CSIR-NAL to Build a New Continuous Trisonic Wind Tunnel Facility with Help of DRDO & ISRO, Reducing Reliance on Foreign Facilities

In a major boost to India's aerospace capabilities, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) is joining forces with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop a new, state-of-the-art Trisonic Wind Tunnel facility. This collaborative project aims to establish India as a leader in aerodynamic testing and research.

The planned Continuous Trisonic Wind Tunnel (CTWT) is envisioned as one of the world's most advanced facilities of its kind. The project, officially approved for development, is expected to be completed by 2031, with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) finalized by July 2025. This ambitious undertaking will leverage the combined expertise and resources of three of India's leading scientific organizations.

The CTWT will feature two distinct wind tunnels:

• Continuous Type Wind Tunnel: This tunnel will have a test section measuring 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters, capable of simulating air speeds ranging from Mach 0.1 to 1.8. Its continuous operation capability will enable long-duration tests crucial for analyzing steady-state aerodynamic behavior of aircraft and other aerospace vehicles.
• Blowdown Type Wind Tunnel: A separate blowdown tunnel will be constructed alongside the continuous tunnel, with a test section of 1.75 meters by 1.75 meters. This tunnel will be designed for higher speeds, reaching Mach numbers from 1.6 to 4, allowing researchers to simulate transient flight conditions and gather insights into high-speed aerodynamics.

This new facility is expected to significantly reduce India's reliance on foreign wind tunnel facilities, leading to considerable cost and time savings. Moreover, it will enhance national security by enabling sensitive projects to be tested within the country.

The development of this Trisonic Wind Tunnel facility represents a significant investment in India's aerospace future. It will not only support the development of advanced aircraft and space vehicles but also foster innovation and technological advancements in the field.

 

[FIDA INDIA]

Is it that complex? 6 years!! I am not of science or engg background

 

[Ronin]

Very useful for testing missiles and such and individual fighter jet components.

 

[abhinav srivastava]

We should have all the testing facilities for missiles, jet and other engines.

 

[Radha Ramanan]

China has constructed the world's premier hypersonic Mach 10 tunnel that is so big that a full-scale glide vehicle is able to fit in. They test all their hypersonic vehicles in that. There are readily available wind tunnels from just supersonic to Mach 5 from Israel as well. Don't understand the time scale unless they are building a hypersonic Mach 5 capable wind tunnel. There are already trisonic wind tunnels in India. There is one in NAL in Bengaluru and one in Hyderabad in the Abdul Kalam complex. The one that is being developed is for ISRO in Trivandrum.

 

[Dr. Venkateswara Rao. Korasiga]

All the research agencies have to come together to sort out our lingering problems either in aerospace or any other field. Afterall same tax payers money in different institutions yet they work like different departments possessing their achievements to their chest. At least this is a good step forward.

 

[WarTech]

We need atleast Mach 6 test bed. Atleast. Cause after that you're entering hypersonic, and you can build one if you want.

 

[Somnath Sinhababu]

Can ISRO help India to build jet engine technology in India....

 

[Enforcer]

Is it that complex? 6 years!! I am not of science or engg background

Yes its very complex. Entirely based on scientific expertise especially in physics. Accuracy of each component has be to properly calibrated at each level.

Its easier to create a 1KG weight than make a machine that accurately measures a 1kg weight.

 

[Enforcer]

Very useful for testing missiles and such and individual fighter jet components.

Not much for ballistic missiles. But definitely cruise missiles and fighter jet.

 

[Sandeep]

India has 100% indigenously designed, developed and manufactured several Trisonic wind tunnel test facilities already which has helped us a lot.

Now we need to make several more larger test facilities in height and width. We also need to increase the speed and air flow to mimic hypersonic speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 10 and Mach 15 etc. This will allow us to continuously research and test future missiles, jets or drones.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Is it that complex? 6 years!! I am not of science or engg background

Depends. Not a lot of expertise in those fields in India and overall underdeveloped tech base. Needs multiple institutions and companies. Also a lot of time wasted in paperwork in India...

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Can ISRO help India to build jet engine technology in India....

They can offer help ofcourse but its highly doubtfull they can advance existing timelines significantly.

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

India has 100% indigenously designed, developed and manufactured several Trisonic wind tunnel test facilities already which has helped us a lot.

Now we need to make several more larger test facilities in height and width. We also need to increase the speed and air flow to mimic hypersonic speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 10 and Mach 15 etc. This will allow us to continuously research and test future missiles, jets or drones.

Is it necessary to build dimensionally larger wind tunnels? Testing scale models rather than the actual aircraft is the norm.