AeroRocket Subsonic and
Supersonic Wind Tunnels
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LOW SUBSONIC WIND TUNNEL
The AeroRocket subsonic wind tunnel is a suction system powered by a two speed 1/3 horsepower fan. The test section is 7 inches wide x 10 inches high x 16 inches long. The basic subsonic wind tunnel design is by Donald D. Baals of NASA and was fabricated and redesigned by John Cipolla. A research quality pitot tube is used to measure the difference between static pressure and dynamic pressure in the wind tunnel. An analog velocity meter is used to convert the resulting pressure differential between the static and dynamic pressure to determine test section flow velocity in feet per minute. The insertion of aluminum honeycomb material before and after the test section resulted in a significant increase in measurement accuracy for drag and lift coefficients by decreasing flow turbulence by several orders of magnitude.

Basic Features
Velocity: 35 to 80 ft/sec with a test item installed
Reynolds Number: Laminar and turbulent flow with trip wires
Test Section: 7 inches wide X 10 inches high X 16 inches long
Drag (CD) and lift (CL) using 2-component force balance system
Unique wind tunnel model fabrication skills

Subsonic wind tunnel drag and lift measurement system

Subsonic wind tunnel model of the HTV-3X

SUBSONIC AND SUPERSONIC
BLOWDOWN WIND TUNNELS

1-1/4 X 1/4 Inch (2D) Subsonic Blowdown Wind Tunnel

Mach 0.66 subsonic wind tunnel test of a 9.5 degree wedge
Click to see 6.5 MB QuickTime movie

1 Inch Diameter Supersonic Blow Down Wind Tunnel

Mach 1.6 Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SSWT) test of the HTV-3X
Click to see 5 MB QuickTime movie

HTV-3X model tested in the SSWT