|
The 3ft x 4ft High Supersonic Speed Tunnel
This tunnel can be said to have carried on where the 8ft x 8ft Tunnel left
off, in that it covered a Mach number range from 2.5 to 5.0.or five times
the speed of sound. The electrical power required to drive the 88,000hp
compressors amounted to 66 Megawatts. Following the success of the Supersonic
Transport Aircraft [Concorde], consideration was given to the prospects
for a Mach 5 transport. The availability of the tunnel was a necessary
precursor and a dedicated team of scientists was set up to pursue a
programme of research. The work produced a theoretical methodology for the
design of a practical aircraft. The aerodynamic concept of the design was
that the aircraft rode on the shockwave generated by its nose geometry and
accordingly the name “Waverider” was coined to describe it. Other work
undertaken in the tunnel concerned military munitions and the study
of propulsion systems for hypersonic vehicles.
 |
 |
| The Working Section of the 3ft x 4ft
Tunnel |
A Waverider
Transport Aircraft Design |
|