S4A

Blow down hypersonic wind tunnel with axisymetric nozzles, Mach 6 to Mach > 10

 


S4MA hypersonic wind tunnel - general overview

The Modane S4A wind tunnel produces an airflow at a maximum stagnation pressure of 120 bar and a maximum stagnation temperature of 1600 K.

Run duration up to 90 seconds (with 8000 m3 vacuum downstream tank at 20 mbar).

  • Compressed air: 270 bar, 109 m3 upstream storage tanks, repressurized by a 5.7 kg/s mass airflow compressor.
  • Vacuum: 20 mbar minimum pressure, 4000 or 8000 m3 storage tanks.

Instrumentation and measurement methods

S4A - Global overview of the facility
S4A - Global overview
  • Data acquisition system with 48 to 72 analog channels, and possible extension up to 120 channels by adding simplified channels for thermal measurements.
  • Steady measurement.
  • Unsteady measurement rate up to 30 kHz per channel.
  • Pressure measurement by individual transducers or PSI® electro-pressure scanner: rate can reach 1,472 mean values every 10 seconds (the average value is calculated from a sample of 127 results per channel).
  • Temperature measurement by thermocouples or infrared thermography.
  • Force measurement by ONERA 6-components balances; numerous balances available and new ones manufactured on request; hinge moment measurement by appropriate balances.
  • Flow visualization by steady or spark shadowgraph (800 mm field diameter), colored oils, infrared.
  • Portable data acquisition and processing system designed to support off-line model preparation.

Test sections

Mach 6 6,8 10 M > 10
Outlet diameter (mm) 900 900 990 990
Throat diameter (mm) 114 84 37 --
Maximum Reynolds number (L=1m) 20.106 15.106 8.106 2,5.106
Maximum stagnation pressure (bar) 30 53 140 115
Maximum stagnation temperature (K) 700 680 1600 1600

Typical tests

Space shuttle test in S4A
Space shuttle test

Technical documentation

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