Numerical and Experimental Study of High Enthalpy Flows in a Hypersonic Plasma Wind Tunnel: L3K

Abstract

In the present study, we describe the end-to-end model of a plasma wind tunnel. A plasma wind tunnel is an useful facility for the ground-based experiment of high enthalpy flows including hypersonic flows, because it can provides a similar flow environment which is experienced by a vehicle during hypersonic flights. For the experimental research of high enthalpy flows, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Cologne research facility has an arc heated plasma wind tunnel, L3K. The accurate prediction of flow characteristics is very important to calibrate measurement devices and choose measurement methods in a plasma wind tunnel experiment. However, it is difficult to understand the detailed flow conditions of a plasma wind tunnel, because the flow inside a plasma wind tunnel is usually in strong chemical and thermal non-equilibrium state. we numerically simulate a high enthalpy flow inside a plasma wind tunnel using a multi-temperature model and compare with the measured data using CARS method. The numerical model of a plasma wind tunnel will be useful to design a new wind tunnel and determine flow conditions at the test section of a plasma wind tunnel.