterise the free jet (see Fig. 6.24).
6.3.5 Continuous Plasma Wind Tunnel
The Atmospheric Off-equilibrium Plasma Wind Tunnel (PHEDRA) test facility
of the ICARE Institute (Reactive and Environmental Aero-thermal Combustion Institute at Orléans) is another plasma wind tunnel equipped with a jet-type generator. It
is a low-pressure facility (3–10 Pa) which allows a plasma flow of several kilometres
per second. The advantage of this wind tunnel is that it generates a continuous and
steady flow for several hours. The flexibility of its operation also makes it possible
to simulate atmospheric re-entries on Earth or Mars. The research carried out on