Polysonic Wind Tunnel (PSWT)
The PSWT supports testing aerospace components. It can generate scale model inlet and aerodynamic data in the subsonic, transonic, and supersonic regime at various altitudes. The facility serves as an integral part of new product development at Boeing. It is also used for configuration upgrades to existing Boeing product lines.
Boeing Technology Services makes this facility available to select companies when there is tunnel time available between Boeing program testing.
Recent Improvements at the Polysonic Wind tunnel facility:
Upgraded the Primary Compressor Unit:
This renovation dramatically improves our productivity and efficiency by reducing storage tank re-pressurization time, reducing operating costs, and reducing maintenance costs. The Gas Turbine Compressor alone has 2 times the pump rate of the previous compressor (30 vs. 15 lb/s).
The Gas Turbine Compressor (GTC)
The new Gas Turbine Compressor allows the PSWT to operate without incurring peak power demand charges. Automation of both compressors allows "part-time" operation by facility operators and eliminates the need for 2 full-time maintenance personnel operators.
When the GTC & Joy Compressors are operated simultaneously, the pump rate can be as high as 3 times the previous rate (45 vs. 15 lb/s). Program Runs/Running Hour can be improved by as much as 100 percent to 200 percent for some test programs.
Added Additional Cooling
- Total Capacity: 3500 g.p.m.
- Provides ample cooling capacity to operate the new compressor and existing Joy compressor simultaneously
Improved Heat Exchanger
- Turbine exhaust is used to heat 30 lb/s up to 600°F
- Provides automated controls for existing Joy Compressor
- Replaces & automates control of approximately 20 valves in the air storage and distribution system
Polysonic Wind Tunnel Operational Characteristics:
- Two 4 x 4 foot test sections, one for supersonic and one for transonic and subsonic testing
- Mach number range: 0.45 to 5.579
- Reynolds number per foot: 1.0 million to 48 million
- Test section static pressures: 0.3 psia to 30 psia
- Test section dynamic pressures: 100 psf to 7,500 psf
- Stilling chamber pressures: 10 psia to 400 psia
- Test blow duration: 10 seconds to 3 minutes
Mach Number Control
- Supersonic: flexible plate nozzle.
- Transonic: automatic control of plenum pressure.
- Subsonic: throttling flaps in diffuser.
Primary Model Support System
- Mounting: sting mounted and supported from a circular arc sector with center of rotation on tunnel CL
- Angle-of-attack: ±20° with adapters allowing up to ±57°
- Angle-of-sideslip: ±20° using combined pitch & roll
- Roll capability: ±90°
High Angle of Attack System
- Transonic: -5 to +90 degrees with ±90 degree roll control
- Supersonic: -5 to +45 degrees with ±90 degree roll control
Support System Combined Design Loads
- Normal Force = ±7,500 lb
- Axial Force = ±1,000 lb
- Side Force = ±4,000 lb
- Pitching Moment = ±25,000 in.-lb
- Yawing Moment = ±15,000 in.-lb
- Rolling Moment = ±12,000 in.-lb
Air Storage
- Compressor Characteristics
- Capacity: 53,000 cubic feet at 600 psia
- Air storage temperatures: 100° F to 275°F
- Temperature control: 100,000 lb heat mass for constant test section stagnation temperatures
- Turbine Characteristics
- Fuel: natural gas
- Nominal Speed: 11,100 rpm
- Dry Low Emissions (DLE) Combustion System
- 10,300 horse power
- Maximum Operating Temperature: ~ 1900°F
- Exhaust used to heat compressor output air to as high as 600°F
Auxiliary Air
- Capacity: 87,000 STD cubic feet at 4150 psia
- Partial air storage temperature: Ambient to 230°F
- Pressure @ Model: Up to 3000 psia depending on mass flow requirements
Model Instrumentation
- A large family of primary model balances, miniature store balances, and some specialized balances are available for almost any model application.
- Many ranges and types of conventional and ultra miniature pressure transducers are available.
- Specialized equipment including dynamic analyzers and video tape are available to sense, record, and analyze results from tests of almost any type.
Optical Instrumentation
- Pressure and Temperature Sensitive Paints for quantitative and/or qualitative results. Applications include: basic flow visualization, 2-D contour plotting, and pressure mapping onto 3-D surface grids.
- Continuous shadowgraph systems, ultra-violet and oil flow equipment.
- Full photographic and closed circuit television is available for all types of tests.
Data Acquisition Systems
- High speed: 64 analog channels, up to 500KHz per channel sample rate
- Electronic Pressure Scanning: 1024 channels, 100KHz aggregate sample rate
- Digital Distortion Analyzer: 64 channels, up to 500KHz per channel sample rate
- Flutter: analyzers, high speed video, & closed circuit. TV
Data Reduction
- Dell Precision Workstation - Dual 1.7 GHz Xeon Processors with 2.0 GB RAM.
- Windows 2000 Operating System with Mic rosoft Visual Studio
- Capability to run stand alone or with full connectivity to the Boeing wide area network.
If you would like to join the companies using the testing resources available at The Boeing Company, contact the Boeing Technology Services Marketing Manager Ms. LeAnn Diessner at 206-662-4287, request a quote online, or e-mail us for more information about our test capabilities.