Archive | 2019
A Preliminary Investigation into High-Enthalpy Free-Flying Model Experiments
Abstract
Due to the high cost and danger associated with both manned and unmanned flight testing, a large portion of hypersonic vehicles development has been and will be undertaken in hypersonic impulse facilities capable of re-producing in generally some limited way, the aerothermodynamic loads and aerothermodynamic behaviour seen at these velocities. The measurement of force in impulse facilities using force balances has always been complicated, this is now much easier due to image tracking techniques utilising high speed cinematography, yet they have issues due to flow radiation at higher enthalpies and have only been used in larger impulse facilities. This paper examines the use of a free flying model in a small reflected shock tunnel at UQ as a pilot experiment before it is attempted to try out this technique in the X2 expansion tube at UQ. Using 3D printed models, appreciable test model movement could be seen in the test time. Furthermore, three different models were produced to investigate how the results are affected by scaling the model. It was shown through preliminary testing that an appreciable amount of movement could be achieved in the test time, suggesting that these experimental methods could be applied to an expansion tube testing campaign utilising higher enthalpy flow conditions.