The objective of this project is to create a subscale supersonic wind tunnel design that Johns Hopkins APL can use to build their own wind tunnel.
Sponsored by: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Team Members
Pranav Gupta John Hay Abbigail Altland Lucas Snyder Madeline Infante Brandon Zou
Instructor: Tahira Reid Smith
Project Poster
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Project Video
Project Summary
Overview
Ground testing is necessary for evaluating the performance of the thermal protection system on supersonic vehicles. These vehicles are subjected to extreme environments, which need to be replicated for material testing. These tests are performed in large-scale testing facilities that are expensive to construct and operate. However, large test sections are not required for material testing. A subscale supersonic wind tunnel is an important component of a facility that will allow for faster and cheaper testing of the materials used in supersonic vehicles. Our team is tasked with designing two subscale supersonic wind tunnel facilities. One with our capstone budget (low-fidelity design) and one with a hypothetical unlimited budget (high-fidelity design).
Objectives
-Create a low-fidelity prototype that is able to achieve speeds of over Mach 1 in the test section in simulations
-Verify low-fidelity prototype design experimentally to show that simulations are accurate and results are able to be achieved experimentally
-Create a high-fidelity prototype that is able to achieve between Mach 2-3 on a 1 inch square testing area in simulations
Approach
-Used high Mach number flow equations to calculate the geometry needed for the low-fidelity prototype and created a design in SolidWorks based on that geometry
-3D printed design using standard PLA plastic and iterated on the design a few times to end on a final design that is able to be tested in the ME Knowledge Lab
-Verify simulation results with experimental results obtained at the Knowledge Lab and show that the results are within tolerance
-Create a high-fidelity design based on the geometry from the low-fidelity design and iterate the design until the goal of around Mach 3 over the test piece is achieved
Outcomes
-Low-fidelity prototype that is able to use 160 psi air to generate air flow over a test section at Mach 1.12
-High-fidelity CAD model that is able to achieve Mach 2.95 air flow over a test section in SolidWorks CFD simulations
-Budgeted components and clear design so that anyone can use our findings and build their own subscale supersonic wind tunnel and achieve air flow of around Mach 2.95 in a test section