S4A

Blow down hypersonic wind tunnel with axisymetric nozzles, Mach 6 to Mach > 10

S4MA hypersonic wind tunnel - general overview

The Modane S4A wind tunnel produces an airflow at a maximum stagnation pressure of 120 bar and a maximum stagnation temperature of 1600 K.

Run duration up to 90 seconds (with 8000 m³ vacuum downstream tank at 20 mbar).

• Compressed air: 270 bar, 109 m³ upstream storage tanks, repressurized by a 5.7 kg/s mass airflow compressor.
• Vacuum: 20 mbar minimum pressure, 4000 or 8000 m³ storage tanks.

S4A - Global overview

• Data acquisition system with 48 to 72 analog channels, and possible extension up to 120 channels by adding simplified channels for thermal measurements.
• Steady measurement rate up to 25 Hz per channel with a 14-bit A/D converter.
• Unsteady measurement rate up to 100 kHz per channel (80 channels).
• Pressure measurement by individual transducers or PSI® electro-pressure scanner: rate can reach 1,472 mean values every 10 seconds (the average value is calculated from a sample of 127 results per channel).
• Temperature measurement by thermocouples infrared thermography, on thermo sensitive paints.
• Force measurement by ONERA 6-components balances; numerous balances available and new ones manufactured on request; hinge moment measurement by appropriate balances.
• Flow visualization by steady or spark shadowgraph (800 mm field diameter), colored oils, thermosensitive paints, infrared.
• Laser velocimetry on request.
• Portable data acquisition and processing system designed to support off-line model preparation.

Test sections