The T4 shock tunnel began operation in April 1987 and commenced routine operation, after a commissioning period, in September 1987. The 10000th shot of T4 was fired in August 2008.
T4 is capable of producing flows with total enthalpies in the range 2.5 - 15 MJ/kg.
Layout of the T4 shock tunnel
Personnel involved:
- Professor David Mee
- Professor Michael Smart
- Professor Russell Boyce
- Professor Ray Stalker (retired)
- Dr. Peter Jacobs
- Dr. Melinda Suraweera
- Anne Kovachevich (PhD Student)
- Mark Bateup (PhD Student, DSTO)
- Katsuyoshi Tanimizu (PhD Student)
- Samantha Coras (MPhil Student)
- James Turner (PhD Student)
- Rainer Kirchhartz (PhD student)
- Sarah Rizzaqi (PhD student)
- Andrew Ridings (PhD student)
- Wilson Chan (PhD student)
Details of the T4 - Free-piston driven shock tunnel:
This is a large shock tunnel capable of producing sub-orbital flow speeds at a range of Mach numbers.
Compression tube: 229 mm ID x 26 m long
Piston mass: 87.5 kg
Shock tube: 76 mm ID x 10 m long
nozzles: Mach 4, Mach 6, Mach 7.6, Mach 8 and Mach 10
nozzle supply enthalpy range: 2.5 - 15 MJ/kg
nozzle supply pressure range: 10 - 80 MPa
T4 Shock Tunnel Operator Training
Here is a link to the T4 Operator's Training Program Manual.