DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF A MACH 5+ HYPERSONIC WIND TUNNEL
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Authors
Aspray, Connor J.
Subjects
hypersonics
wind tunnels
compressible flows
computational fluid dynamics
design
supersonic wind tunnel
hypersonic wind tunnel
corner vortices
wind tunnels
compressible flows
computational fluid dynamics
design
supersonic wind tunnel
hypersonic wind tunnel
corner vortices
Advisors
Hobson, Garth V.
Gannon, Anthony J.
Date of Issue
2021-06
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Hypersonics sits atop a short list of Department of Defense research priorities outlined by the 2018 National Defense Strategy. The Naval Postgraduate School is uniquely equipped to contribute to this research as the current configuration of the gas dynamics laboratory is capable, with modifications, of facilitating long-runtime, high-Mach number flows. These long runtime flows will be capable of providing data for experiments in hypersonic shock-boundary layer interaction and ram/scramjet inlet design and analysis. Accordingly, this paper develops a design modification to upgrade the current Mach 4 wind tunnel into one capable of producing uniform Mach numbers greater than 5.0 for runtimes longer than 20 minutes. In the process, a method of computational fluid dynamics was developed to assess, modify, and redesign nozzles produced by an inviscid method of characteristics design tool to account for viscous effects. The computationally designed curves were then utilized to design hardware to be later procured to build and operate the tunnel. In addition to a modified tunnel geometry, an additional heater is required to ensure that the flow does not liquefy during expansion. The size and power of this heater to achieve Mach 5.0 flows was calculated. Finally, this project provides a foundation for later work in hardware procurement and tunnel construction to make NPS one of a handful of institutions capable of conduction research in hypersonics in the United States.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE)
Organization
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NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
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Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.