Wind tunnel Т-2 of MAI: history and perspectives

DOI: 10.34759/vst-2023-1-9-22

Аuthors

Popov S. A.^*, Pugachev Y. N.

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

*e-mail: flowmech@mail.ru

Abstract

An aero-physical experiment conducted in wind tunnels (WT) is not aimed only at applied research for determining aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft models of the widest purpose and their power plants elements. It is also aimed at fundamental research in the field of fluid, gas and plasma mechanics, physics of condensed state, applied electrodynamics and detailed testing of new physico-mathematical models being developed based on the molecular-kinetic theory, as well as modern computer codes for computational fluid dynamics. Among all types of the WT, a special place is occupied by continuously operating variable density wind tunnels, which simultaneously create subsonic and supersonic dry airflows in a wide range of Mach and Reynolds numbers, as the most universal experi-mental setups in this area. There are only very few of these worldwide. Typical examples include the NASA John H. Glenn 8×6 supersonic wind tunnel, ONERA S2MA, DLR TWG, TsAGI T-128, and European ETW cryogenic tunnel. A similar wind tunnel is available within the walls of Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University). This is the T2 multi-mode variable-density wind tunnel, which first draft design was completed at MAI back in 1947. This wind tunnel advent is largely associat-ed with prominent Soviet scientists and engineers such as B.N. Yuriev, G.V. Kamenkov, B.I. Mindrov, K.M. Drobyazgo. This large and unique MAIN experimental facility, put into practice 1959, allowed Soviet designers create advanced aeronautical, rocket prototypes and spacecraft technology, and produce them at the highest world level. Management of MAI aerodynamic laboratory, named after N.E. Zhukovsky, consisted of industrial units T-1 and T-2, was performed through the USSR Ministry of Aviation Industry, which allowed staffing it with highly qualified engineering and technical personnel. At its core, scientific research performed in the laboratory was mainly of experimental nature, dealing with various aircraft models at their design stage, production or flight tests. As the result of the long-term activities based on self-financing, strong ties were established between the laboratory and aviation industry companies, the Min-istry of General Mechanical Engineering, the Ministry of Mechanical Engineering, the Ministry of the Shipbuilding Industry, the Ministry of Electronics and others from its conception and well into 1991. Since the moment of its establishing, the average annual production of scientific and technical re-ports from the laboratory was about 25–30 reports annually. The scientific and technical staff of the laboratory was awarded the State Prize and the 25-th MAI anniversary Prize for their deep scientific contribution to the development of aircraft aerodynamics.

In today’s economic conditions, the volume of scientific re-search conducted in MAI experimental laboratory of Aircraft Aerodynamics Department has significantly decreased. Along with this, the opinion that wind tunnels will be substituted in the nearest future by the mathematical models and Computational Fluid Dynamics software packages is being increasingly introduced today into the mass consciousness. This article comprehensively proves that wind tunnels cannot be replaced by their digital counterparts in principle. A key matter is the fact that along the decade from 2010 to 2020, TsAGI has undergone a deep modernization of the entire complex of its wind tunnels. The similar wind tunnels upgrades were performed in the West. According to authors opinion, in the distant future the physical experiment is most likely will be harmoniously combined with the computational one, including promising educational, scientific and applied platforms for aerodynamic design. To solve the problem of sustaining a ceaseless aerodynamic laboratory operation, the authors referred to the experience of leading domestic and foreign industry and academic research institutes. The volume of scientific research can be increased by expanding the range of tasks to be solved, which is possible only after a MAI wind tunnels modernization, measuring systems and methods improvement, both conducting experiments and managing the laboratory with a deeply scientific approach in the field of management.

Keywords:

wind tunnel, variable density, department of aerodynamics, experimental studies, applied research laboratory, blow-off model, aerodynamic coefficients, critical tasks, turbulence problem, computational fluid dynamics, modernization, aerodynamic design platform

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