page_title: Supersonic wind tunnel
hierarchical_section_title: Supersonic wind tunnel
caption_attribution_description: English: Engineers making a check on body of a model of a supersonic aircraft before a test run in the 10ft x 10ft Supersonic Wind Tunnel test section.
context_page_description: A supersonic wind tunnel is a wind tunnel that produces supersonic speeds
  The Mach number and flow are determined by the nozzle geometry. The Reynolds number is varied by changing the density level. Therefore, a high pressure ratio is required. Apart from that, condensation of moisture or even gas liquefaction can occur if the static temperature becomes cold enough. This means that a supersonic wind tunnel usually needs a drying or a pre-heating facility.
  A supersonic wind tunnel has a large power demand, so most are designed for intermittent instead of continuous operation.
context_section_description: A supersonic wind tunnel is a wind tunnel that produces supersonic speeds (1.2<M<5)
  The Mach number and flow are determined by the nozzle geometry. The Reynolds number is varied by changing the density level (pressure in the settling chamber). Therefore, a high pressure ratio is required (for a supersonic regime at M=4, this ratio is of the order of 10). Apart from that, condensation of moisture or even gas liquefaction can occur if the static temperature becomes cold enough. This means that a supersonic wind tunnel usually needs a drying or a pre-heating facility.
  A supersonic wind tunnel has a large power demand, so most are designed for intermittent instead of continuous operation.
caption: Engineers check an aircraft model before a test run in the Supersonic Wind Tunnel at Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory.
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