Authors:

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Bird

Date Created:

Not specified

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

The aerospace industry often relies on conventional hypersonic wind tunnels such as BAM6QT (Boeing AFOSR Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel) to evaluate high-speed interactions in a uniform, disturbance-free, and quiet flow environment. However, these tunnels have limitations for maintaining extended runs, varying test parameters, and performing rapid trials. Project partner, Auriga Space, proposes employing a novel linear acceleration system to propel test bodies through stationary air, providing benefits of reducing testing downtime, expanding pressure and temperature envelopes. To investigate the feasibility of this solution, projectile models and a tapered strut assembly were configured in SolidWorks and a series of finite element analysis (FEA) simulations were conducted with different materials. Due to the limited space that promotes acceleration within Auriga's system, prototypes were analyzed for the ability to withstand up to 30,000G of bidirectional acceleration while assessing stress, strain, and thermal loads inflicted onto the vehicle. FEA simulation results indicated ceramic alumina as the best material for the projectile and struts on Auriga's model. The ballistic model design was imported into ANSYS Fluent for quiet tunnel testing as it would take place in BAM6QT and eventually Auriga's device. The model's current assessments include assessing flow choking with CFD simulations alongside monitoring shock interactions, boundary layer behavior, and drag. These tests incorporate Auriga's requirement for 900 m/s velocity with laminar flow and include vacuum, atmospheric, and high pressure ranges. Initial results depict Auriga's linear testing approach as a promising, flexible substitute to hypersonic wind tunnels by offering more diverse testing on vehicles. Keywords: Hypersonic Wind Tunnel; BAM6QT; Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations; Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Simulations; Linear Acceleration System

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Kaitlyn Elizabeth Bird