Capabilities

Shock Tunnel and Model DAQ, Pressure Transducers and Thermocouples

Data from the shock tunnel and the test model is acquired using a combination of a National Instruments DAS ('the new DAS') and a DSP Technology CAMAC crate system ('the old DAS'). Presently, the system records both data acquired from the model in the test section and diagnostic data from the shock tunnel.

Typically, a model is instrumented with up to eighty thermocouples to analyze the heat flux, sampled at 200kHz. The shock tunnel itself is instrumented with the following: an accelerometer at the launching end of the CT, two LVDT's measuring displacement of the CT and the 2R, two transducers in front of the main diaphragm to measure burst pressure, four transducers located at intervals along the ST to measure shock speed (only two are currently being used), two transducers at the end of the ST to measure reservoir pressure.

However, adaptations are made to the existing system by the research staff to meet the needs of a particular project. For example, the system used for injection on the Transition Delay in a Hypervelocity Boundary Layer using Nonequilibrium CO2 Injection project is comprised of a triggering system, appropriately allotted DAS channels and a mechanical injection system.

Flow Visualization

Currently consists of a Schlieren system

Established Run Conditions

Variation on shock tunnel input parameters throughout the duration that T5 has been operational has led to established run conditions. That is, T5 exhibits reproducible free-stream conditions. These conditions can be found here.

Computer Aided Engineering Tools

A suite of computer aided engineering tools is available to the research staff at T5 through appropriate licensing. These CAE tools aid the staff in efficiently producing an effective experiment. Some examples are solid modeling to prepare a sting for a test article (see below, image from Lawrence's thesis) and computational fluids codes to estimate the conditions in the shock tunnel, nozzle throat and nozzle exit.