MAGNETIC SUSPENSION AND BALANCE SYSTEM FOR WIND TUNNELS

THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES A SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNET SYSTEM TO SUSPEND AIRPLANE AND MISSILE MODELS IN WIND TUNNELS WITHOUT MECHANICAL STINGS. THE NEW OPPORTUNITY IS TO ACHIEVE MORE POWERFUL, MORE COMPACT, LESS EXPENSIVE, AND MORE RELIABLE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO PREPARE AND EVALUATE SEVERAL ADVANCED CONCEPTUAL SYSTEMS BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY WORK DESCRIBED IN REPORT NASA CR 3802. IN THAT REPORT A SELF-CONSISTENT PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF 15 SUPER-CONDUCTING COILS OPERATED IN 4.2K LIQUID HELIUM IS PRESENTED FOR AN 8 X 8 FT. MACH 0.9 TUNNEL. THE ADVANCED CONCEPTUAL SYSTEM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UNDERTAKEN HERE INCLUDES SUCH MAJOR OPTIONS AS MAGNET COOLING BY SUPERFLUID OR SUPERCRITICAL HELIUM, MAGNET AND DEWAR AND STRUCTURE DESIGN FOR BALANCE CONTROL FREQUENCIES OTHER THAN 10 HZ, AND EXTRAPOLATIONS TO TUNNELS OTHER THAN 8 X 8 FT MACH 0.9. THE ANTICIPATED RESULT IS THE PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT OF THE BEST VARIETY OF NEW CONCEPTUAL SUPERCONDUCTIVE WIND TUNNEL SUSPENSION SYSTEMS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRIORITY LIST OF THE ABSOLUTE KEY ITEMS WHICH WOULD DESERVE EXPERIMENTAL AND THEORETICAL RESEARCH IN PHASE II.