EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES IN THE AACHEN HYPERSONIC SHOCK TUNNEL

Within the Sonderforschungsbereich 253 basic studies are performed on the hypersonic overall configuration ELAC-1 as well as on simpler detail-models. Besides the construction of the engine inlet and nozzle, theoretical and experimental studies over a Mach number range from 0 to 8 are of most interest. Since during the last five years the Aachen shock tunnel has proved suitable for generating hypersonic flows, experiments are performed at Mach numbers between 7 and 8 to evaluate pressure and heat flux distributions both around the overall configuration and simpler models. First results for the leeward side of the ELAC-1 configuration and a rearward facing step are presented. The measurement techniques play an important role, because the useful test time with nearly constant free stream properties amounts usually to a few milliseconds. Some unconventional techniques, especially for heat flux, skin friction and forces measurement are described.