66 inch Transonic Wind Tunnel

Channel 6 is a static (M=0) wind tunnel setup and checkout facility used prior to testing a nozzle model in the Channel 10 wind tunnel. Channel 6 consists of piping which supplies dried, heated air from a 2500 psi air storage system to a sting mounted 3-component or 5 -component flow-through force balance. This facility allows checkout of a model (exhausting to atmosphere), balance, instrumentation and data acquisition system before the sting is installed in the Channel 10 wind tunnel.

Channel 10 is a transonic wind tunnel having a 66 inch x 66 inch test section with slotted upper and lower walls.  This is an induction-type tunnel in which atmospheric air is drawn through the test section using air ejectors to reduce the downstream pressure.  The required test section Mach number is obtained by controlling the mass flow to the ejectors.  An exhaust nozzle model and a force balance system are supported in the test cell by a cantilevered tube (or sting) that projects through the contraction into the test section. Support stings with diameters of 6.25, 8, 10, and 14.5 inches are available to match the model diameter at the beginning of the slotted wall test section.  The model support tube consists of two concentric pipes with the model air (obtained from a 2500 psi storage system) being supplied to the model through the inner pipe.

Testing to determine exhaust nozzle system installed thrust-minus-drag performance, parachute decelerator testing, and high speed deployment testing of aircraft components such as ram air turbines have been conducted in the facility.
 

Test Section Size:	5.5 x 5.5 feet
Mach Number:	0 to 1.15
Reynolds Number:	4.2M @ M = 1.0
Operating Pressure:	1 atm total pressure
Operating Temp:	Nominal 100° F @ M = 1.0
Force Balances:	- (1 to 5 component)  - (1 to 3 component)  - (3 component)  - (1 component)  - (1 to 6 component)	Nozzle thrust-minus-drag Afterbody drag Sidewall mounted wing Inlet drag Floor-mounted
Torque Balance:	Spinning afterbody/propfan tests