LAUSR

A high altitude test facility was developed for the experimental studies on nozzles for various levels of vacuum. The current study is focused on the performance of the nozzle under various altitude condition and to characterized the high altitude test facility. A supersonic nozzle designed for Mach 2.5 is used for the study. Compressed air is taped from the high pressure plenum having a pressure of 20 bar and is regulated and expanded through the nozzle. The inlet pressures for the study is varied from 4.5 to 10 bar. The nozzle is within the enclosure which is evacuated to 0.7–0.02 bar. Schlieren is used to view the flow condition at the end of the nozzle. A nozzle for 2.5 Mach is designed and tested in HAT facility. The nozzle design is validated with the CFD for various NPR. The high altitude test facility is characterized for various NPR and is found to be optimum flow at 14 NPR for 33 s at an inlet pressure of 4.5.