Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (Arnold AFB, TN)
| Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit | |
|---|---|
FaCET Test in the APTU
|
|
| Country | United States |
| Branch | US Air Force |
| Role | Test Facility |
| Nickname(s) | APTU |
AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) is a blowdown hypersonic wind tunnel driven by a combustion air heater (CAH).[1] The facility is owned by the United States Air Force and operated by Aerospace Testing Alliance.
History
The AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit started out as a vitiated air heater (VAH) conducting over 275 experiments for the development of many different aerodynamic and aerothermal systems. Upgrades to the facility started in 2002 in order to provide ground-test capability for supersonic and hypersonic systems up to flight speeds of Mach 8.[citation needed]
Capabilities
The facility was designed to provide ground based simulations of supersonic and hypersonic flight conditions. The combustion air heater can provide total pressures from 200 psia to 2,800 psia (13.6 atm to 190.5 atm) and a total temperatures from 1,200°R to 4,700°R (667 K to 2,611 K). Five nozzles ranging from Mach 3.2 to Mach 7.1 are currently available.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.arnold.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123160209
- ↑ http://www.arnold.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-080625-010.pdf
External links
- Arnold Engineering Development Center (official)
