CALIBRATION OF THE HYPERVELOCITY IMPULSE TUNNEL

The Hypervelocity Impulse Tunnel (HIT) is a versatile, high- performance shock tunnel located at the Douglas Aerophysics Laboratory (DAL). This shock tunnel uses the tailored-interface and equilibrium-interface techniques to provide test durations of at least 10 milli-seconds. These test durations are sufficiently long to enable forces and pressures as well as heat transfer rates to be measured. Results of the calibration of the test section of the HIT are presented. Flow uniformity and repeatability, inviscid core size, the effects of reservoir pressure, reservoir enthalpy level, and test section axial location are discussed. Pressure and heat transfer distributions on simple bodies have been measured at nominal Mach numbers of 9 and 23, respectively. These investigations are interpreted according to appropriate aero thermodynamic theory and compared with data from other facilities.