China Aircraft Corporation (AVIC) has completed calibration tests of the FL-64 wind tunnel. Now it is officially possible to test hypersonic developments in it. FL-64 allows you to simulate flights at speeds from four to eight Mach at an altitude of up to 48 kilometers at temperatures up to 626.8 degrees Celsius.
Wind tunnels make it possible to determine the behavior of various aircraft layouts or their individual elements at the development stage. With the help of these installations, engineers evaluate aerodynamic noise, drag, flow, air flow adhesion and the formation of turbulent flows.
Today, most wind tunnels allow you to conduct research at a flow rate exceeding sound up to three times. But some, for example, the Chinese JF12, can create an air flow with hypersonic flow velocity for a short time.
On November 21, the Chinese Aircraft Corporation announced the completion of tests of its FL-64 wind tunnel. With this installation, it is now officially possible to test developments, including hypersonic ones.
AVIC built the FL-64 in two years, the pipe diameter is one meter. It can create a gas flow with a flow velocity exceeding the sound from four to eight times, for at least 30 seconds. The tube allows you to simulate flights at an altitude of up to 48 kilometers at temperatures up to 626.8 degrees Celsius, as well as test other capabilities of hypersonic vehicles, including the use of weapons.
The construction of another wind tunnel, JF22, is due to be completed in China next year. It will be able to simulate a maximum speed of up to 10 kilometers per second - 30 times the speed of sound — and an altitude of 40 to 100 kilometers.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
