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High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel Göttingen (HEG)

The High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel Göttingen (HEG) is one of the major European hypersonic wind tunnels and is unique in its ability to reproduce correct absolute re-entry speeds. Flow speeds up to 7 km/s can be realized.

The correct reproduction of the absolute flow speed and thus the creation of correct gas temperatures in stagnated flow regions (~ 10000K) allows for the investigation of the influence of chemical reactions on the fluid mechanics during re-entry in the earth’s atmosphere or the entry into the atmosphere of other planets.

The experimental data gathered in HEG is suited to validate DLR’s numerical flow solver and the reaction models implemented. Additionally they can be compared to flight data and allow to judge the quality of the flight data as well as the experimental data of HEG itself.

General Facts

• Location at DLR Göttingen
• Inauguration in 1991
• Operation throughout the year

Technical Data

• Free piston driven shock tunnel (Stalker-Typ)
• Total length of 62m and total mass of 260t
• Four hypersonic nozzles (Ma 6 to Ma 10)
• Two test sections and high speed H₂ supply for wind tunnel models
• Typical test gases : Air, Nitrogen and CO₂, basically no restriction for the type of gas
• High speed measurement system (50 MHz) for up to 200 channels
• Optical measurement systems for flow visualization and optical high speed tracking

Fields of Application

• Investigation of high temperature effects in entry and re-entry flows
• Investigation of hypersonic transportation systems (scramjets)
• Study of hypersonic flow at Ma 8 und Ma 10 in 20km up to 40 km altitude
• Study of hypersonic Ma 6 flow at ground level

Project Highlights

• Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator (ARD)
  “Heat flux measurements on the heat shield as post-flight campaign for validation purposes on numerical predictions and flight data”
• X-38 (TETRA)
  “Experimental study to support the development of the thermal protection system of the X-38 orbital glider (NASA), Generation of an aerothermodynamic database”
• Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV/FLPP)
  „Wind tunnel measurements in the frame of the Future Launchers Preparatory Programme of ESA to complement the aerothermodynamic database of IXV“
• SHEFEX I und SHEFEX II
  „Post-flight analysis of the SHEFEX I flight regarding detached eddies and detached flow around the flap elements, detailed pressure and surface heat flux measurements, support of the AKTIV-inflight experiment for active wall cooling on SHEFEX II“
• LAPCAT I und LAPCAT II
  „Fundamental investigations of hydrogen powered hypersonic propulsion concepts for future high-speed passenger aircrafts (Ma 8) in the frame of the EU program Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies, Experimental validation (thrust measurement) of a scramjet engine realized within LAPCAT II“
• HEXAFLY International
  „Investigation of the impact of surface imperfections such as steps and gaps on the boundary layer state of the hypersonic glide vehicle designed and flight-tested in the frame of HEXAFLY Int“

Cooperations

• California Institute of Technology (Caltech), USA
• University of Maryland, USA
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
• The University of Queensland, Australia

Literature

• Hannemann K. (2003) High enthalpy flows in the HEG shock tunnel: Experiment and numerical rebuilding. In 41st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Jan 6-9, Reno, Nevada, AIAA paper 2003-0978
• Hannemann K., Martinez Schramm J. (2007) Short-duration testing of high enthalpy, high pressure, hypersonic flows. In C. Tropea, A.L.Yarin, F. Foss (eds.) Springer Handbook of Experimental Fluid Mechanics: 1081–1125, Springer (2007)
• Hannemann K., Martinez Schramm J., Karl S. (2008) Recent extensions to the High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel Göttingen (HEG). In 2nd International ARA Days (2008)
• Hannemann K., Itoh K., Mee D.J., Hornung H.G., (2016) Free Piston Shock Tunnels HEG, HIEST, T4 and T5, In: Experimental Methods of Shock Wave Research, Igra, O., Seiler, F. (Editors), Shock Wave Science and Technology Reference Library, Vol. 9, pp  181-264, Springer