Organization:Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit
| Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit | |
|---|---|
 FaCET Test in the APTU | |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | US Air Force |
| Role | Test Facility |
| Nickname(s) | APTU |
AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) is a blowdown hypersonic wind tunnel driven by a combustion air heater (CAH).[1] The facility is owned by the United States Air Force and operated by Aerospace Testing Alliance.
History
The AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit started out as a vitiated air heater (VAH) conducting over 275 experiments for the development of many different aerodynamic and aerothermal systems. Upgrades to the facility started in 2002 in order to provide ground-test capability for supersonic and hypersonic systems up to flight speeds of Mach 8.[citation needed]
Capabilities
The facility was designed to provide ground-based simulations of supersonic and hypersonic flight conditions. The combustion air heater can provide total pressures from 200 psia to 2,800 psia (13.6 atm to 190.5 atm) and a total temperatures from 1,200°R to 4,700°R (667 K to 2,611 K). Five nozzles ranging from Mach 3.2 to Mach 7.1 are currently available.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ "AEDC reaches major milestone with hypersonic engine testing". Archived from the original on 2010-07-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20100731022104/http://www.arnold.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123160209. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-12-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20111226032848/http://www.arnold.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-080625-010.pdf. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
External links
- Arnold Engineering Development Center (official)
 |  |
