6.3 Hypersonic “Hot” or Hyper-enthalpic Wind Tunnels
161
for flow diagnostics and study of ablation of thermal protection using normal high
speed or thermal imaging infra-red cameras, pyrometer and etc.
The main features of the plasma generator are the following:
– electric power of 6 MW,
– total pressure ranging from 1 to 18 bar,
– total enthalpy ranging from 4 to 14 MJ/kg (air),
– test duration of a few seconds to 30 min.
Two types of tests can be conducted:
– an axisymmetric nozzle can accelerate the flow to Mach 4.5 on models of 50 mm
diameter mounted on a mobile sting for the study of heating at the stagnation point,
– a semi-elliptical nozzle allows for Mach 5 flow to be established on flat plate
configuration of 300 mm by 300 mm which could be also set at an angle of
incidence.
The JP200 test facility combines four Huels-type heaters to achieve even higher
levels of perturbation on the models (see Fig. 6.35). The four plasma generators
are coupled and discharged in a plenum allowing mixing and settling of the four
streams. This chamber is connected to a nozzle that accelerates the flow. The nozzle
may be axisymmetric to impose a stagnation point on models, or can be also adapted
Fig. 6.35 JP200 plasma test facility of Airbus Safran Launchers (© ASL)
161
for flow diagnostics and study of ablation of thermal protection using normal high
speed or thermal imaging infra-red cameras, pyrometer and etc.
The main features of the plasma generator are the following:
– electric power of 6 MW,
– total pressure ranging from 1 to 18 bar,
– total enthalpy ranging from 4 to 14 MJ/kg (air),
– test duration of a few seconds to 30 min.
Two types of tests can be conducted:
– an axisymmetric nozzle can accelerate the flow to Mach 4.5 on models of 50 mm
diameter mounted on a mobile sting for the study of heating at the stagnation point,
– a semi-elliptical nozzle allows for Mach 5 flow to be established on flat plate
configuration of 300 mm by 300 mm which could be also set at an angle of
incidence.
The JP200 test facility combines four Huels-type heaters to achieve even higher
levels of perturbation on the models (see Fig. 6.35). The four plasma generators
are coupled and discharged in a plenum allowing mixing and settling of the four
streams. This chamber is connected to a nozzle that accelerates the flow. The nozzle
may be axisymmetric to impose a stagnation point on models, or can be also adapted
Fig. 6.35 JP200 plasma test facility of Airbus Safran Launchers (© ASL)