According to a report from CCTV on August 22, the hypersonic wind tunnel is designed to simulate vehicles traveling at speeds up to Mach 30 at altitudes between 40 km to 100 km. This speed, Mach 30, is equivalent to 30 times the speed of sound, or approximately 37,000 km/h. The hypersonic wind tunnel is believed to support the development of the aerospace industry and hypersonic aircraft.
The information was revealed by physicist Han Guilai from the Key National Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) during an online lecture last week. The new wind tunnel named JF-22 is set to be inaugurated in Beijing in 2022.
With numerous upgrades compared to the older JF-12 wind tunnel, the JF-22 will enhance China’s hypersonic flight technology research capabilities, putting the country “20 to 30 years ahead of the West.”
The new wind tunnel can simulate flights at speeds of Mach 30, which is 30 times the speed of sound or approximately 10 km per second. For comparison, the JF-12 could only simulate speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 9.
“At Mach 30, the surface of the vehicle within the JF-22 can reach temperatures of up to 10,000°C, hot enough to break air molecules into atoms and even give them an electric charge. The air inside is no longer the breathable air we know,” Guilai added.
Hypersonic aircraft could travel at speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 10, reaching any location in the world within one to two hours, while the aerospace industry could reduce satellite and spacecraft launch costs by 90%, said Jiang Zonglin, a researcher at the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and team leader of the project.
This will be the most advanced hypersonic wind tunnel in the world. (Screenshot).
CCTV’s report showed the wind tunnel area using imagery of the American hypersonic experimental vehicle X-51 WaveRider to describe hypersonic aircraft. According to the U.S. Air Force website, the X-51 program aims to pave the way for hypersonic weapons, surveillance, reconnaissance, and future access to space.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese aviation expert, told the Global Times that the development of hypersonic aircraft will come sooner than that of spacecraft because they are less complex technologically. Initially, hypersonic aircraft could be used for military purposes such as reconnaissance and attack. Later, hypersonic technology could evolve for civilian applications including transportation.
Hypersonic wind tunnel JF-12.
Spacecraft will be more challenging to develop, but it will be worth it, Mr. Fu noted, emphasizing that they require faster speeds and more complex propulsion systems, potentially a combination of jet engines and rockets.
After the successful development of the JF-12 wind tunnel in 2012, which can simulate speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 9 and has significantly supported China’s major aerospace missions, the JF-22 project began in March 2018. The JF-22 will join the JF-12 to form a top-notch aerodynamic testing platform capable of covering all supersonic speeds.
Mr. Fu mentioned that wind tunnels are a more accurate and efficient solution for developing new aircraft compared to other methods such as computer simulations and model testing.
According to the South China Morning Post, China has had a high success rate in hypersonic flight tests in recent years because it uses chemical explosive technology to generate high-speed airflow instead of mechanical compressors as used in other countries. This allows for longer test runs in the wind tunnel.
Hypersonic flight technology promises to revolutionize future transportation vehicles, such as the aircraft being developed by U.S.-based company Hermeus, which claims to reach speeds of Mach 5, enabling travel from New York to London in just 90 minutes. Additionally, it holds significant potential for weapon development.
